NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2023

by | May 24, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2023

The Golden Knights are one game away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final, the Flames officially introduce Craig Conroy as their new general manager, former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is moving on, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights are on the verge of reaching the Stanley Cup Final following a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, taking a 3-0 lead in this best-of-seven series.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (NHL Images).

Vegas got three first-period goals by Jonathan Marchessault, Ivan Barbashev and William Carrier to take an early stranglehold on this game. Alex Pietrangelo made it 4-0 in the second period. Adin Hill stopped 34 shots for his first career NHL playoff shutout.

Stars captain Jamie Benn received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for cross-checking Golden Knights captain Mark Stone at 1:53 of the first period shortly after Marchessault’s goal. Goaltender Jake Oettinger was pulled following Carrier’s goal. The Stars also lost winger Evgeni Dadonov to a lower-body injury following a collision with teammate Roope Hintz.

Stars forward Max Domi received a 10-minute misconduct for cross-checking Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague with 26 seconds remaining in the second period. Unhappy Dallas fans littered the ice with debris, forcing officials to send both teams to the dressing room until the ice was cleaned up. Golden Knights netminder Hill was showered with popcorn as the teams returned to finish the period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Star imploded early in this game and never recovered. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong as the Golden Knights swiftly took advantage to take what should be an insurmountable lead in this series. Their frustration from the previous two games boiled over in this contest, all but scuttling any hope they had of reaching the Stanley Cup Final

Benn’s undisciplined penalty and ejection following Marchessault’s game-opening goal seemed to rattle his teammates. Everything devolved after that with Domi’s stupid penalty and Dallas fans showing their displeasure by littering the ice marking an ugly climax to a crappy night for the Stars.

The Stars defended Benn’s action following the game by claiming he “made a mistake.” No, this wasn’t a mistake. He’s not some inexperienced youngster who let his emotions get away from him. It was a boneheaded move by a veteran player and team captain who’s supposed to know better. He hurt his team at a time when they needed his leadership. It’ll be interesting to see if Benn received supplemental discipline from the league.

Meanwhile, Stars coach Peter DeBoer must decide if he’ll go with Oettinger for Game 4 or with backup Scott Wedgewood. Pulled three times in this postseason, Oettinger’s best save percentage in this series was .892 in Game 1.

The Golden Knights, meanwhile, received solid goaltending from Hill, picked apart a Dallas defense in disarray and quickly capitalized on their opponent’s many mistakes. They can put this series away in Game 4 on Thursday in Dallas and return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2018.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: The Flames yesterday formally introduced Craig Conroy as their new general manager. They also introduced Dave Nonis as senior vice-president of hockey operations and assistant GM, promoted Brad Pascall to VP of hockey ops and assistant GM, and promoted Chris Snow to VP of data/analytics and assistant GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy offered up no timeline for when he’ll name the Flames new head coach but indicated it’s high on his priority list. There’s a report suggesting former New York Rangers bench boss Gerard Gallant could be a “prime candidate” for the job. For now, Conroy’s immediate focus is on amateur scouting meetings ahead of the upcoming NHL Draft Combine (June 4-10).

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas released a statement yesterday declining to get into the details of his recent firing. Instead, he thanked the organization for the opportunity to work with them over the past nine seasons. He offered up no information about his future plans, concluding his statement by saying he and his family “will roll from here.”

The Maple Leafs have given the Pittsburgh Penguins permission to speak with Dubas regarding their vacant general manager position.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of which, former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka has emerged as a “strong candidate” for the job. Dubas, however, is considered the front-runner. The Penguins have reportedly informed “multiple candidates” that they were no longer in the running.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas’ sudden availability had a significant effect on the Penguins’ search for a new general manager. It was rumored for weeks that he was their preferred choice if he and the Leafs failed to agree to a new contract. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s soon announced as their next GM.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports a source close to the St. Louis Blues is dismissing rumors of general manager Doug Armstrong becoming a candidate for the Leafs GM job. The “high-ranking source” said all of the talk “seems to be fabricated.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Armstrong has declined to comment on these rumors which have originated in the Toronto media. He would make a prime candidate for that job but this speculation seems to be based more on pundit musing than any hard fact.

