NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 20, 2025

by | Oct 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 20, 2025

The Red Wings’ hot start continues, the shorthanded Canucks outlast the Capitals, Panthers winger Brad Marchand fined, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings extended their win streak to five games (5-1-0) by doubling up the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin led the way with two goals and two assists, and rookie center Emmitt Finnie tallied his first two NHL goals. Noah Philp and Leon Draisaitl replied for the Oilers, who’ve lost three of their first five games.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Detroit forward Lucas Raymond had two assists as he returned to action after missing two games with an injury. Teammate Patrick Kane missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers had a goal and an assist as his club held off the Washington Capitals for a 4-3 victory, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Center Elias Pettersson scored his first goal of the season, and Conor Garland collected two assists as the Canucks picked up their third win in their first five games. Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome each had two assists for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wilson won’t receive supplemental discipline for leveling Filip Chytil with an open-ice hit in the first period that forced the oft-injured Canucks center from the game. The Canucks were already playing without winger Brock Boeser, and rookie forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki left the contest following a hard hit along the boards by Capitals defenseman Matt Roy.

The Capitals were missing one of their top-six forwards for this contest. On Saturday, they placed center Pierre-Luc Dubois (lower body) on injured reserve.

The Utah Mammoth nipped the Boston Bruins 3-2, handing the latter their fourth straight loss (3-4-0). Dylan Guenther snapped a 2-2 tie while teammates Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each had two points for the Mammoth, who have won four of their first six games (4-2-0). David Pastrnak scored both Bruins goals.

An overtime goal by Ryan Donato lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Frank Nazar also scored for the 3-3-1 Blackhawks. Mason McTavish tallied for the Ducks, who’ve lost three of their first five contests.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, Marchand tangled with Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin. He took Dahlin’s helmet with him to the penalty box, where he ripped off its straps before tossing the straps and helmet onto the ice.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin on injured reserve.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former NHL defenseman Oliver Kylington has returned to his native Sweden, signing with his hometown club Djurgarden IF in the Swedish Hockey League. Kylington, 28, had 60 points in 220 regular-season games with the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, and Anaheim Ducks from 2015-16 to 2024-25.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2024

by | Dec 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games and the latest on Kirill Kaprizov, Tom Wilson and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson had a four-point night, including a natural hat trick, to lead his club to a 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Batherson also tallied his 100th NHL goal. Linus Ullmark made 31 saves while teammates Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle each had two points as the Senators have won three of their last four games. Cutter Gauthier scored and John Gibson stopped 29 shots for the Ducks, who’ve lost four straight (0-3-1).

Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win gives the Senators 28 points (13-13-2), putting them within two points of a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

The New York Rangers nipped the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in the battle of two struggling clubs. Mika Zibanejad netted his 300th career regular-season goal and Adam Fox had a goal and two assists for the Rangers, who picked up their third win in their last 11 games. Owen Power and Tage Thompson replied for the Sabres, who have lost eight straight games (0-5-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres were in third place in the Atlantic Division before their losing skid began. If the Montreal Canadiens defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, the Sabres will drop into last place in the Eastern Conference.

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff is pushing every button trying to snap his club out of its funk. He benched defenseman Owen Power and forward JJ Peterka for parts of this game. Power’s turnover in the first period led to Zibanejad’s goal, earning him a seat on the bench for the rest of the period.

The win leaves the Rangers (31 points) holding the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Defenseman K’Andre Miller left the game in the third period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold is committed to getting franchise superstar Kirill Kaprizov signed to a contract extension.

“Well, it’s a priority,” said Leipold. He indicated the 27-year-old winger is “a big part of our future.” Leipold said he’s discussed Kaprizov’s next contract with general manager Bill Guerin as they try to figure out what the salary cap is going to be. “It’s an important part of our strategic plan to get him signed for as long as we can.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov is signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $9 million. He can sign an extension with the Wild on July 1, 2025.

Kaprizov is jockeying for the NHL scoring lead, making him an early favorite to win the Hart Memorial Trophy, something no Wild player has ever done. If he takes home the Hart, the cost of signing him will rise considerably, making him one of the league’s highest-paid stars.

Leipold and Guerin will want to know next season’s salary cap as that will give them a better idea of what it could be in 2026-27, the first season of Kaprizov’s next contract.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman projected the cap could rise by five percent to $92.4 million in 2025-26 as mandated in the CBA. He hinted it could go beyond that if the league and the NHL Players’ Association agree to increase it beyond the five percent limit. The higher the cap rises for next season, the higher it’ll go in 2026-27, giving the Wild more room to accommodate Kaprizov’s next contract.

