NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2023

by | May 9, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2023

Check out the latest on the Bruins and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE BRUINS

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cited an NHL source claiming big roster changes are coming for the Bruins during this offseason. Given all their unrestricted free agents and their limited cap space, the source believes Bruins general manager Don Sweeney will have to make some trades he otherwise wouldn’t do.

Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Nick Foligno are among those eight pending UFAs. Murphy cited Puck Pedia showing the Bruins will be over next season’s projected $83.5 million cap by $1.5 million due to bonus overages incurred this season.

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (NHL Images).

Goaltender Linus Ullmark recently surfaced as a possible trade candidate but his value in the trade market could be affected by a recent report claiming he was battling a debilitating and painful injury. Murphy listed Taylor Hall, Matt Grzelcyk, Derek Forbort and Jakub Zboril as possible trade bait.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa was peppered with questions from readers about possible trades by the Bruins during his latest mailbag segment.

Shinzawa doesn’t rule out trading the 31-year-old Hall or perhaps Jake DeBrusk, who is eligible for UFA status next summer. He acknowledged Grzelcyk could be moved with one year left on his contract.

The Bruins will have to look into replacing Bergeron and Krejci if both retire. Centers who might be available include Winnipeg’s Pierre-Luc Dubois, Calgary’s Elias Lindholm and Philadelphia’s Kevin Hayes. Shinzawa doubts they have sufficient assets to put together a competitive bid unless Jeremy Swayman, Mason Lohri, Fabian Lysell or Trent Frederic are heading the other way.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sweeney has some difficult decisions to make. Much depends on what Bergeron and Krejci want to do. It’ll take some clever wheeling and dealing on his part to find suitable replacements.

The Bruins GM must shed salary to clear sufficient space to ice a 23-man roster for 2023-24. Hall, Grzelcyk or DeBrusk could be skating with other clubs next season.

UPDATE ON THE CANADIENS

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Before Monday’s NHL draft lottery, Stu Cowan reported Canadiens GM Kent Hughes was asked if he was willing to make a blockbuster trade for Connor Bedard if his team didn’t win the lottery.

Hughes seemed to dismiss that notion. He pointed out that the Eric Lindros trade between the Quebec Nordiques and Philadelphia Flyers in 1992 saw the Flyers give up a lot to get him. “It ended up going in one team’s favor when it looked like the other team.”

Cowan was skeptical that whatever team won this year’s lottery would be willing to trade Bedard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Chicago Blackhawks won the lottery last night. They’re not parting with that pick no matter what. The Canadiens are in a good position (fifth overall) in a deep draft to land another solid asset to their prospect pipeline.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico believes the Canadiens are more likely to shop the 2023 first-rounder they received from the Florida Panthers as that pick drops in the draft order.

Should the Panthers be eliminated from the second round, that pick will be 17th overall. If the Panthers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, it drops to 29th overall. The Habs also hold the 37th overall pick so moving one or the other won’t be a big loss if it fetches a notable return.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 3, 2023

by | May 3, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 3, 2023

Could the Bruins shop Linus Ullmark? Will the Rangers trade one of their young forwards? What’s the latest on the Red Wings and Senators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD ULLMARK BECOME A TRADE CANDIDATE?

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cites a former NHL executive claiming the Bruins entertained trade talks for Linus Ullmark but elected to retain the 29-year-old goaltender.

Ullmark went on to become the favorite to win this Vezina Trophy this season after going 40-6-1 with a 1.89 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage. However, the executive felt he could be traded this offseason.

The Bruins have limited salary-cap space for 2023-24. Ullmark is signed through 2024-25 with a $5 million average annual value. Despite his struggles in the Bruins’ opening-round elimination by the Florida Panthers, his regular-season performance ensures he’ll have value in the trade market.

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (NHL Images).