Some Toronto talking heads think the Blues might let Armstrong interview for the job if the Leafs were to ask permission or if he told Blues owner Tom Stillman that he was interested in that role. So far, however, there’s no indication that either situation has unfolded.

It wouldn’t make sense for the Blues to let Armstrong go at this stage of the offseason with the draft and free agency a little over a month away. He’s also two years into a five-year contract which lacks an “out clause” allowing him to move on to other management jobs elsewhere.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said he’s optimistic that team captain Aleksander Barkov will be in the lineup for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Final with the Carolina Hurricanes. Barkov left Game 3 on Monday with a lower-body injury but Maurice indicate his absence was “as much precautionary as anything sinister.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New Jersey Devils will host the Philadelphia Flyers as part of the 2024 NHL Stadium Series at Metlife Stadium next February.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 22, 2023

by | May 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 22, 2023

The Golden Knights take a 2-0 series lead over the Stars, the Flames will name Craig Conroy as their new general manager, Filip Chytil injured at the World Championships, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Dallas Stars 3-2 on an overtime goal by Chandler Stephenson to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference Final.

Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson (NHL Images).

Vegas rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to force the extra frame on goals by Mark Stone and Jonathan Marchessault while Adin Hill made 26 saves. Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson tallied for the Stars while Jake Oettinger stopped 21 shots.

The series shifts to Dallas for the next two games with Game 3 set for Tuesday at 9 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars had a better effort in this game compared to Game 1 and were within minutes of a 2-1 series-tying win. However, a poor clearing attempt by Ryan Suter late in the third period led to Marchessault’s tying goal, setting the stage for Stephenson’s game-winner.

For the second straight game, the Stars seemed unprepared for overtime. Stephenson’s goal came 1:12 into OT while Brett Howden’s winner in Game 1 came at 1:35.

TSN: Darren Dreger broke the news that the Calgary Flames are expected to name Craig Conroy as their new general manager later this week. Conroy has worked in the Flames’ front office since retiring as a player in 2011 and has been assistant GM since 2014.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This news has been well-received by Flames pundits such as the Calgary Sun’s Wes Gilbertson, Calgary Hockey Now’s Steve MacFarlane and Sportsnet’s Eric Francis. They cited his experience and familiarity with the front office, his great relationship with the club’s current prospects and his eye for future draft picks, and the possibility that he’ll bring in former Flames captain Jarome Iginla in a front-office role.

Conroy faces a busy agenda. He’ll have to find a new head coach, determine the futures of core players like Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin who are a year away from unrestricted free-agent status, and address their roster issues while working within limited salary-cap constraints.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Filip Chytil suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone after taking a stick to the face while playing for Czechia against Kazakhstan on May 14 in the IIHF World Championship.

The Rangers’ medical staff have been in touch with Chytil, who is now resting at home. They’re calling it an “upper-body injury”, claiming it won’t affect his offseason or training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What’s the point of the secrecy here? The Rangers’ season is over. Revealing the nature and severity of Chytil’s injury isn’t going to affect anything.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Joe Veleno received a five-game suspension for kicking from the World Championship. Playing for Canada, Veleno stomped down hard with his skate on the leg of Switzerland’s Nino Niederreiter during Saturday’s game between the two clubs. The on-ice officially missed the infraction during the game and penalized Nieddereiter for retaliating against Veleno.

Niederreiter later said Veleno sought him out following the game to apologize. “He tried to apologize, but to do such a thing…he has to grow up,” said the Winnipeg Jets’ winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no place in hockey for that dangerous tactic. Veleno’s fortunate he didn’t receive a longer suspension. As it stands, he’s out for the remainder of this tournament. The report indicates that Canada would have a maximum of five games to play.

