NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2023

by | Mar 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2023

The Devils’ Jack Hughes matches a franchise record in their win over the Hurricanes, the Penguins’ Kris Letang buries the Rangers in overtime, interim Flyers GM Daniel Briere says the “R” word and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes had a goal and two assists, Jesper Bratt tallied twice and Vitek Vanecek made 32 saves to shut out the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0. Hughes tied a franchise record with his 27th multi-point game this season as the Devils (44-16-6) moved into a tie with Carolina (43-14-8) with 94 points. The Hurricanes played without Andrei Svechnikov as he’s sidelined by a lower-body injury.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes still hold first place in the Metropolitan Division on the basis of a game in hand. Nevertheless, the Devils have overtaken the Canes, who’ve held sole possession of the top spot in the Metro since Dec. 20. It’s shaping up to be an exciting battle down the stretch between these two for the division title.

An overtime goal by Kris Letang lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each collected two assists while Tristan Jarry turned aside 27 shots for the 34-22-10 Penguins, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth and have won seven of their last nine games. Jaroslav Halak stopped 32 shots for the 37-19-10 Rangers as they sit third in the Metro with 84 points.

Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck kicked out 33 shots to hold off the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Nino Niedereitter scored as he has six points in seven games with the 38-26-3 Jets (79 points) as they moved past the Colorado Avalanche into third place in the Central Division. Anthony Cirelli had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (39-22-6) as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos played in this game, showing no ill effects from the leg injury that forced him out of Saturday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Jets, meanwhile, played without sidelined defenseman Josh Morrissey, who could return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Hurricanes. Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (upper-body) is not expected to rejoin the club for the remainder of this road trip.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-3. Jiri Patera stopped 30 shots to win his first-ever NHL game while Alex Pietrangelo, William Karlsson and Pavel Dorofeyev each had a goal and an assist as the Golden Knights improved to 41-20-6 to sit atop the Western Conference with 88 points. Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist for the 29-32-5 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves while Jonathan Huberdeau, Elias Lindholm and Rasmus Andersson each had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. With 73 points, the Flames (30-24-13) are five points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Tim Stutzle scored for the Senators (33-29-4) as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

The Detroit Red Wings kept their fading playoff hopes alive with a 5-3 upset of the Boston Bruins. Dylan Larkin had a goal and two assists while Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond each had two points for the 30-27-9 Red Wings (69 points) as they sit seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (50-10-5) as they sit atop the overall standings with 105 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm missed this game with a foot injury suffered during Saturday’s game with the Wings.

Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller scored the tying and winning goals in a 5-4 overtime upset of the Minnesota Wild. Keller finished with three points while Barrett Hayton scored twice and collected two assists for the 24-32-11 Coyotes. The 38-21-8 Wild (84 points) matched a franchise-record points streak at 13 as they sit one point out of first place in the Central Division.

The Nashville Predators nipped the Anaheim Ducks 5-4 on an overtime tally by Tommy Novak, who finished the game with two goals. The Predators (33-24-7) are five points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 73 points. Mason McTavish scored twice and Cam Fowler collected three assists for the 22-35-10 Ducks.

HEADLINES

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Interim Flyers general manager Daniel Briere believes a rebuild is necessary for his club but stressed that doesn’t mean there will be a fire sale of roster players. He added they will look at every possible option to improve the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Briere’s predecessor avoided the “R” word over the final two years of his tenure when it was becoming clear to fans and pundits that a rebuild was necessary. I’ll have more about Briere’s comments and plans for the Flyers in today’s Rumor Mill.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares $5,000.00 for slashing Edmonton Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais on Saturday.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: Rasmus Sandin is thriving since joining the Capitals in a trade with the Maple Leafs on Feb. 28. Buried on the Leafs’ third defense pairing, the 23-year-old blueliner is skating on the Capitals’ top pairing, collecting eight points in his first four games with his new club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs shipped out Sandin to bolster their defense corps by adding Erik Gustafsson along with acquiring a 2023 first-round pick that originally belonged to the Bruins. Gustafsson has no points in their first three games with the Leafs after collecting 38 in 61 games with Washington.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres announced defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Blueliner Mattias Samuelsson (upper body) and goaltender Eric Comrie (lower body) are week-to-week.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed winger Phillip Di Giuseppe to a two-year, two-way contract extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2023

by | Jan 30, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2023

Leafs captain John Tavares and Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns pick up wins in their respective milestone games during a quiet Sunday for NHL action. Check out the details in the Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares collected two assists in his 1,000th career NHL game in a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. The Leafs blew the game open in the second period with four goals.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images).