Murphy wondered if the Bruins would consider icing a goalie tandem of Jeremy Swayman and promising Brandon Bussi next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has only 14 active roster players under contract for 2023-24. Cap Friendly shows the Bruins with a projected $10.5 million in cap space but that doesn’t appear to take into account their $4.5 million in performance bonus overages.

Sweeney will have to shed some salary to ice a 23-man roster next season. Trading Ullmark, however, won’t be easy. His no-movement clause for this season reverts on July 1 to a 16-team no-trade list for 2023-24. A number of clubs also have salary-cap constraints.

COULD THE RANGERS TRADE A YOUNG PLAYER?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks observed the Rangers might need to restructure their roster following their first-round elimination by the New Jersey Devils. He believes they still need a line with “a lockdown mentality and match-up capability,” noting they also lack a true checking-line center.

The Rangers also have limited cap room to work with this summer and limited maneuverability with their no-move veterans. That could lead to them perhaps moving a young player such as defenseman K’Andre Miller or a forward like Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko or Filip Chytil.

Brooks’ colleague Mollie Walker believes the Rangers must also address their need for scoring at right wing with Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane likely departing via free agency. She thinks they must free up some cap space to do this.

Walker considers Miller too valuable to part with but the 21-year-old Lafreniere might be a trade option. The 2020 first-overall pick is a natural left winger but the Rangers’ depth at that position has him struggling to play on his off-wing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers general manager Chris Drury could consider another trade option to free up cap room to add a right winger. Perhaps he’ll shop checking-line forward Barclay Goodrow. He could then give the Kid Line of Chytil, Lafreniere and Kakko another go next season.

It’s difficult to believe Drury could trade Lafreniere. Then again, he wasn’t the general manager who drafted him. Despite his struggles, the youngster would garner plenty of interest in the trade market.

Lafreniere is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract and should be an affordable bridge-deal signing. The Rangers aren’t getting any cap relief by trading him as they would with players signed through next season like Chytil ($4.4 million) or Kakko ($2.1 million).

I’ll be shocked if the Rangers trade Miller. He’s only going to improve and is too valuable to their blueline now and down the road.

WHAT WILL THE RED WINGS DO THIS SUMMER?

MLIVE.COM: In a recent mailbag segment, Ansar Khan was asked if the Detroit Red Wings would take a run at acquiring Alex DeBrincat if the Ottawa Senators were to shop the RFA winger.

Khan believes they have to assets to do it if the Senators are willing to trade DeBrincat within the division. However, he wondered if the 5’7”, 165-pounder is the type of scorer they want when they seeking more pushback and being harder to play against. He also noted it would cost $$9 million to qualify DeBrincat’s rights.

Another reader asked Khan if the Red Wings could acquire Kyle Connor. He believes prying the 26-year-old winger away from the Winnipeg Jets is a bigger long shot than acquiring DeBrincat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With over $30 million in cap space, five picks in the first two rounds of this year’s draft and a deep pool of prospects, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has the trade capital to make a significant addition or two to his roster for next season.

DeBrincat would address their need for more scoring but they’d have to look elsewhere to add more size and toughness to their roster. As for the Jets, they could shake things up this summer but Connor is under a long-term contract and I doubt he’ll be part of any changes they make.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen recently reported the Red Wings will look for a goalie in this summer’s thin free-agent market. They’ll also shop for a right-shot defenseman.

Free-agent goalie options could include Los Angeles’ Joonas Korpisalo, Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry, Vegas’ Adin Hill, the New York Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov and perhaps bringing back Alex Nedeljkovic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Korpisalo is the best of the bunch if they’re seeking a potential starter. That’s assuming the Kings don’t re-sign him. Hill or Varlamov would be good options if they prefer a backup for starter Ville Husso.

