NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2024

by | Jan 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2024

The Oilers set a win streak record for Canadian teams, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar reach notable milestones, the Islanders replace Lane Lambert as head coach with Patrick Roy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers set an NHL record for the longest win streak by a Canadian team (13) by defeating the Calgary Flames 3-1. Sam Gagner snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Stuart Skinner stopped 26 shots for the 26-15-1 Oilers, who took over third place in the Pacific Division with 53 points. Mackenzie Weegar scored for the Flames (21-20-5) as they sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flames placed forward Martin Pospisil (upper body) on injured reserve, activated defenseman Dennis Gilbert off IR and recalled blueliner Oliver Kylington from his conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate. Gilbert suited up against the Oilers while Kylington could soon be coming off long-term injury reserve.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar had milestone performances in a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. MacKinnon extended his points streak to 11 games with two goals and two assists to take over first place in the NHL scoring race with 77 points, two more than Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov. Makar, meanwhile, collected an assist to become the second-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 300 points as the Avalanche (30-14-3) sit fourth in the overall standings with 63 points. Cam Atkinson had a goal and two assists for the 25-15-6 Flyers, who remain second in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar achieved this feat in 280 games, one shy of Bobby Orr’s 279 games. His teammate Liam O’Connor also reached a milestone as he tallied his first career NHL hat trick. It was a costly loss for the Flyers as winger Owen Tippett left the game with what appeared to be an injured knee. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Third-period goals by J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Conor Garland and Nils Hoglander each scored twice while Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Canucks (31-11-4), who remain atop the overall standings with 66 points. William Nylander tallied two goals for the 22-14-8 Maple Leafs, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Past the midway point of the season, I think we can safely assume the Canucks are for real as an emerging powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Leafs have won just once in their last six games (1-4-1). That will raise the heat on general manager Brad Treliving to do something to snap his club out of its funk.

The Boston Bruins scored four unanswered third-period goals to thump the Montreal Canadiens 9-4. Danton Heinen scored his first career NHL hat trick while David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle each had a goal and an assist for the 28-8-9 Bruins (65 points), who picked up their fourth straight win. They hold first place in the Eastern Conference and sit one point back of the Canucks in the overall standings. Cole Caufield scored to extend his goal streak to five games for the Canadiens, who slipped to 19-20-7 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was close through two periods with Boston holding a 5-4 lead before they blew it open in the third. Earlier in the day, the Bruins activated defensemen Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort off injured reserve and assigned John Beecher and Mason Lohrei to their AHL affiliate in Providence.

An overtime goal by Nikolaj Ehlers gave the Winnipeg Jets a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Mason Appleton also scored for the Jets (30-10-4) as they collected their 10th win in their last 11 games, sitting third overall with 64 points. Parker Kelly replied for the 16-24-1 Senators as they’ve lost seven of their last nine contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Josh Norris collected an assist in his return to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Shane Pinto will make his season debut today against the Flyers after serving a 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports-wagering rules.

Rookie Brendan Brisson capped a third-period rally by the Vegas Golden Knights as they nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Jonathan Marchessault scored his 20th goal of the season for the Golden Knights (27-14-5) as they’ve won four of their last five and hold second place in the Pacific Division with 59 points. Jake Guentzel netted his 20th of the season for the 21-16-6 Penguins (48 points) as they sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller scored twice in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Sean Durzi had two assists for the 22-19-3 Coyotes (47 points), who sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Roman Josi scored 167th career goal to surpass Shea Weber as the Predators’ highest-scoring defenseman. With a record of 25-20-1, the Predators (51 points) hold that final wild-card spot in the conference.

The Tampa Bay Lightning extended their win streak to five games by downing the Buffalo Sabres 3-1. Nick Paul had a goal and an assist for the 24-17-5 Lightning (53 points), as they moved past the Maple Leafs into third place in the Atlantic Division. Dylan Cozens replied for the 20-22-4 Sabres.