SPORTSNET: Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson suffered a small fracture to his sinus cavity during Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. He went briefly to the locker room but returned and finished the game. His face swelled up and got worse on the flight back to Washington. However, he returned to practice on Wednesday wearing a bubble mask.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets placed forward Yegor Chinakhov (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled goaltender Jet Greaves from their AHL affiliate in Cleveland.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets forward David Gustafsson suffered a concussion after taking a punch to the jaw from Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic on Tuesday. He missed practice on Wednesday and is in concussion protocol.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs placed forward Alex Nylander on waivers. The younger brother of Leafs star William Nylander has no points in five games seeing limited playing time.

NHL.COM: David Bonderman, who led the ownership group that brought the Seattle Kraken into existence, passed away on Wednesday at 82.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 23, 2024

by | Mar 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 23, 2024

A high-scoring tilt between the Capitals and Hurricanes highlights Friday’s action, Tom Wilson is suspended again, and the latest on the Golden Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: A shootout goal by Dylan Strome gave the Washington Capitals a 7-6 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Sonny Milano tallied his first NHL hat trick, Strome collected three assists and Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist for the 34-25-9 Capitals (77 points), who moved within one point of the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Washington Capitals forward Sonny Milano (NHL Images).

Sebastian Aho had a hat trick for the 44-20-7 Hurricanes (including his 30th goal of the season) and Jake Guentzel had three assists. With 95 points, the Hurricanes are one point behind the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Rangers and two back of the league-leading Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals played without winger Tom Wilson as he’s serving a six-game suspension for high-sticking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor. This is the sixth suspension in his 11-season NHL career. He’s also been fined three times.

During the first period, the Capitals honored Evgeny Kuznetsov with a video tribute as he received a standing ovation from the fans. He was shipped to the Hurricanes before the March trade deadline after 11 seasons with the Capitals.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to help his club defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-1. Mikko Rantanen scored twice and collected an assist for the Avalanche (45-20-5) as they picked up their eighth straight win and took over first place in the Central Division with 95 points. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 45 shots for the 23-35-12 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon extended his home points streak to 33 games and 17 games overall. He’s in second place in the scoring race with 119 points, three back of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn scored two goals in a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jason Robertson had two assists for the 43-19-9 Stars, who’ve won three straight and sit second in the Central with 95 points. Michael Bunting had a goal and an assist for the 30-30-9 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ageless wonder Joe Pavelski tallied his 25th goal of the season for the Stars. The 39-year-old winger has reached that milestone 12 times, the third-most among American-born scorers. Keith Tkachuk and Mike Modano are the leaders with 13 seasons.

The Arizona Coyotes nipped the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Dylan Guenther scored in overtime after Clayton Keller tied the game late in the third for the 29-36-5 Coyotes. Ryker Evans scored his first NHL goal for the 28-28-13 Kraken.

ASSOCIATED PRESS: Jonathan Marchessault is enjoying a career-best season in his contract year. He’s in the final season of a six-year, $30-million contract and has a single-season high of 38 goals, just five short of the franchise record.

Marchessault’s agent, Pat Brisson, said he’s had several discussions with Golden Knights management during the season. However, he doesn’t expect anything to happen until after this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winner of the 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy, Marchessault is an original Golden Knights and their most reliable scorer throughout his tenure in Vegas. The 33-year-old will draw plenty of interest in the free-agent market, though his age could make suitors reluctant to sign him longer than four years.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues defenseman Nick Leddy will be suiting up for his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game on Saturday afternoon against the Minnesota Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leddy will be joining an exclusive club. Of the roughly 7,500 players to appear in at least one game in the NHL’s long history, he will become the 391st to have played 1,000 games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2024

by | Mar 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2024

Four-assist performances from the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov and the Oilers’ Connor McDavid, a hat trick for the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov assisted on each of his club’s goals in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Brayden Point scored twice to reach the 40-goal mark as the Lightning extended their win streak to five games. With a record of 38-25-6, they hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 82 points. William Eklund replied for the 16-46-7 Sharks.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov leads the scoring race with 122 points, opening a five-point gap over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. Lightning winger Anthony Duclair scored against his former team, reaching the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time in his career. Since being acquired by the Lightning before the March 8 trade deadline, Duclair has four goals and seven points in five games.

The Edmonton Oilers erupted for five unanswered third-period goals to crush the Buffalo Sabres 8-3. Connor McDavid collected four assists while Zach Hyman and Mattias Ekholm scored two goals each for the 42-21-4 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 88 points. JJ Peterka tallied two goals for the 33-33-5 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman is just two goals away from reaching the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in his career. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (Hyman’s former teammate) leads the league this season with 57 goals.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin collected the third hat trick of his NHL career in a 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Jonathan Quick made 24 saves as the Rangers (46-20-4) moved within one point of the league-leading Bruins with 96 points. Justin Brazeau had a goal and an assist for the 41-15-15 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quick picked up his 391st career win to tie Ryan Miller for the most NHL victories by an American-born goaltender.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored twice in his triumphant return to the lineup to beat the New York Islanders 6-3, leaving the latter winless in their last six games (0-5-1). Andrew Copp also had two goals and Christian Fischer had a goal and two assists for the Red Wings (36-28-6) as they opened a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 78 points. Mathew Barzal netted his 21st goal for the 29-25-15 Islanders as they slipped five points behind the Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury. During his absence, the Wings went into a tailspin that threatened to derail their playoff hopes. They’re a different team when their captain is in the lineup.