Defense free agents include Minnesota’s Matt Dumba and John Klingberg, Boston’s Connor Clifton, Floridas’ Radko Gudas, the Islanders’ Scott Mayfield, New Jersey’s Damon Severson, Ottawa’s Travis Hamonic, and Anaheim’s Kevin Shattenkirk.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dumba’s stock dropped over the past two seasons. The same goes for Klingberg and Severson. Maybe they can regain their form with a change of scenery. Gudas would add that snarl to the lineup that they’re seeking. Mayfield would be a solid shutdown addition.

POTENTIAL GOALIE OPTIONS FOR THE SENATORS

SPORTSNET: Wayne Scanlan recently listed seven pending UFA goaltenders and offered his assessment of them as options for the Ottawa Senators next season.

Scanlan would pass on Jonathan Quick given his age (37) and two sub-par seasons. Other notables include Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry, Carolina’s Frederik Andersen or Antti Raanta, Vegas’ Adin Hill, the Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov and Los Angeles’ Joonas Korpisalo.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen and Raanta are solid, reliable netminders when they’re healthy. Their respective injury histories should be a red flag. Jarry’s inconsistency likely means the Penguins will part ways with him. Maybe he finds stability with a change of scenery.

Korpisalo might be a better option if the Senators seek a starter. Varlamov or Hill would be a solid backup choice.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2023

by | May 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2023

The Stars fall to the Kraken despite Joe Pavelski’s record-setting performance, the Panthers draw first blood against the Leafs, the Selke Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Seattle Kraken blew a 4-2 lead to the Dallas Stars but emerged with a 5-4 overtime victory in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Stars winger Joe Pavelski set an NHL record as the oldest player (38) to score four goals in a playoff game. Yanni Gourde tallied the game-winner and Jordan Eberle had a goal and an assist for the Kraken. Game 2 is Thursday in Dallas.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The previous record was held by Maurice “Rocket” Richard, who was 35 when he scored four goals in a playoff game in 1957. It was Pavelski’s first game since being sidelined by a concussion during Game 1 of the Stars’ first-round series against the Minnesota Wild.

Six goals were scored in the first period with the Kraken taking that early two-goal lead. I don’t think we’ll see another period like that as both teams become more familiar with each other as this series rolls along.

Kraken winger Jared McCann did not make the trip with his teammates to Dallas. He’s expected to miss both games there. The Kraken’s leading scorer in the regular season, McCann’s been sidelined by an undisclosed injury after being hit by Cale Makar in Game 4 of the Kraken’s first-round series with the Colorado Avalanche.

Speaking of blown two-goal leads and recovering to win, the Florida Panthers doubled up the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening game of their second-round series. The Leafs overcame a 2-0 deficit with two second-period goals but Carter Verhaeghe tallied what proved to be the winning goal. Matthew Tkachuk collected three assists while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 34 shots. Leafs rookie Matthew Knies netted his first-ever NHL goal. Game 2 is Thursday in Toronto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers had little time to rest and recuperate from their first-round upset of the Boston Bruins. Nevertheless, they showed plenty of jump in this game while the Leafs at times seemed to struggle to get up to speed. I expect we’ll see a better effort from the latter in Game 2.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier and Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner are this year’s finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as this season’s top defensive forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the 12th consecutive season that Bergeron has been a finalist for the Selke. He won it last season for a record-setting fifth time and could be the sentimental favorite given the uncertainty over whether he’ll return for another season. This is the first time Hischier and Marner have been finalists for this award.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point are finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy awarded to the NHL’s most gentlemanly player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kopitar is a three-time finalist who won the award in 2015-16. This is the first time that Hughes and Point are been named as finalists.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy said he dealt with minor injuries and didn’t give himself sufficient recovery time. He believes that affected his play down the stretch and in their first-round series against the Leafs.