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz tallied two goals as his club cruised to a 6-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Scott Wedgewood stopped 29 shots for the Stars (27-13-5) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 59 points. Jesper Bratt and Tyler Toffoli replied for the 23-18-3 Devils (49 points) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

The St. Louis Blues blanked the Washington Capitals 3-0 with Jordan Binnington making 18 saves for the shutout. Colton Parayko, Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours scored for the 22-20-2 Blues. Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 shots for the Capitals (22-16-6) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 50 points.

Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period as his club held off the New York Rangers 2-1. Kevin Fiala also scored while David Rittich made 22 saves for the Kings (22-13-8) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 52 points. Chris Kreider scored while Jonathan Quick made 24 saves against his former club as the 28-15-2 Rangers (58 points) remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture picked up an assist in his season debut as his club rolled to a 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Tomas Hertl and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist for the 11-31-4 Sharks. Adam Henrique had a goal and an assist for the 15-29-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture revealed he’d been sidelined by osteitis pubis, which is inflammation in the joint between the left and right pubic bones causing pain and swelling in the groin or lower abdomen. Recovery is rest and, when able, strengthening. Meanwhile, the Ducks announced before this game that winger Alex Killorn will be out four to six weeks following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

HEADLINES

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders announced Saturday they had relieved Lane Lambert of his coaching duties and hired Patrick Roy as his replacement. Roy coached the Colorado Avalanche from 2013-2016, winning the Jack Adams Award in 2013-14. The Hall-of-Fame goaltender also coached the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts to the Memorial Cup in 2006 and 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have been struggling this season and sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The initial reaction to this news on social media was how long it would take before the hot-tempered Roy started clashing with Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello.

I don’t believe that’s going to happen. Lamoriello never would’ve hired Roy if he felt the latter would question his decisions. Roy, meanwhile, seems to have mellowed after being passed over for NHL coaching opportunities in recent years.

The more important question is how well Roy can coach in a league that has changed in the eight years since he last stood behind an NHL bench. Lamoriello believes he’s the guy who can right the Isles’ sinking ship. It’ll be interesting to see how things go from here.

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and forward J.T. Miller were selected by NHL fans to participate in the skills competition at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers forward Will Lockwood received a three-game suspension for running Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury on Friday. Fleury left the game with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headline – January 17, 2024

by | Jan 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headline – January 17, 2024

The Oilers set a franchise winning streak record, the Jets regain first place in the overall standings, the Lightning aren’t trading Steven Stamkos, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2, setting a franchise record with their 11th straight win. Ryan McLeod and Evan Bouchard each had a goal and an assist while Stuart Skinner stopped 25 shots for the 24-15-1 Oilers, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 49 points. Auston Matthews tallied his league-leading 34th goal of the season for the Leafs (21-13-8) as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 50 points.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images).

A 4-2 victory by the Winnipeg Jets over the New York Islanders vaulted them over the Vancouver Canucks into first place in the overall standings with a record of 29-10-4 (62 points). Jets winger Kyle Connor scored in his first game after missing 17 games with an injured knee while Connor Hellebucyk got the win with a 35-save performance. Anders Lee tallied twice for the 19-15-6 Islanders (48 points), who have dropped five of their last six games and remain one point out of the final wild-cards spot in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets played very well in Connor’s absence but the return of their most talented scorer will only make them stronger. They have the same amount of points as the Canucks but hold a game in hand. Meanwhile, the slumping Isles were without forward Pierre Engvall as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Colorado Avalanche scored five unanswered goals to overcome the Ottawa Senators 7-4. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to tie Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league-scoring lead with 72 points. Mikko Rantanen scored two goals and Samuel Girard collected three assists for the 29-13-3 Avalanche (61 points), who sit one point behind the Jets and Canucks in the Western Conference standings. Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux each had three assists for the 15-24-0 Senators.