DAILY FACEOFF: Philadelphia Flyers associate coach Brad Shaw is in the running for head-coaching jobs with the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2023

by | May 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2023

The Golden Knights beat the Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, reaction to the Leafs firing GM Kyle Dubas, Clayton Keller’s agents meet with Coyotes management and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS DRAW FIRST BLOOD IN WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Dallas Stars 4-3 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on an overtime goal by Brett Howden. William Karlsson scored two goals, Zack Whitecloud collected two assists and Adin Hill made 33 saves for the Golden Knights. Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists, Jason Robertson a goal and an assist and Jake Oettinger stopped 33 shots for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was an entertaining game with plenty of scoring chances, some big saves and a good overall pace. Four of the six goals in regulation were scored in the third period when the Golden Knights would take the lead but the Stars rallied back twice to tie it.

Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa missed this game, perhaps due to a nagging lower-body injury. Colin Miller took his place.

Game 2 goes Sunday in Las Vegas at 3 pm ET.

LEAFS FIRE DUBAS, MARLIES COACHING STAFF SACK, SPEZZA RESIGNS.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Friday that they had “parted ways” with general manager Kyle Dubas.

DAILY FACEOFF: In a subsequent press conference, Leafs president Brendan Shanahan spoke candidly of the reasons behind the decision. He revealed that a framework for a contract extension was presented to Dubas prior to the latter’s emotional press conference on Monday where he voiced his uncertainty about returning to the job.

Former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas (NHL Images).

Shanahan explained the Leafs front office was caught off guard by Dubas’ remarks and started to rethink management’s plans. A meeting with Dubas on Wednesday, Shanahan said, left the latter with more questions than answers.

The Leafs president indicated that Dubas presented a new financial package for a contract extension on Thursday. By that point, however, Shanahan had felt differently about the club’s future with Dubas. On Friday, he drove to Dubas’ office and told him that he was fired.

Shanahan indicated that he’ll be open-minded when it comes to Dubas’ replacement. However, he will put an emphasis on experience.

TORONTO SUN: Prior to Shanahan’s press conference on Friday, Jason Spezza tendered his resignation as special assistant to the general manager. Spezza had been in the role for one season following his retirement as a player.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Marlies (the Leafs AHL affiliate) announced the contracts of coaches Greg Moore, A.J. MacLean and John Snowden would not be renewed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After several seasons, the soap opera “As The Leafs Turn” has returned. This was a major front-office bloodletting that will have significant short- and long-term ramifications for the Maple Leafs.

This news made a number of Leafs followers nervous that the club could be returning to the front-office dysfunction of the recent past. Some have drawn comparisons to the dark days of team owner Harold Ballard. Those folks are overreacting or weren’t old enough to remember how horrible the Ballard years were. Nevertheless, the concerns over the front office are understandable.

Dubas’ firing gives the Leafs little time to find a suitable replacement before the NHL draft (June 28-29) and the opening of contract extension talks (July 1) with Auston Matthews and William Nylander, who are slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer.

The new general manager must also find a way to address the club’s roster needs with limited salary-cap space. That includes deciding whether to shake up the roster by trading one of their core players. They must also decide if head coach Sheldon Keefe and his coaching staff will remain or be replaced.

Buckle up, Leafs fans, you’re in for what could be a very interesting summer.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: Clayton Keller’s agents met with the Arizona Coyotes met with the club’s front office to discuss the team’s future. There was no trade request made by the 24-year-old winger’s representatives to seek clarity about the Coyotes’ direction after its Tempe arena proposal was rejected by a public referendum.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tying the franchise single-season record of 86 points, Keller is the Coyotes’ best player. He’s signed through 2026-27 and is a vital part of their current rebuilding program. The fact that he’s wondering about the club’s future should be a concern for the front office. If he’s not happy with their direction he could follow the example of former teammate Jakob Chychrun and request a trade.

NEW YORK POST: Connecticut governor Ned Lamont said he’s reached out to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for a meeting to discuss moving the Coyotes to Hartford, the former home of the Whalers before their relocation in 1997 to Carolina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would be nice to see the NHL return full-time to Hartford. However, if the Coyotes relocate they’ll likely end up in a big Western market such as Houston or Salt Lake City.