TSN.CA: Speaking of the Lightning, Victory Hedman dealt with a hip impingement suffered in Game 1 against the Leafs. Brayden Point suffered a rib cage cartilage fracture in that series. Defenseman Erik Cernak is making progress in his recovery from a concussion suffered in Game 1 as a result of an illegal hit to the head by the Leafs’ Michael Bunting. Winger Tanner Jeannot was in and out of the lineup with a high-ankle sprain.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark played coy over a report suggesting that he suffered from a debilitating injury that affected his movement during his club’s first-round series against the Florida Panthers. Asked several times if he was hurt in that series, he replied, “No. Yes and no.” He said he wasn’t going to clarify his status until he completed his end-of-season physical.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Bruins, Dmitry Orlov expressed interest in returning to the Washington Capitals but isn’t sure if that’s possible given their salary-cap constraints. The 32-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He spent his entire career with the Capitals until acquired by the Bruins before the March 3 trade deadline.

TSN: Darren Dreger reported there’s a chance Joel Quenneville could return to the NHL coaching ranks if he receives clearance from the league this summer.

Quenneville stepped down as head coach of the Florida Panthers in 2021 after specifics were revealed of how the Chicago Blackhawks mishandled allegations that player Kyle Beach was sexually abused by a member of their coaching staff in 2010. Quenn3ville was the head coach of the Blackhawks at that time.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild signed forward Marcus Johansson to a two-year, $4 million contract. He was eligible for UFA status on July 1.

NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: The Capitals signed defenseman Alex Alexeyev to a two-year, $1.65 million contract extension. He was due to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers signed defenseman Egor Zamula to a one-year, $775K contract.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings prospect Simon Edvinsson underwent surgery on his left shoulder on Monday. His recovery time is four-to-six months.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former first-round draft pick Henrik Borgstrom has signed with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chosen 23rd overall by the Florida Panthers in 2016, the 25-year-old Borgstrom struggled to earn a regular roster spot in the NHL. He bounced between the big league and the minors with the Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks and the Capitals since 2017-18, netting 13 goals and 26 points in 111 NHL games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2023

by | May 2, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2023

The Devils eliminate the Rangers, the Flames fire head coach Darryl Sutter and the Panthers limit ticket sales for fans of the Maple Leafs. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The New Jersey Devils blanked the New York Rangers 4-0 in Game 7 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Akira Schmid turned in a 31-save shutout while Michael McLeod, Tomas Tatar, Erik Haula and Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils, who advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2012. They’ll face off with the Carolina Hurricanes with Game 1 starting Wednesday.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Akira Schmid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a big step forward for the Devils emerging from years of rebuilding. Schmid was their MVP in this series, taking over in Game 3 with his club down 2-0 in the series and winning four of five games. His goaltending inspired his teammates as their overall play improved over the course of this series.

Credit also goes to head coach Lindy Ruff, whose gamble on Schmid paid off handsomely for the Devils. Haula, Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier were among the Devils who stepped up as this series went on.

Devils winger Timo Meier left the game in the third period following a thundering hit by Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. He left the game but return to the Devils’ bench late in the third. Ruff had no update on Meier following the game but felt that Trouba made contact with the winger’s head. No penalty was called on the play.

For the Rangers, this is a major letdown after their run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. They loaded up for a run at the Stanley Cup by acquiring Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane but they tallied four goals between them in seven games.

They’re not solely to blame for this defeat. The only Rangers who played well consistently in this series were goalie Igor Shesterkin and winger Chris Kreider.

Mika Zibanejad was limited to one goal and four points while Artemi Panarin had just two assists. The Kid Line of Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere wasn’t as effective as they were in last year’s playoffs. Meanwhile, the blueline struggled to contain the speedy Devils forwards.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: The Flames yesterday announced they fired head coach Darryl Sutter. The move came two weeks after Brad Treliving stepped down as general manager. Treliving’s replacement has yet to be named but whoever takes over that role will choose the Flames’ next head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames must still honor Sutter’s two-year contract extension worth a reported $8 million. They evidently felt it was worthwhile eating that deal considering how the club struggled this season amid reports of growing unhappiness among the players over Sutter’s coaching style.