New York Rangers winger Blake Wheeler scored two goals in a 5-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Kaapo Kakko scored his first goal since returning from injury while Igor Shesterkin turned aside 29 shots for the Rangers (28-13-2) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 58 points. Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann each had a goal and an assist for the 19-16-9 Kraken (47 points) as they remain two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kraken placed goaltender Philipp Grubauer (lower body) on long-term injury reserve and moved forward Matty Beniers (upper body) on injured reserve.

Three unanswered third-period goals lifted the Dallas Stars over the Los Angeles Kings 5-1, handing the latter their ninth loss in their last 10 games. Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston and Evgenii Dadonov each collected two points for the 26-12-5 Stars, who sit third in the Central Division with 57 points. Drew Doughty replied for the Kings (21-12-8) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 50 points.

An overtime goal by Yegor Sharangovich gave the Calgary Flames a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist while Dan Vladar turned aside 23 shots for the 21-18-5 Flames as they moved to within two points of the final Western wild-card spot with 47 points. Sean Durzi had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes (21-18-3) as they sit two points behind the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vladar got the call for the Flames as starter Jacob Markstrom is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. They also recalled goalie Dustin Wolf from their AHL affiliate.

Washington Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper kicked out 24 shots to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 2-0. Ethan Bear and Tom Wilson were the goal scorers for the 21-15-6 Capitals (48 points) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. John Gibson stopped 26 shots for the 15-28-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury.

The Chicago Blackhawks nipped the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on a shootout goal by Boris Katchouk. Petr Mrazak made 37 saves while Cole Guttman scored in regulation for the 13-29-2 Blackhawks. Ryan Carpenter replied for the 10-31-4 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Nikita Zaitsev left this game with an undisclosed injury.

Earlier in the day, the Blackhawks signed forward Jason Dickinson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $4.25 million. No, this isn’t a “sign-and-trade” scenario. The Blackhawks consider the 28-year-old center to be a key part of their rebuild going forward.

Speaking of Blackhawks contract extensions, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports there’s mutual interest between management and Mrazek. He’s been a good fit, loves playing in Chicago and wants to stay. Don’t be surprised if he re-signs in the coming weeks.

HEADLINES

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois made it clear that team captain Steven Stamkos won’t be traded no matter what happens between now and the March 8 trade deadline.

Stamkos, who turns 34 on Feb. 7, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Last September, he expressed frustration that the Lightning didn’t engage him in contract talks, sparking speculation of his possible departure from Tampa Bay this summer.

BriseBois insisted that he still sees Stamkos as a key part of the Lightning’s future. He hopes to meet with his captain following this season to discuss his plans and where he fits with the club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was wise of BriseBois to stamp out any potential trade rumors that might’ve become an unnecessary distraction for Stamkos and his teammates over the remainder of this season.

Stamkos has a full no-movement clause but he hasn’t asked to be traded and BriseBois hasn’t asked him to waive it. This should also give Lightning fans some hope that their captain will remain in Tampa Bay beyond this season.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel is listed as week-to-week following surgery for a lower-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will miss the club’s next two games as he’s suffering from a lower-body injury. Wings coach Derek Lalonde stressed that this injury is not related to his surgically repaired hip. The team hopes to have a clearer picture of Kane’s condition by this weekend.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2024

by | Jan 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2024

The Oilers and Kraken maintain their win streaks while the Jets’ and Panthers’ streaks come to an end and the final 12 players are announced for the All-Star Game. Details and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers set a franchise record with their 10th consecutive win by nipping the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on an overtime power-play goal by Evan Bouchard. Leon Draisaitl tied the game in the third period for the Oilers (23-15-1) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 47 points. Sam Montembeault stopped 39 shots and Cole Caufield scored for the 17-18-7 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens called up Joshua Roy from their AHL affiliate in Laval to replace sidelined winger Josh Anderson.

Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann scored twice and added an assist as his club won their franchise-record ninth straight contest by downing the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4, extending their points streak to 13 games. Joey Daccord made 30 saves for his eighth straight win while Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and two assists for the 19-14-9 Kraken, who sit just behind the Oilers with 47 points. Ivan Provorov tallied twice for the 13-21-9 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets made rookie defenseman David Jiricek a healthy scratch from this contest.

The Winnipeg Jets’ eight-game win streak came to an end as they fell 2-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson made 35 saves for the shutout while Cam Atkinson scored twice to snap his goalless streak that stretched back to Nov. 11. With a record of 23-14-6, the Flyers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 52 points. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 34 shots for the 28-10-4 Jets, as they slipped into second place in the overall standings with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers played without Jamie Drysdale (illness) and Sean Couturier (“minor injury”) while Jets center Mark Scheifele sat out with a lower-body injury.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko made 26 saves to blank the Buffalo Sabres 1-0. Sam Lafferty netted the only goal for the 29-11-3 Canucks for their fifth straight win as they vaulted over the Jets into first overall with 61 points. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 shots for the 18-21-4 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson left the game in the second period after taking an elbow in the face from Canucks blueliner Filip Hronek.

A 36-save performance by Nico Daws carried the New Jersey Devils over the Florida Panthers 4-1, snapping the latter’s nine-game win streak. Jesper Bratt scored what proved to be the game-winner for the 22-15-3 Devils (47 points) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Sam Reinhart extended his goal streak to six games for the Panthers (27-13-2) as they sit second in the Eastern Conference with 56 points.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Charlie McAvoy gave the Boston Bruins a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. McAvoy and Brad Marchand each had two goals for the 25-8-9 Bruins, who sit first overall in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. Jordan Binnington stopped 31 shots for the 21-18-2 Blues, who are three points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 44 points.

Third-period goals by Nic Dowd and T.J. Oshie lifted the Washington Capitals over the New York Rangers 3-2, leaving the latter winless in their last four games (0-3-1). Charlie Lindgren made 25 saves for the 20-14-6 Capitals (46 points) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Adam Fox tallied both goals for the Rangers (26-13-2) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 54 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their points streak to eight games by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on an overtime tally by Brett Pesce, who finished the game with two goals. Antti Raanta made 38 saves for the 24-13-5 Hurricanes (53) as they sit one point back of the Rangers in the Metro Division. Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (20-15-6) as they sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored two goals to lead his club to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, extending the latter’s winless skid to eight games (0-4-4). Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist while Alex Lyon stopped 33 shots for the 21-16-5 Red Wings (47 points), who are one point out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Quinton Byfield scored two goals for the 20-11-8 Kings, who remain third in the Pacific Division with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings head coach Todd McLellan is facing the heat from the club’s fans as they chanted for him to be fired. They could get their wish if the Kings don’t soon reverse their current slide.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos tallied twice to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-1. Nikita Kucherov collected three assists to remain the league’s scoring leader with 72 points as his club improved to 22-17-5 and sit in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 49 points. Lukas Dostol turned aside 36 shots for the 14-27-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Five unanswered goals rallied the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton each had a goal and an assist for the 28-12-3 Avalanche (59 points) as they sit one point behind the first-place Jets in the Central Division. Martin Jones stopped 28 shots for the 21-11-8 Leafs as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson returned to action after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury.

The Dallas Stars netted three unanswered third-period goals in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Goalie Jake Oettinger picked up the win for Dallas after Scott Wedgewood left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. With a record of 25-12-2, the Stars are third in the Central Division with 55 points. Petr Mrazek stopped 27 shots for the 12-29-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with a shoulder injury.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram made 38 saves for his fifth shutout of the season in a 6-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Nick Bjugstad had a hat trick as the Coyotes (21-18-2) moved to within three points of a Western wild-card spot with 44 points. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson and winger Kirill Kaprizov returned to action for the 17-20-5 Wild after missing several games with injuries.