SPORTSNET: Coyotes top prospect Logan Cooley intends to return to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt that Cooley’s decision is tied to the Coyotes’ failed arena bid. Earlier this year, he indicated that he wasn’t in a hurry to make the leap to the NHL. U.S. College players tend to spend at least two seasons with their university clubs. Management isn’t in any hurry to rush Cooley into their lineup, preferring to let him develop and mature as a player in the college ranks.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports four potential candidates for the Flames’ vacant general manager job visited Calgary this week for interviews. Among them were Dave Nonis, Stan Bowman and Marc Bergevin. Seravalli believes the favorite could be Flames assistant GM Craig Conroy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy seems to me to be the best choice. He knows the Flames well during his years in their front office.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will reportedly meet with veteran coach Joel Quenneville after the playoffs to discuss his future with the league.

Quenneville resigned as head coach of the Florida Panthers in 2021, following the investigation into the sexual assault of former Chicago Blackhawks player Kyle Beach by former Blackhawks video coach Bradley Alrich.

At the time of Quenneville’s resignation, Bettman said he would have to meet with the commissioner if he wished to re-enter the league at some point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could mean that there’s a team interested in hiring Quenneville.










Conference Finals Predictions – 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

by | May 17, 2023

Conference Finals Predictions – 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

After going four-for-eight with my first-round predictions, I went a pathetic one-for-four in the second round. So, folks, don’t base your Conference Finals bets on my prognostications. Remember, this is all just for fun.

Anyway, let’s see if I can have better luck this time around. Feel free to point and laugh in the comments section. Bet responsibly, kids. A fool and his money and all that…

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers

The Hurricanes got here by eliminating the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils while the Panthers upset the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Despite the absence of sidelined forwards Andrei Svechnikov, Max Pacioretty and Teuvo Teravainen, the Hurricanes got production from depth forwards Jordan Martinook, Jesper Fast and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Sebastian Aho remains the linchpin of their offense.

Defense and goaltending are the Hurricanes’ strengths. Led by Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns, their blueline has contributed offensively while shutting down opposing scorers. Their 90.0 penalty-killing percentage is the postseason’s best. Frederik Andersen was superb between the pipes against the Devils. The Canes’ 2.55 goals-against per game is the second-lowest. 

The Panthers’ physical style and gritty offense were critical factors in getting them to this point. Matthew Tkachuk has risen to the occasion as a playoff performer, Brandon Montour provides invaluable production from the blueline while forwards Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart and Anthony Duclair have proven difficult to contain.

Sergei Bobrovsky has been solid in the Panthers’ net since the midpoint of their first-round series against Boston. Their overall defensive game did a fine job neutralizing the Bruins and Leafs best scorers.

It’s going to be an interesting matchup between Carolina’s strong defense and Florida’s aggressive forecheck. Considering how games become tighter-checking affairs as the playoffs roll along, that could favor the Hurricanes. PREDICTION: Hurricanes in 6.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights

The Stars reached this point by beating the Minnesota Wild and the Seattle Kraken. The Vegas Golden Knights bested the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers.

This is the fourth time in six years Vegas has reached the Western Conference Finals. It’s also the second time since 2020 that they will face the Stars, who bested them the last time around.

Vegas’ 3.73 goals-per-game average is the second-highest in this postseason. Leading scorer Jack Eichel is thriving in his first-ever NHL playoffs. Mark Stone, Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson have also flourished in these playoffs.

The Golden Knights possess a solid defense anchored by Alex Pietrangelo. Their goaltending has been decimated by injuries yet Adin Hill replaced the sidelined Laurent Brossoit midway through the Oilers series and backstopped them to victory.

Led by Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski, the Stars have plenty of scoring punch of their own. Regular-season scoring leader Jason Robertson only has two goals but collected 10 assists thus far. Veterans Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and trade-deadline pickup Max Domi have also been key contributors.

Dallas’ starting goaltender Jake Oettinger has had a handful of difficult games but has also shown that he can bounce back well. Led by Miro Heiskanen, the Stars have given up the third-fewest shots (29.4) and possess the third-best penalty kill.