The Vancouver Canucks gained ground on the Bruins in the overall standings with a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Nikita Zadorov scored two goals for the Canucks (44-18-8) as they sit one point behind the league-leading Bruins. Juraj Slafkovsky scored to extend his points streak to six games for the Canadiens (25-32-12), who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slafkovsky remains a bright spot for the Canadiens this season. He had just eight points in his first 31 games but now has 30 points in his last 38 contests. Speaking of the Canadiens, they announced that Joshua Roy will be sidelined for four to six weeks with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of gaining ground in the overall standings, the Carolina Hurricanes moved to within three points of the Bruins by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on an overtime goal by Seth Jarvis. Frederik Andersen stopped 30 shots for the 44-20-6 Hurricanes (94 points) as they’ve won five straight games. Travis Konecny netted his 28th goal of the season for the Flyers (35-26-9), who remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. Flyers head coach John Tortorella declined to discuss Couturier during a pregame interview. However, benching his captain has drawn plenty of media attention as rumors grow of a possible rift between the two.

The Nashville Predators continue to tighten their grip on the first Western Conference wildcard berth as they blanked the Florida Panthers 3-0. Kevin Lankinen kicked out 33 shots for the shutout and Filip Forsberg tallied twice for the 41-25-4 Predators (86 points) as they extended their points streak to 16 games with their fourth straight win. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 34 shots for the 45-20-4 Panthers (94 points) as they’ve lost three straight and sit three points behind the Bruins in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers were without team captain Aleksander Barkov as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Speaking of the Western Conference wildcard spots, the Vegas Golden Knights cling to the final berth following a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Keegan Kolesar snapped a 1-1 tie and Chandler Stephenson netted the insurance goal for the 37-25-7 Golden Knights (81 points). Jaden Schwartz replied for the 28-28-12 Kraken.

The New Jersey Devils got two power-play goals from Jack Hughes to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 3-1. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier each had a goal and two assists for the 34-32-4 Devils. Nikolaj Ehlers replied for the Jets (44-20-5) as they remain in first place in the Central Division with 93 points.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists to keep their playoff hopes alive in a 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Jake Neighbours scored twice and Joel Hofer made 37 saves for the 37-30-3 Blues (77 points) as they sit four points behind the Golden Knights for that final Western wild-card berth. Mark Kastelic and Dominik Kubalik scored for the 28-36-4 Senators.

The Anaheim Ducks snapped a seven-game losing skid by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for his first NHL shutout while Alex Killorn scored two goals for the 24-43-3 Ducks. Arvid Soderblom made 21 saves for the 19-46-5 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks center Leo Carlsson left this game in the second period following a knee-on-knee collision with the Blackhawks Alex Vlasic. There was no postgame update on his condition.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson was offered an in-person hearing by the NHL department of player safety for high-sticking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor on Thursday. Wilson faces the possibility of a suspension beyond five games.

CALGARY SUN: Flames goaltender Dan Vladar will undergo season-ending hip surgery next week. He’s expected to be ready for the start of next season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2024

by | Mar 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, and injury updates on Thatcher Demko, Gabriel Landeskog, Aaron Ekblad and Josh Norris. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for his fourth shutout of the season to blank the Washington Capitals 3-0. Neal Pionk, Alex Iafallo and Kyle Connor were the goalscorers for the 41-18-5 Jets, as they sit in second place in the Central Division with 87 points. Charlie Lindgren made 26 stops for the 30-24-9 Capitals as they remain three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 69 points.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck also reached the 30-win plateau for the fifth time in his NHL career. Capitals forward T.J. Oshie returned to action after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. However, teammate Tom Wilson missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of that final Eastern wild-card spot, the New York Islanders slipped out of it after a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Adrian Kempe, Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore scored for the Kings (33-20-11) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 77 points. Ilya Sorokin turned aside 22 shots for the 29-21-14 Islanders, who sit behind the Detroit Red Wings with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE The Islanders and Red Wings have the same number of points, but the Wings hold the wild-card berth with more wins (33).