The Nashville Predators defeated the New York Islanders 3-1 on late goals by Alexandre Carrier and Juuso Parssinen. Juuse Saros stopped 24 shots for the 24-18-1 Predators as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 49 points. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders (19-13-10) as they cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with 48 points.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 31 saves while Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1. Chandler Stephenson had the only goal for the Golden Knights (24-14-5) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 53 points. The Flames improved to 20-18-5 (45 points) to move within two points of the final Western wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

The Ottawa Senators ended a five-game losing skid with a 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Vladimir Tarasenko tallied the game-winner with five seconds remaining in the third period while Artem Zub picked up three assists for the 15-23-0 Senators. MacKenzie Blackwood kicked out 36 shots while Mario Ferraro had three assists for the 10-30-3 Sharks, who’ve lost 13 of their last 14 games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly and Vancouver Canucks Elias Pettersson, JT Miller, Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko have been named to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game as voted by the fans. The others included Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2024

by | Jan 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon extending his points streak plus the latest on Connor Bedard, Corey Perry, Cutter Gauthier and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tied a franchise record for the longest season-opening home points streak in a 3-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. MacKinnon collected an assist to extend his streak to 23 games, tying Hall-of-Famer Joe Sakic. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice and Alexandar Georgiev had a 25-save shutout for the 27-12-3 Avalanche, who sit third in the overall standings with 57 points. Jiri Patera stopped 32 shots for the Golden Knights (23-13-5) as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 51 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson missed this game with an undisclosed injury. Teammate Miles Wood was sidelined by an illness. Meanwhile, Golden Knights forward William Carrier is listed as week-to-week following surgery for an upper-body injury.

The Dallas Stars thumped the Minnesota Wild 7-2. Esa Lindell had three assists while Mason Marchment and Nils Lundkvist each had two points for the Stars (24-11-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 53 points. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist while Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves in his NHL debut for the 17-19-4 Wild.

A shootout goal by Sean Couturier gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Owen Tippett and Morgan Frost scored in regulation as the Flyers overcame a 2-0 deficit while Jamie Drysdale picked up an assist in his first game with his new club. Cayden Primeau stopped 37 shots for the 17-17-6 Canadiens while the Flyers (21-14-6) sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers dominated most of this game but Primeau stole a point for the Canadiens in this contest.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks announced rookie star Connor Bedard underwent surgery to repair a fractured jaw. He’ll be sidelined for six to eight weeks. The 18-year-old center suffered the injury on Jan. 5 after being checked by New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith.

SPORTSNET: Corey Perry is cleared to sign with a new NHL team after meeting this week with league commissioner Gary Bettman. The 38-year-old winger’s contract was terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 30 for engaging in what the club called unacceptable conduct that violated the team’s workplace rules and his standard player contract.

Perry subsequently issued an apology, adding he was seeking treatment for his struggle with alcohol. He’s now an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It didn’t take long for speculation to arise over which club Perry might sign with. Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now believes five or six clubs could be in the mix with Stauffer suggesting the Oilers should be looking into it.

Perry remains well-respected around the league. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he signs with a new club before the March 8 trade deadline, making him eligible to play in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

NHL.COM: Prospect winger Cutter Gauthier declined to go into details as to why didn’t want to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers. His decision forced his trade earlier this week to the Anaheim Ducks.

Gauthier told the Ducks podcast “Light The Lamp” on Wednesday that the decision was a personal matter between himself, his family and his agent. He also addressed rumors claiming former Flyers center Kevin Hayes influenced his decision. “I would like to specifically say that he had zero, zero conflict with anything that had to do with the trade…(Hayes) had nothing to do with the situation at hand. “

As for his plans going forward, Gauthier intends to focus the remainder of his sophomore season with Boston College, who have a good shot at winning the Beanpot tournament and the NCAA championship. After that, he intends to sign an entry-level contract with the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gauthier’s within his rights to keep his reasons for spurning the Flyers a private matter. Nevertheless, it will only serve to stoke a rumor mill that’s been churning furiously over why he made that decision.