Winger Jonathan Huberdeau admitted he and Sutter “really didn’t click” and there were rumors that Sutter was clashing with center Nazem Kadri. Centers Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund hinted they might depart as free agents next summer though Lindholm seemed to suggest he would see what direction the club took in the coming months.

Speaking of the Flames, Oliver Kylington will return to the club next season. The 25-year-old defenseman missed the entirety of this season for personal reasons.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers are limiting tickets being sold on their website for the first two home games of their series against the Toronto Maple Leafs to those with a billing address in the United States. Team president Matthew Caldwell called it “an access thing so our fans can get tickets.” He said they will eventually allow tickets to be sold to Toronto fans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, the Panthers want to ensure their fans aren’t outnumbered by fanatical Leafs supporters. However, there will be plenty of “snowbirds” who live in Florida that are Leafs fans. They will likely make their presence felt at those games.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: According to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark played through a “debilitating and painful injury that limited his mobility and technique.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That explains why Ullmark (the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as this season’s top goalie) at times didn’t seem like himself in the first-round series against the Panthers. It calls into question the coaching staff’s decision to allow him to play through that injury rather than give more starts to a healthy Jeremy Swayman.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek said he suffered a broken leg while blocking a shot during an Apr. 6 game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He attempted to play in Game 3 of the Wild’s first-round series with the Dallas Stars but left after one shift. He had surgery on his fibula shortly following that game.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders signed winger Hudson Fasching to a two-year, one-way contract worth $775K annually.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Capitals signed top prospect Ivan Miroshnichenko to a three-year entry-level contract after he and his KHL club Avangard Omsk mutually agreed to terminate his deal. The 19-year-old forward was chosen 20th overall by the Capitals in the 2022 NHL Draft

THE SCORE: Rapper Snoop Dogg is part of a bid fronted by Los Angeles entrepreneur Neko Sparks interested in purchasing the Ottawa Senators. He’s the latest celebrity connected to a bid for the Senators, joining actor Ryan Reynolds.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2023

by | Apr 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2023

The Golden Knights and Hurricanes clinch division titles as six first-round playoff series matchups are confirmed, Mikko Rantanen and Brayden Point reach goal-scoring milestones, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights finished first overall in the Western Conference and clinched the Pacific Division crown after beating the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Vegas will face off against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs starting on Tuesday, April 18. The Kraken, meanwhile, will face the Colorado Avalanche or Dallas Stars depending on the outcome of Friday’s game between the Avalanche and Nashville Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken will be playing without winger Andre Burakovsky for at the first two rounds of the playoffs if they make it that far. He underwent surgery on Tuesday for a lower-body injury that has sidelined him since Feb. 7.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

As for the Avalanche, Mikko Rantanen scored to set the club’s single-season record of 55 goals as they doubled up Winnipeg 4-2. They also announced that captain Gabriel Landeskog will miss the entirety of the 2023 playoffs with a knee injury. Meanwhile, Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s not in concussion protocol and will be reevaluated on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen set the Avalanche single-season record. Michel Goulet still holds the overall franchise record (57) dating back to the club’s days as the Quebec Nordiques. Landeskog, meanwhile, has been sidelined all season by that knee injury, which could also keep him out of the start of next season.

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division title with a 6-4 victory over the Florida Panthers. Brent Burns scored twice for the Hurricanes, who will meet the New York Islanders in their opening-round series starting Monday, April 17. The Panthers will square off against the Boston Bruins starting Monday.

Speaking of the Bruins, they finished their Presidents’ Trophy-winning season with a record-setting 65 wins and 135 points after defeating the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. Boston captain Patrice Bergeron left the game for precautionary reasons with an upper-body injury but is expected to be good to go when the playoffs open on Monday. Bruins goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman won the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals against (177) this season.