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad scored his first even-strength goal in 30 games as his club downed the New Jersey Devils 3-1. Jonathan Quick made 19 saves for the 42-18-4 Rangers (88 points) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division and sit fifth in the overall standings. Simon Nemec scored for the Devils (31-30-4), who remain six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad became the fifth player in Rangers history to score at least 20 goals in seven straight seasons, joining Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert, Vic Hadfield and Andy Bathgate. Meanwhile, Rangers forward Matt Rempe could face supplemental discipline after being ejected during the second period for elbowing Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in the head.

The St. Louis Blues upset the Boston Bruins 5-1 with Kasperi Kapanen scoring a goal and collecting two assists. Joel Hofer kicked out 36 shots for the 33-29-3 Blues (69 points) as they moved to within six points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. David Pastrnak tallied his 41st goal of the season for the Bruins (38-14-15) as they remain one point behind the first-overall Florida Panthers with 91 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha, and Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending March 10, 2024.

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of Demko, he’ll be sidelined for two to three weeks after suffering a knee injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how well the Canucks handle the loss of their starting goaltender over that period. A healthy Demko is a crucial part of their Stanley Cup aspirations.

TSN: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said team captain Gabriel Landeskog could return to action with what he called the “playoff timeframe.” The 31-year-old winger has been sidelined by a knee injury since the end of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Bednar stressed that Landeskog won’t be rushing his timetable to return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That timeframe could be the start of the playoffs next month or the Stanley Cup Final in June if the Avalanche get that far.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris will miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing a third surgery on his left shoulder following an injury on Feb. 27. He’s expected to be recovered in time for training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a significant setback for Norris. Whether the 24-year-old center will be able to continue his playing career or be as effective as he once was remains to be seen.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will be sidelined for at least two weeks with a knee injury. Head coach Paul Maurice said the blueliner didn’t suffer any long-term damage.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers center Ryan Johansen is believed to be battling an injury or ailment that has prevented him from playing for their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. Johansen also hopes to reconcile with Flyers coach John Tortorella as the two clashed when they were with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

ESPN.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Brendan Lemieux to a one-year, $775K contract extension.

SPORTSNET: The Arizona Land Department’s Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday to discuss a Phoenix site where the Coyotes hope to build a new arena.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 10, 2023

by | Aug 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 10, 2023

Erik Karlsson meets with the media following his trade to the Penguins plus the latest on Logan Couture, Tom Wilson, J.T. Miller and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW/SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Erik Karlsson met with the Pittsburgh media yesterday for the first time since being traded to the Penguins by the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.

Karlsson said he didn’t give the Sharks a list of preferred trade destinations but he wanted to go to a winner. He became interested when he learned the Penguins were looking into acquiring him. The 33-year-old defenseman said he’s excited to be playing alongside Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

Karlsson and Letang are both right-shot, right-side defensemen. However, he doesn’t believe he’ll have any difficulty co-existing with the long-time Penguins blueliner. He also denied a report from earlier this summer claiming there was tension between himself and former Sharks teammate Brent Burns. “We’re actually pretty good friends, personally,” he said.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Sharks, team captain Logan Couture remains committed to the retooling club despite the departure of Karlsson. The 34-year-old center has spent his entire 14-season NHL career with the Sharks. He praised the management and coaching staff, adding that he wants to help reverse the club’s fortunes. “I want to turn this thing around here in San Jose,” said Couture.

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million. The article also noted that he and his family have stability in the Bay Area so he currently has no interest in seeking a trade to a Stanley Cup contender.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: Armed with a seven-year contract extension, Capitals winger Tom Wilson is enjoying a healthy summer after rehabbing a torn ACL last year. He admitted he felt “behind the eight-ball” when he returned to action midway through last season after missing training camp last fall.

VANCOUVER HOCKEY INSIDER: Canucks center J.T. Miller remains determined to avoid social media and the sometimes toxic atmosphere that sometimes comes with it.

Appearing on the “Cam and Strick” podcast, Miller also admitted he couldn’t stand a portion of the local media base, noting two or three incidents that he claimed were misinterpreted by them as well as the spreading of unsubstantiated rumors.

“Not all of them, I just can’t stand some of them, and to be honest, I think they know that I feel that way. So it’s not really something to hide,” said Miller.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed goaltender Martin Jones to a one-year contract worth $875K. However, he will have to pass through waivers to be sent to their AHL affiliate and there’s a risk he could be claimed by another NHL club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones is likely to slot in as the Leafs’ No. 3 goaltender provided he doesn’t get plucked off the waiver wire at some point.

NJ HOCKEY NOW: The Devils signed defenseman Cal Foote to a one-year, two-way contract worth $800K at the NHL level.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The late Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz was remembered by family, friends, current and former Blackhawks and the club’s fans during two memorial services yesterday in Chicago. Wirtz died suddenly on July 25 at age 70.