Morgan Rielly’s first goal of the season proved to be the game-winner as the Leafs improved to 31-12-8 to sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 70 points. Nicklas Backstrom tallied his first of the season for the Capitals (26-20-6) as they hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman TJ Brodie (rib) was activated off injured reserve for this game. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 9.

Meanwhile, Leafs goaltender Matt Murray missed this game with an ankle injury. He will be sidelined until after the upcoming All-Star break.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns picked up an assist in his 1,300th career NHL game as his club beat the Boston Bruins 4-1, handing the latter their third straight loss. Sebastian Aho tallied his 21st goal of the season as the Hurricanes (32-9-8) sit atop the Metropolitan Division and second in the overall standings with 72 points. The 38-7-5 Bruins hold a nine-point lead in first overall with 81 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins had never lost consecutive games this season prior to the start of this losing skid on Jan. 26 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. They did pick up a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

NOTE: With the All-Star Break approaching on Feb. 2-5, we can expect a light schedule of games up to Wednesday. There’s only one game on Monday, Jan. 30 as the St. Louis Blues visit the Winnipeg Jets.

Three games are slated for Tuesday, Jan. 31 as the Los Angeles Kings visit the Carolina Hurricanes, the Ottawa Senators journey to Montreal to face the Canadiens, and the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Washington Capitals.

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the Hurricanes head to Buffalo to meet the Sabres while the Boston Bruins will face off against the Maple Leafs in Toronto.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 16, 2022

by | Nov 16, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 16, 2022

The Leafs’ John Tavares tallies his 400th career goal, the Devils extend their win streak to 10 games, the latest on the sale of the Senators, the Hurricanes owner is sued for $184 million, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares tallied his 400th career NHL goal in a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Murray made 35 saves in his first game for the Leafs (9-5-3) since being sidelined following their season-opener on Oct. 12 while Michael Bunting scored twice. Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins as they fell to 6-7-3.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forward Teddy Blueger was activated off injured reserve for this game.

The New Jersey Devils extended their winning streak to 10 games by downing the Montreal Canadiens 5-1. Jack Hughes led the way with two goals and an assist while Vitek Vanecek made 25 saves for the win as their record rose to 13-3-0. Evgenii Dadonov scored his first of the season for the 8-7-1 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens announced before the game that Jonathan Drouin would miss four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury while Joel Armia is also out with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Canadiens executive VP Jeff Gorton revealed they’re laying the groundwork on a contract extension for winger Cole Caufield.

An overtime goal by Alex Killorn lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-4 win over the Dallas Stars. Killorn also collected two assists for the Lightning (9-6-1) while teammate Steven Stamkos picked up his 500th career assist. Joe Pavelski, Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen each had two points for the 9-5-2 Stars.

Back-to-back third-period goals by Carter Verhaeghe gave the Florida Panthers a 5-2 victory against the Washington Capitals. The Panthers improved to 9-6-1 as Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 41 shots while Matthew Tkachuk collected three assists and Aleksander Barkov had a three-point night. John Carlson had two points for the Capitals (7-9-2) as they’ve lost seven of their last nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette returned behind the bench after being sidelined by a bout with COVID-19.

Nashville Predators center Matt Duchene collected his 700th career assist and scored the game-winning goal as his club held off the Minnesota Wild 2-1. Juuse Saros kicked out 32 shots for the Predators (7-8-1) while Frederick Gaudreau scored for the 7-7-2 Wild.

The San Jose Sharks (6-9-3) picked up their third straight win with four unanswered third-period goals to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2. Logan Couture, Erik Karlsson and Alexander Barabanov each had two points for the Sharks. Jack Eichel scored for the Golden Knights (13-4-0) to reach his 400th career point.

An overtime goal by Vladislav Gavrikov gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Boone Jenner scored twice for the Jackets as they move to a record of 5-9-1. Travis Konecny, Kevin Hayes and Noah Cates each had two points for the 7-6-3 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injuries continue to mount for the banged-up Blue Jackets. Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins left the game in the second period with an injured left leg while defenseman Jake Bean left with an undisclosed injury later in the period. Earlier in the day, the Flyers announced winger Wade Allison will miss at least three weeks with an oblique strain and a hip pointer.

Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat had a goal and two assists as his club hung on to beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-4. Jeff Skinner tallied twice for the 7-9-3 Sabres, who’ve now dropped six straight games. The Canucks improved their record to 5-9-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canucks announced center Jack Studnicka was being placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, the Sabres welcomed back defenseman Henri Jokiharju off injured reserve after missing 11 games with a facial fracture.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on an overtime goal by Ryan Strome. Trevor Zegras and Cam Fowler each collected two assists while John Gibson made 31 saves for the Ducks (5-10-1). Rookie Jonatan Berggren tallied his first career NHL goal for the 7-5-4 Red Wings.

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly indicated there’s been “a fair level of interest” in the Senators since the club was put up for sale by its current ownership. He said several groups have come forward expressing interest in buying the franchise.

A condition of the purchase is the Senators must remain in Ottawa. Daly didn’t give a timeline for the completion of the sale but cautioned it wouldn’t be quick.

Sources told the Sun that Toronto-based businessman Paul Rivett is trying to put together a wealthy group of investors to buy the club. Meanwhile, Andre Desmarais of Montreal-based Power Corp is teaming up with former Pittsburgh Penguins minority owners Jeffrey and Michael Kimel to partner on a deal to purchase the Senators and build a new arena.

Other potential buyers could include Toronto billionaire Michael Andlauer, who owns the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. Oshawa Generals owner Rocco Tullio could also be in the mix.

THE ATHLETIC: Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is being sued for at least $184 million by the Alliance for American Football. The suit alleges Dundon tanked the startup when there were financial alternatives. Dundon, meanwhile, is suing the AAF’s founder, Charlie Ebersol, for $70 million alleging he was misled over the financial start of the AAF.

DAILY FACEOFF: The NHL’s bi-annual general managers’ meetings discussed whether to ask the NHL Players’ Association about making the wearing of cut-resistant gear mandatory. This comes days after Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane suffered a gruesome wrist injury when he was accidentally slashed by the skate blade of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Pat Maroon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league cannot unilaterally impose that ruling on the players. As per the collective bargaining agreement, they need the PA’s concurrence.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins have hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to conduct an independent review of their player-vetting process. This comes following the club’s ill-advised signing of Mitchell Miller to an entry-level contract. They’re now attempting to get out of that deal after learning of Mitchell’s bullying and physical assault of a disabled Black classmate as a teenager.

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph was fined $5,000.00 for high-sticking New York Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho on Monday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2022

by | Nov 7, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2022

The Leafs, Red Wings and Panthers emerge the winners in Sunday’s game, the Bruins release Mitchell Miller two days after signing him, and the Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk and the Canadiens’ Josh Anderson get suspended. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares’ 399th career goal was a game-winner in a 3-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Erik Kallgren made 29 saves for his first career NHL victory while Calle Jarnkrok and William Nylander also scored for the Leafs (7-4-2). Stefan Noesen replied for the 8-3-1 Hurricanes.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have won three straight in early November after stumbling through October with a 4-4-2 record. Earlier in the day, they announced goaltender Ilya Samsonov was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury and could be sidelined for at least a week.

The Detroit Red Wings nipped the New York Rangers 3-2 on an overtime goal by Dominik Kubalik. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 27 shots for the win as the Wings improved to 7-3-2 while the Rangers fell to 6-4-3. Mika Zibanejad and Kaapo Kakko scored for the Blueshirts.

Florida Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour had a goal and three assists to lead his club over the Anaheim Ducks 5-3. Sam Reinhart scored two goals and Spencer Knight made 32 saves as the Panthers improved to 7-5-1. John Gibson kicked out 43 shots for the Ducks as they fell to 4-8-1.

HEADLINES

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Two days after the Bruins signed Mitchell Miller to an entry-level contract, team president Cam Neely yesterday released a statement announcing they were parting ways with the 20-year-old defenseman effective immediately.

The Bruins came under heavy scrutiny for signing Miller, who had pleaded guilty in juvenile court six years ago for racially and physically abusing and bullying a Black classmate with developmental disabilities.

In his statement, Neely indicated the Bruins’ decision to sign Miller was based on “careful consideration” of the facts as they were aware of them. The club believed the incident was an isolated one and that Miller had taken “meaningful action to reform and was committed to ongoing development.” However, Neely claimed the decision to terminate the contract was based “on new information.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins’ front office faced a firestorm of criticism for signing Miller. It came not just from around the league but also from their fans, from local media, and from Bruins veterans like Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Nick Foligno. Even league commissioner Gary Bettman expressed his displeasure when asked about the signing on Saturday.

Neely and the rest of the Bruins front office could’ve spared themselves all of this had they properly vetted Miller’s past in the first place. This was not an “isolated incident” as Miller engaged in physical and verbal abuse of his victim for several years A detailed report about his actions by the Arizona Republic prompted the Arizona Coyotes to relinquish his rights just weeks after selecting him in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL draft. He offered no attempt at contrition until about a week before signing with the Bruins.