Both clubs have plenty of talent and roster depth so this series could go the distance. Defense should make the difference here. If Oettinger remains sharp, this should go Dallas’ way. PREDICTION: STARS IN SEVEN.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2023

by | May 16, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2023

The Stars advance to the Western Conference Finals, the notable highlights from the Leafs exit interviews with the media, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STARS DEFEAT KRAKEN, ADVANCE TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars move on to the Western Conference Finals after nipping the Seattle Kraken 2-1 in Game 7 of their second-round series. Roope Hintz opened the scoring, Wyatt Johnston tallied the game-winner and Jake Oettinger stopped 22 shots for the Stars. Oliver Bjorkstand scored in the dying seconds of the third period and Philipp Grubauer made 26 saves for the Kraken.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars will face off again the Vegas Golden Knights when the Western Conference Finals begin on Friday, May 19. Another bounce-back performance in goal by Oettinger was crucial to the Stars’ victory in Game 7. Johnston, meanwhile, became the youngest player in NHL history to score a series-clinching goal in Game 7.

The Kraken’s first-ever NHL playoff appearance was a memorable one, upsetting the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games and pushing the Stars to the limit in this series. However, they looked like they were running out of gas in Game 7. If not for Grubauer’s goaltending the Stars’ margin of victory might’ve been higher. Still, this was a great experience for this second-year franchise, providing them with a solid foundation of experience to build on.

As noted above, the Western Conference Finals between the Stars and Golden Knights begins in Las Vegas on Friday, May 19 at 8:30 pm ET. Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers will face off in the Eastern Conference Finals with Game 1 in Raleigh on Thursday, May 18 at 8 pm ET.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LEAFS EXIT INTERVIEWS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Kyle Dubas will either return to the Toronto Maple Leafs as general manager or step away. During his club’s exit interviews with the media on Monday, Dubas indicated that he won’t entertain a front-office position with another club and intends to consult his family before reaching his decision.

Dubas is coming to the end of his five-year contract. He indicated that he will be meeting with team president Brendan Shanahan and the owners of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. However, the final say will be with his family, who endured what Dubas called a taxing year. He spent considerable time away from them as he attended nearly every one of the club’s home and road games this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent rumors had linked Dubas to the Pittsburgh Penguins as they’re in the market for a new general manager. Given his remarks, they’ll have to look elsewhere. The Pens have reportedly interviewed 10-12 candidates including former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and Peter Chiarelli, the former GM of the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers.

THE SCORE: Dubas indicated that he would take nothing off the table in terms of his coaching staff and roster if he returns as Leafs general manager. “I would consider anything with our group here that would allow us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup,” he said.

THE ATHLETIC: Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted his fate with the club is out of his control. He has a year remaining on his contract and hopes to return behind the bench. Dubas indicated that there will a full evaluation of everything on the team this season, including Keefe’s performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have been a strong regular-season team with Keefe, including a franchise-record 115-point performance in 2021-22 and 111 points this season. However, they’ve only won one playoff series since he took over as head coach in 2019-20.

THE SCORE: Auston Matthews doesn’t intend on leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility but indicated his intention is to stay put. Matthews said signing an extension with the Leafs before next season is important to him and believes it “will work itself out in due time.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews’ willingness to ink an extension is good news for the Leafs and their fans. How long that deal will be and for how much will become hot topics of speculation in Toronto. There’s already media chatter suggesting that he might seek a four-year deal worth an average annual value of $16 million. A maximum eight-year deal could see him pull in an AAV of $13.5 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Forget about the scenario of John Tavares waiving his no-movement clause. Asked if he would do so as part of any trade, the Leafs captain expressed his love for the club and his teammates. “I made a commitment here for seven years to be a Leaf and I want to be here,” said Tavares, adding that he takes his role of team captain very seriously.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The theory about Tavares waiving his NMC came about because of the Leafs limited cap space due in part to his hefty $11 million cap hit through 2024-25. There was an assumption among some observers that he might do so if management approached him. Based on his reply, that’s not going to happen.

TSN: Michael Bunting said he’s had no contract extension talks with Leafs management this season. The 27-year-old winger is set to become a UFA on July 1. Trade-deadline acquisition Ryan O’Reilly is also due to become a UFA this summer and sounded more inclined to test the market than re-sign with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t be surprised if Bunting and O’Reilly are playing elsewhere next season. The Leafs likely can’t afford to retain them even if they wanted to bring them back.