For the first time since 2012, there will be a Battle of the Hudson River as the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers will face each other in the first round starting on Tuesday. The Devils clinched second overall in the Metropolitan Division by nipping the Washington Capitals 5-4 while the Rangers fell 3-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Luke Hughes got the win for the Devils with his first career NHL goal while Leafs forward William Nylander reached the 40-goal plateau for the first time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs meet the Tampa Bay Lightning in a rematch of last season’s opening-round series commencing Tuesday. For the fourth straight game, the Leafs went the amateur tryout route for a backup goaltender as Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov remain sidelined. Former UNB goalie Samuel Richard backed up Joseph Woll for this contest. Samsonov is expected to be the Leafs starter on Tuesday.

Speaking of the Lightning, Brayden Point scored twice to reach the 50-goal plateau for the first time (51) while Brian Elliott made 32 saves to shut out the Detroit Red Wings 5-0.

For the second straight year, the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings face each other in an opening-round series. The Oilers clinched second place in the Pacific Division with a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks while the Kings got a hat trick from Adrian Kempe to finish third in the division after downing the Anaheim Ducks 5-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist to finish the season with 64 goals and 153 points, winning his first Richard Trophy as the season’s leading goal scorer and his fifth Art Ross Trophy as the leading scorer in points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman have collected more points in a single season than McDavid. Speaking of the Ducks, they finished last in the overall standings, giving them the best odds of winning the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery on May 8.

The Dallas Stars shut out the St. Louis Blues 1-0. Jake Oettinger kicked out 25 shots while Wyatt Johnston scored the only goal for the Stars, who will face the Minnesota Wild or the Kraken in the opening round next week. The Wild, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Nashville Predators. Frederick Gaudreau tallied twice for the Wild, who announced before the game that they re-signed him to a five-year, $10.5 million contract extension.

An overtime goal by Ivan Provorov lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Travis Konecny scored twice and added two assists while Jonathan Toews scored in his last game with the Blackhawks as they announced yesterday that he will not be re-signing with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the end of an era for the Blackhawks. Following the game, Toews thanked the franchise, its fans and the city of Chicago, receiving a long, heartfelt ovation from the hometown crowd. Meanwhile, Flyers defenseman Justin Braun said this game was likely his last as a player after 13 seasons.

Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller collected an assist to tie Keith Tkachuk’s franchise single-season record of 86 points in a 5-4 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Conor Garland had a hat trick for the Canucks, including the winning goal.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson announced his retirement after winning his final start by beating the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on an overtime goal by Casey Mittelstadt. The 41-year-old Anderson’s career lasted 20 seasons, including nine with the Senators as their franchise leader with 435 games played and 202 wins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ season ended with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Johnny Gaudreau netted the winning goal while Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected two assists to finish the season with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry revealed he’d been hampered by an injury throughout the season. That’s raising questions among the Pittsburgh media over why management didn’t attempt to acquire a healthy goaltender before the trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2023

by | Apr 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2023

The Bruins set the single-season points record, the Jets and Panthers clinch playoff berths while the Predators and Sabres are eliminated from contention, and two 2023 preseason games will be held in Australia. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins set the record for most single-season points with 133 by defeating the Washington Capitals 5-2. Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists for the Bruins as they picked up their seventh straight win and improved to 64-12-5. Charlie Lindgren made 33 saves for the Capitals but left the game in the third period with an apparent lower-back injury.

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boston goaltender Linus Ullmark also left this game in the third period with a lower-body injury for precautionary reasons. Following the game, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Ullmark was “just fine.”

Earlier in the day, the Bruins also confirmed center David Krejci was out for the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury. However, he’s optimistic he’ll be ready to go when the playoffs begin next week.

The Winnipeg Jets are heading to the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs with a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild to clinch the final Western Conference playoff berth with 95 points. Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves and Mark Scheifele scored his 41st goal of the season for the Jets. Kirill Kaprizov netted his 40th of the season for the Wild as they remain third in the Central Division with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ win eliminated the Nashville Predators from postseason contention.