The fallout from this could leave a stain on the Bruins’ organization for some time.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety suspended Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk for two games for high-sticking Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick on Saturday. Tkachuk jabbed the blade of his stick into the cage on Quick’s mask. The Kings goalie was not injured.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson received a two-game suspension for boarding Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on Saturday. Pietrangelo was bleeding from the nose following the hit but stayed in the game.

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina is listed as month-to-month after suffering a leg injury blocking a shot against the New York Islanders on Saturday.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild placed Jordan Greenway and Ryan Hartman on injured reserve with upper-body injuries. They recalled forwards Adam Beckman and Joseph Cramarossa from their AHL affiliate in Iowa.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Bo Byram is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

GOPHNX.COM: Dylan Guenther will be staying with the Arizona Coyotes this season. The 2021 first-round pick earned his place with two goals and six points in nine games.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks’ rebuilding process is being felt at the gate this season. They’re averaging 14, 788 fans at the United Center thus far. That’s the lowest it’s been since 2007-08.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche broadcaster and former NHL forward Peter McNab has died of cancer at age 70.

Considered “The Father of Colorado Hockey”, McNab was a standout player at Denver University and went on to play 14 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils from 1973-74 to 1986-87, scoring 363 goals and 813 points in 955 career games. He had been calling Avalanche games since their first season in 1995-96 and was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2021.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2022

by | Nov 3, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2022

The Leafs defeated the Flyers while the Sabres down the Penguins, an update on the Senators going up for sale, several players talk about injury disclosures, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: John Tavares tallied a hat trick as the Toronto Maple Leafs snapped a four-game winless skid with a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Tavares also collected an assist while Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist as the Leafs improved their record to 5-4-2. Flyers goalie Felix Sandstrom made 39 saves as his club’s record is now 5-3-2.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That loud exhale you heard across Canada last night was the sigh of relief coming from Leafs fans after a week spent fretting over the club’s 4-4-2 record through October. The Leafs aren’t out of the woods yet as they face the league-leading Boston Bruins, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights in their upcoming contests. Victories against those clubs will go a long way toward soothing the jangled nerves of Leafs Nation.

The Buffalo Sabres scored five unanswered third-period goals to overcome a 3-1 deficit and trounce the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1. Victor Olofsson scored twice while Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Jeff Skinner each collected two points for the Sabres (7-3-0). Jason Zucker, Josh Archibald and Jake Guentzel replied for the Penguins, who fall to 4-5-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres outshot the Penguins 33-21 and never quit even when they fell behind 3-1. Once they made it 3-2 you could sense the momentum was shifting. After winning four of their first five games, the Penguins seem at a loss following this game to explain why they’ve dropped six straight contests. They looked slow, confused and completely unable to contain the surging Sabres.

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports league sources are claiming that multiple groups, including a group of Toronto investors, are interested in purchasing the Senators once the club goes up for sale. However, it’s not believed there is anyone based in Ottawa with the ability to buy the team on their own.

The sale could come in between $750 million and $1 billion. Garrioch cited the recent sale of the Penguins for $900 million and the upcoming sale of the Nashville Predators at $750 million.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wants to keep the club in Ottawa, especially with the potential for a downtown arena in the future. The Senators’ current ownership has made a bid to build a new arena at LeBreton Flats.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garrioch also cited a report in People Magazine claiming Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds is interested in purchasing the club and keeping them in Ottawa.

SPORTSNET: Wayne Scanlan believes the LeBreton project holds the key to the Senators’ future in Ottawa. Sources told him the sale of the club could occur before the arena deal is approved but new ownership will want assurances that the project will go through.

TSN: Several NHL players weighed in on the future of injury disclosures. Teams currently tend to release vague reports of “upper-body” or “lower-body” injuries. The NHL’s betting partners haven’t yet pressured the league for more transparency but the day could be coming when more details about injuries will be publicly known.