Speaking of Hayes, Flyers head coach John Tortorella went off on the reporter who claimed the Blues center was involved in Gauthier’s choice.

“It just pisses me off that you guys throw that around and affect someone’s life”, said Tortorella. The Flyers bench boss acknowledged that he and Hayes had a problem regarding his playing time last season. Nevertheless, Tortorella praised him as “a good man” and called the reporter’s story “bullshit”.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid wasn’t pleased with a review of an offside call that wiped out teammate Zach Hyman’s goal during the club’s 2-1 win on Tuesday over the Chicago Blackhawks. “If it takes 15 minutes to determine whether it’s offside or not, it probably doesn’t matter,” he said following the game.

The officials shut the game down for over six minutes reviewing the play from different angles before deciding that Leon Draisaitl’s skate blade might’ve been a centimetre offside and that he held the puck a fraction of a second too long.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The offside reviews, like the goal reviews, are taking way too long to reach conclusions. The league must do something to address this. I understand they want to ensure they’re reviewing every angle closely. However, they’re sometimes reaching their decisions long after the fans have seen it for themselves on the arena jumbotron.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres are awaiting word about Jeff Skinner as he underwent a series of tests for an upper-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs recalled Ilya Samsonov from their AHL affiliate but will continue to assess the struggling goaltender closely.

OTTAWA SUN: Forward Shane Pinto can now practice with his Senators teammates. He has only five games remaining in his 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports-wagering rules.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Ducks claimed defenseman Gustav Lindstrom off waivers from the Canadiens.

TORONTO SUN: The NHL Players Association officially unveiled a new in-house education program called “Line Change”, which instructs players in training each other in identifying potential mental health issues. Twenty players, including Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund, have already taken part in the three-hour session.

Keith Pelley is expected to be announced as the president and chief executive of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and the MLS club Toronto FC. Pelley is a former president of Rogers Media and of Bell Media’s TSN.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2024

by | Jan 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2024

Game recaps, the Flyers trade prospect Cutter Gauthier to the Ducks for Jamie Drysdale, the three stars of the week are announced and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson scored twice and collected two assists in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Thatcher Demko made 39 saves, Brock Boeser had a goal and two assists and Nils Hoglander tallied two goals for the 26-11-3 Canucks (55 points), who sit one point behind the league-leading Winnipeg Jets in the overall standings. Vincent Trocheck netted two goals for the Rangers (26-11-2) as they sit one point back of the Canucks.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson, J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes each have at least 50 points, making the Canucks just the third team in the last 30 years to feature three players with 50 or more points through 40 games. The others were the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins and the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators.

A shootout goal by Valeri Nichuskin lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Boston Bruins by a score of 4-3. Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist to extend his home points streak to 22 games as the Avalanche (26-12-3) are one point out of first overall with 55 points. Brad Marchand potted two goals for the 24-8-7 Bruins, who sit ahead of the Canucks and Avalanche in the overall standings with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins sit ahead of the Canucks and Avs due to games in hand. The Canucks hold a game in hand over the Avs.

Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo left this game with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his status.

Dallas Stars goaltender Matt Murray made 23 saves for his first career NHL shutout in a 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Roope Hintz and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (23-11-5) as they sit third in the Central Division with 51 points. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 16 shots for the 17-18-4 Wild as he remains at 551 career victories.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist while Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 36 shots for the 20-15-4 Penguins, who sit just outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 44 points. Owen Tippett scored for the Flyers (20-14-6) as they hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 46 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins have the same amount of points as the New Jersey Devils (who hold that last wild-card berth), Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings. The Devils hold that berth with 21 wins, followed by the Capitals as they hold a game in hand over the Penguins and two games over the Red Wings while the Pens have a game in hand over the Wings.