SPORTSNET: Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov revealed he suffered a neck injury in Game 3 against the Florida Panthers that sidelined him for the remainder of that series. A restricted free agent this summer, Samsonov indicated he hopes to re-sign with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Samsonov is coming off a one-year, $1.8 million contract and has arbitration rights this summer. I expect he’ll be re-signed to a multi-year deal and share the goaltending duties next season with Joseph Woll, who’s signed through 2024-25 at a very affordable $766K.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Calgary Flames have reportedly sought permission from the Leafs to speak with assistant general manager Brandon Pridham. They’re on the hunt for a replacement for Brad Treliving, who stepped down as GM last month.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: The bidding for the Senators is down to four binding offers ranging from $850 million to $1 billion. Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group, Michael Andlauer of ATS Healthcare Group, Toronto real estate magnate Steve Apostolopoulos and Los Angeles producer Neko Sparks entered their bids by Monday’s due date.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s expected one of them will receive preferred bidder status within the next couple of weeks.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen (hand injury) is moving one step closer to returning to the lineup. He shed his non-contact jersey for practice on Monday and is expected to return to action at some point in the Eastern Conference Finals.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko hopes to gain more playing time, including on the power play, under the club’s new coaching staff.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2023

by | May 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2023

The Kraken push their series with the Stars to a seventh game, the Islanders expected to re-sign Lou Lamoriello, Alex Pietrangelo calls out Oilers for premeditated hits, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: There will be a seventh and deciding game between the Seattle Kraken and Dallas Stars as the Kraken rolled to a 6-3 victory in Game 6 of their second-round series. Jordan Eberle and Eeli Tolvanen led the way with three points each for the Kraken to even the series at three games apiece.

Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle (NHL Images).

Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger got the hook early in the second period after giving up four goals on 18 shots. Stars forward Joe Pavelski scored his eighth goal of this series to set a single-series franchise record and tied a postseason record for most goals by a player 38 or older. Mason Marchment also scored for the Stars after missing Game 5 with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 of this series goes Monday in Dallas. It’s fitting that this closely contested series goes the distance. The winner will face either the Edmonton Oilers or Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals starting later this week.

NEWSDAY: Andrew Gross reports the New York Islanders have decided to offer general manager Lou Lamoriello a three-year contract extension. Lamoriello, 80, has been in that role for the past five seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet as to whether Lamoriello has accepted though it’s expected he will. A formal announcement will be made by the club when he does.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said his two-handed slash on Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl late in Game 4 was retaliation for what he considered to be premeditated hits on himself and his teammates by the Oilers. Pietrangelo’s actions earned him a one-game suspension. He returns to the Golden Knights lineup for Game 6 tonight in Edmonton with his club leading the series three games to two.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Carolina Hurricanes are geographically restricting tickets to their upcoming Eastern Conference Finals series with the Florida Panthers. Tickets can only be purchased by those with credit card billing within North Carolina, South Carolina and parts of Virginia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers employed a similar tactic in their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs to limit the number of Leafs fans in their arena.

THE DENVER POST: Medical experts say the long-term effects of Gabriel Landeskog’s knee cartilage transplant are difficult to predict due to the rarity of such procedures among professional athletes. While the surgery will ensure a return to a good quality of life for the average person, it remains to be seen if it can help a pro athlete like Landeskog resume his career and regain his previous level of performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Landeskog is expected to miss the entirety of next season recuperating from this procedure. Time will tell if he’ll be able to return to his playing career.

NHL.COM’s Mike Morreale reports New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton revealed that he was dealing with a wrist injury during his club’s second-round series with the Hurricanes.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL defenseman Gerry Hart died Saturday at age 75. The cause of death was not revealed. He spent 15 seasons in the NHL from 1968-69 to 1982-83 with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Quebec Nordiques and St. Louis Blues.

One of the original Islanders, Hart played seven seasons with the franchise from 1972-73 to 1978-79, becoming a fan favorite for his gritty play. He finished with 179 points and 1,240 PIMs in 730 career NHL regular-season games and 15 points in 78 playoff games.

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