Some players, such as the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid and Washington Capitals’ Darcy Kuemper, acknowledged it could go that way. Others, such as the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski, worry that too much disclosure could result in opponents attempting to target injured players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Minor ailments and injuries can be disguised but not the obvious ones like the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl’s “lower-body injury” (ankle) noted in the article. As time goes on, especially with the NHL partnered with betting companies, I expect we’ll see more specifics about injuries.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of injuries, the Capitals placed T.J. Oshie, John Carlson and Beck Malenstyn on injured reserve and recalled Sonny Milano and two others from their AHL affiliate in Hershey.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Aaron Ekblad (groin injury) has returned to practice with his Panthers teammates for the first time since Oct. 17. He’s aiming to return to action by Nov. 12.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins have called up Keith Kinkaid to replace Jeremy Swayman, who remains sidelined with a suspected knee injury.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks have signed goaltender Dylan Wells to a one-year, two-way contract. With Alex Stalock (concussion) and Petr Mrazek (groin) sidelined, they were down to Arvid Soderblom as their only healthy goalie.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Carolina Hurricanes winger Max Pacioretty is trying to sell his Las Vegas mansion for nearly $12 million. Pacioretty was traded by the Vegas Golden Knights to the Hurricanes in July.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras $1,500.00 for slashing San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Benning. They also fined New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas $5,000.00 for interference on Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Actor Andrew Duncan, who played announcer Jim Carr in the 1977 movie “Slap Shot”, has died. His age and cause of death were not revealed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Duncan’s family, friends and co-stars. His character in Slap Shot was among the many who helped make that film a cult classic. Check out this link for his most memorable scene.










Notable NHL Headlines – September 28, 2022

by | Sep 28, 2022

Notable NHL Headlines – September 28, 2022

Five days after being sidelined by Hurricane Fiona, Spector’s Hockey is back with the latest notable NHL headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Did you miss me? Because I sure missed all of you!

It’s been difficult for everyone here on Prince Edward Island and for others in Atlantic Canada affected by Hurricane Fiona. My family and I emerged unscathed with no damage to our home or property but many of my neighbors and fellow Islanders weren’t so lucky.

Repairs and cleanup are ongoing but in some cases, it could take weeks. Please spare a thought or prayers for those who still have a lot of work ahead of them to get back to normal. If you wish to make donations to aid those affected by Hurricane Fiona you can follow this link.

I’m grateful to two of my friends for providing me with a place to work until my electricity and internet are restored in the (hopefully) new future. A big thank you to the crews at Maritime Electric and everyone else working hard to get everyone back online.

The following is a brief summary of noteworthy NHL news of the last couple of days. I hope to be back with the daily morning coffee headlines starting Thursday, September 29.

THE SCORE: The NHL salary cap could rise by as much as $10 million by 2025-26. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Rory Boylen, the cap is projected to increase to $83.5 million for 2023-24, to between $87.5 million and $88 million for 2024-25, and to approximately $92 million by 2025-26.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And I’m sure we’ll see NHL teams (especially the general managers) being far more prudent spenders and show restraint when signing new contracts over that period…Nahhhhh!

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares recently suffered an oblique strain and will be out for three weeks.

PHILADELPHIA HOCKEY NOW: Flyers center Sean Couturier will not require surgery for an ongoing back injury. However, he remains sidelined week-to-week.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry was fined $5,000.00 for roughing Detroit Red Wings forward Jonatan Berggren during preseason play on Tuesday. The Wings won that game 6-2.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY NOW: Canucks winger Brock Boeser is out three-to-four weeks following surgery to repair a hand injury. TSN reports teammate Ilya Mikheyev suffered a lower-body injury during Monday’s preseason game against the Calgary Flames. He’s listed as week-to-week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries continue to dog Boeser, who inked a three-year deal worth an average annual value of $6.65 million with the Canucks this summer.

THE PROVINCE: Canucks chairman and governor Francesco Aquilini denies allegations of child abuse by his own children. The NHL is monitoring the situation. The allegations arose during an open hearing earlier this week over whether Aquilini is still responsible for paying for his three youngest children’s education. He and his wife divorced in 2013.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed Spencer Knight to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4.5 million beginning in 2023-24. Along with Sergei Bobrovsky ($10 million AAV through 2025-26), the Panthers have the highest-paid goalie tandem in the league.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One of those two will become an expensive backup over that period.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed defenseman Andrew Peeke to a three-year, $8.25 million contract extension.

TSN: The Colorado Avalanche released Alexander Galchenyuk from his professional tryout offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could spell the end of Galchenyuk’s NHL career. He was the third overall pick in the 2012 Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. After several seasons in Montreal, he’s bounced from the Habs to the Arizona Coyotes (twice), Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning moved their training camp to Nashville ahead of Hurricane Ian bearing down on Florida. They postponed two home preseason games earlier this week.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Despite missing the playoffs last season, the Golden Knights remain among the hottest tickets in the secondary market. They’re fourth in demand among the 32 NHL clubs on the ticket resale marketplace StubHub.