HEADLINES

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers traded prospect forward Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A surprising move sparked by Gauthier’s unwillingness to sign with the Flyers. Philadelphia general manager Daniel Briere said the 19-year-old winger stopped communicating with the club following his participation in the 2023 World Championships.

That explains why Gauthier didn’t take part in the Flyers’ development camp last summer. The club kept it quiet from the media to protect the youngster. They also had trouble meeting with him during the recent 2024 World Junior Championship, where he tied for most points (12) and was named the tournament’s top forward as he led Team USA to the gold medal.

The Flyers reportedly never got an explanation behind Gauthier’s change of heart. Briere said they decided to move him now while his trade value was high.

There was also speculation that former Flyers center Kevin Hayes may have influenced Gauthier’s decision. Hayes strongly denied that rumor.

Landing the 21-year-old Drysdale gives the Flyers a skillful young puck-moving defenseman albeit one limited to just 18 games over the past two seasons due to injuries. He’s in the first season of a three-year contract with an average annual value of $2.3 million. If Drysdale can stay healthy he could blossom into a solid top-pairing blueliner with the Flyers.

Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said he made this move to add a forward with elite skating ability and an NHL-level shot. With three good young defensemen such as Pavel Mintyukov and Tristan Luneau and Owen Zellweger in their pipeline, they could afford to move Drysdale for Gauthier.

They already have three promising young centers in Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson but need more scoring punch on the wings. If Gauthier plays up to expectations he’ll provide an invaluable boost to the rebuilding Ducks’ offense.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers reportedly offered Gauthier to the Canadiens for the latter’s first-round pick (fifth overall) in last year’s draft. The Canadiens rejected the offer and used the pick to select David Reinbacher, whom the Flyers were also interested in selecting.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers were reportedly attempting to ensure prospect Matvei Michkov would drop to them with the seventh overall pick, which he did even with the Canadiens rejecting the offer.

Some Canadiens fans will probably be upset with their club for turning down this offer. However, the report indicates the Habs were confident Reinbacher was the right choice with their pick and other teams (like the Flyers) were also interested in landing the promising young blueliner.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Jones and Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 7, 2024

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger Max Pacioretty had to make major changes to his skates to accommodate his altered right foot following two back-to-back Achilles tears. His right foot is now larger than his left.

Pacioretty said his new skates still don’t feel perfect but they feel much better. He’ll continue making modifications until he finds the right balance. He no longer feels any fear of another Achilles injury and is fully healthy now.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning winger Tanner Jeannot is listed as week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. Defenseman Erik Cernak is expected to rejoin the lineup after missing the last three games The club recently placed blueliner Mikhail Sergachev (lower body) on long-term injury reserve.

TSN: The Calgary Flames placed forward Kevin Rooney on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2024

by | Jan 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2024

Another milestone for Marc-Andre Fleury, the Senators make some front office changes and the Golden Knights prepare to face off against the Kraken in the 2024 Winter Classic. Details on these and other stories in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury appeared in his 1,000th career NHL game but his club dropped a 3-2 decision to the Winnipeg Jets. Fleury made 26 saves and Frederick Gaudreau had a goal and an assist for the 16-15-4 Wild (36 points) as they sit four points out of a Western Conference wild-card berth. Laurent Brossoit stopped 24 shots while Dominic Toninato snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Jets (22-9-4) extended their points streak to eight games and sit one point out of first place in the Central Division with 48 points.

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

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury became just the fourth goaltender in NHL history to reach the 1,000-game plateau, joining Martin Brodeur (1,266), Roberto Luongo (1,044) and Patrick Roy (1,029) on the all-time list.

The Ottawa Senators defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. Anton Forsberg kicked out 45 shots while Thomas Chabot collected two assists in his first game back with the Senators since being sidelined on Dec. 2 with a leg injury. Tage Thompson tallied for the Sabres, who sank to 14-19-4 while the Senators are 14-18-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Senators announced several front-office moves. President of hockey operations and interim general manager Steve Staios becomes the full-time general manager, former NHL player and TSN hockey analyst Dave Poulin is their new senior Vice-President of Hockey Operations and Ryan Bowness becomes associate general manager.