Speaking of the Jets, the Winnipeg Sun’s Paul Friesen reports Jets co-owner Mark Chipman made a pitch to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce for more help from local businesses. He indicated that the club has lost 3,000 season-ticket holders since the pandemic began three years ago. Only 15 percent of the club’s season-ticket base is from businesses, far less than the other Canadian clubs.

Friesen noted that the Jets average 93.6 percent of capacity, ranking 22nd among the 32 NHL franchises. While various factors such as inflation and the economy have contributed to the decline, Friesen believes the team’s lackluster performance over the past two seasons is the main issue.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes scored to set the single-season franchise scoring record of 97 points in a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, eliminating the latter from playoff contention. Tomas Tatar scored twice and collected an assist for the Devils (110 points) as they sit one point behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes. Jeff Skinner scored his 34th goal of the season for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Defenseman Luke Hughes, Jack’s younger brother, made his NHL debut with the Devils, seeing over 11 minutes of ice time.

The Pittsburgh Penguins playoff hopes suffered a blow when they were upset 5-2 by the Chicago Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek kicked out 38 shots and Buddy Robinson had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks. Jeff Petry had two assists for the 40-31-10 Penguins (90 points) as they remain one point behind the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Sabres and Penguins losing their games, the Florida Panthers clinched the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 92 points. It’s the fourth consecutive season that the Panthers have qualified for the postseason.

The Penguins and the Islanders each have one game remaining. To ensure they extend their consecutive playoff appearance streak to 17 seasons, the Pens need to win their final game and hope that the Islanders lose in regulation.

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched home-ice advantage for the opening round of the players by downing the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes as they maintain their hold on first place in the Metro Divison with 111 points. Robert Hagg replied for the Red Wings, who played without captain Dylan Larkin due to a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Evan Bouchard lifted the Edmonton Oilers to a 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Mattias Ekholm also scored for the Oilers (107 points) as they sit two points behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Ben Meyers replied for the Avalanche as they moved one point ahead of the Dallas Stars into first place in the Central Division with 105 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Oilers activated forward Ryan McLeod off long-term injured reserve.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Reilly Smith and Michael Amadio each had three points for Vegas as they hold first in the Pacific with 109 points. Yanni Gourde tallied the lone goal for the Kraken, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 100 points.

In a preview of their upcoming first-round playoff matchup, the Toronto Maple Leafs held off the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 4-3. Goalie Joseph Woll stopped 46 shots and William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Leafs, who hold second place in the Atlantic Divison with 109 points. Mikhail Sergachev had a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who’ve lost four straight games and sit third in the Atlantic with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning honored captain Steven Stamkos for playing in his 1,000th career NHL game. The Leafs rested Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Mark Giordano from this contest.

The Leafs were finally able to call up Woll as Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov are sidelined by injuries. They were forced to rely on an emergency backup due to salary-cap constraints for the third straight game, this time signing Windsor Spitfires goalie Matt Onuska to a one-game amateur tryout contract.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson collected two assists to exceed 100 points (101) in a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. J.T. Miller broke a 2-2 tie in the third period for the Canucks. Trevor Zegras had two assists for the Ducks.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Owen Tippett scored twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk collected his 300th career goal in this contest. Michael Hutchinson made 35 saves for the Blue Jackets, who played without captain Boone Jenner as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The league announced the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings will play two preseason games in Melbourne, Australia at the Rod Laver Arena on Sep. 23 and 24 as part of the NHL 2023 Global Series. It will be the first time the NHL has staged games in the Southern Hemisphere.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Long-time Blackhawks head athletic trainer Mike Gapski will be retiring at the end of this season. He started his position in 1987 and had been the longest-tenured trainer in the league.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Speaking of the Blackhawks, they signed Jarred Tinordi to a one-year contract extension worth $1.25 million.