The Senators made a management change earlier this season when Staios replaced GM Pierre Dorion on Nov. 2. They also replaced head coach D.J. Smith on Dec. 18 with Jacques Martin on an interim basis. It’s expected they’ll announce a full-time replacement in the offseason.

With Staios now fully in charge of the front office, the focus is likely to shift toward possible roster moves if the Senators fail to show any significant improvement between now and the March 8 trade deadline.

Speaking of the Sabres, Zemgus Girgensons returned to action after being sidelined since Nov. 24 by a lower-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers winger Warren Foegele had a career-high five points (two goals, three assists) as his club thumped the Anaheim Ducks 7-2. Leon Draisaitl has a goal and two assists for the 18-15-1 Oilers (37 points) as they won their fifth straight game and sit three points out of the final Western wild-card spot. John Gibson made 32 saves for the 13-23-0 Ducks.

The Tampa Bay Lightning overcame a 2-0 deficit in a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist to become the first player to reach 60 points this season as the Lightning (17-11-6) vaulted one point over the idle Washington Capitals into the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 41 points. Cole Caufield, Johnathan Kovecevic and Nick Suzuki replied for the 15-16-5 Canadiens as they dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens center Christian Dvorak missed this game with an upper-body injury and is sidelined indefinitely.

Dallas Stars winger Mason Marchment netted a hat trick and set up another goal in an 8-1 drubbing of the Chicago Blackhawks. Tyler Seguin had a goal and two assists for the 22-9-4 Stars, who sit in third place behind the Jets in the Central Division with 48 points. Philipp Kurashev netted the lone goal for the 11-23-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winnipeg and Dallas have identical records but the Jets hold second place in the Central with 20 regulation wins.

Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic scored twice and set up another as his club defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-3. Charlie McAvoy collected three assists for the 22-7-6 Bruins (50 points) as they moved to within one point of the league-leading New York Rangers. Patrick Kane’s six-game points streak came to an end as the Red Wings dropped to 17-16-4.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got a 37-save performance from Alex Nedeljkovic in a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Lars Eller scored twice for the 18-13-4 Penguins (40 points) as they picked up their third straight win and extended their points streak to six games, sitting one point out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Ilya Sorokin stopped 35 shots for the 18-15-5 Islanders as they sit in the first Eastern wild-card spot with 43 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield returned to the lineup after missing the last eight games with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman got a goal and an assist in his 500th career NHL game while Andrew Mangiapane collected three assists to nip the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3. Dennis Gilbert also had a goal and an assist for the 15-16-5 Flames. Travis Konecny had two helpers for the 19-12-5 Flyers as they remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 43 points.

Third-period goals by Valeri Nichushkin and Josh Manson lifted the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Nathan MacKinnon picked up two assists to extend his home points streak to 19 games as the Avalanche (23-11-3) hold first place in the Central Division with 49 points. Tomas Hertl scored for the 9-25-3 Sharks, who’ve dropped eight straight games and also lost top defenseman Mario Ferraro with a suspected shoulder injury following a check by MacKinnon.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights will face off against the Seattle Kraken at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park at noon PT on Jan. 1. This will be the Kraken’s first outdoor game and the second for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll watch it for the novelty of seeing an outdoor game as usual. Besides, there are no World Junior Championship games scheduled for today.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed goaltender Ilya Samsonov on waivers before sending him to their AHL affiliate. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres placed goalie Eric Comrie on waivers before sending him to their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both netminders are expected to clear waivers today. Samsonov has struggled this season and the Leafs intend to work with him during his time with the Marlies to help him improve his game. Comrie, meanwhile, is the third man out behind Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen among the Sabres’ goalies.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forward Timo Meier left Saturday’s game against the Boston Bruins with an injury. There’s been no update yet regarding his status.