NHL Rumor Mill – December 22, 2022

by | Dec 22, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – December 22, 2022

Should the Oilers or Jets attempt to acquire Jakob Chychrun? Are the Senators interested in the Blackhawks’ Seth Jones? What’s the latest on James van Riemsdyk, Jordan Staal and Vladislav Gavrikov? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE OILERS OR JETS PURSUE CHYCHRUN?

THE ATHLETIC: Ryan Nugent-Bowman noted that the Edmonton Oilers have been linked to the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Vladislav Gavrikov, the Montreal Canadiens’ Joel Edmundson, the Nashville Predators’ Mattias Ekholm and the Anaheim Ducks’ John Klingberg in the rumor mill.

However, Nugent-Bowman thinks they should attempt to acquire Jakob Chychrun. He believes the Arizona Coyotes defenseman would bolster the Oilers’ blueline and alleviate pressure from Darnell Nurse.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Nugent-Bowman acknowledged the Coyotes’ high asking price for Chychrun as well as the blueliner’s injury history. However, he pointed to his solid performance when healthy as well as his affordable $4.6 million cap hit through 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nugent-Bowman doesn’t believe Oilers management shares his opinion on Chychrun. General manager Ken Holland could surprise us but I think there’s a better chance of seeing Edmundson, Gavrikov or Klingberg suiting up for the Oilers by the March 3 trade deadline.

I don’t think the Predators intend to part with Ekholm. GM David Poile is stubbornly sticking with his veterans.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jacob Stoller suggests Chychrun could be the missing piece to put the Winnipeg Jets over the top.

Along with Josh Morrissey, Chychrun would give their blueline two top-pairing caliber players. He thinks this could be this version of the Jets’ best opportunity to make a run at the Stanley Cup with Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler slated to become unrestricted free agents in 2024.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun would certainly provide a big boost of talented skill to the Jets’ defense corps. However, I’ll be surprised if Kevin Cheveldayoff, their usually cautious general manager, pays the Coyotes’ asking price to get him.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Ottawa Senators’ re-signing of Artem Zub doesn’t mean they’re still not seeking a right-side defenseman. Friedman mentioned the Chicago Blackhawks’ Seth Jones but said it appears that was as much due diligence as anything else.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jones’ hefty $9.5 million average annual value through 2029-30 aside, any trade involving the 28-year-old defenseman depends on his willingness to waive his no-movement clause. Things are rough for the rebuilding Blackhawks right now but there’s no indication Jones wants out. He could become their next captain if Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane don’t return next season.

Friedman believes the Edmonton Oilers are eyeing Vladislav Gavrikov. He believes the Columbus Blue Jackets would set a high asking price for the 27-year-old defenseman, who’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Mark Spector elaborated that it would likely be a first-round pick plus a third or fourth-rounder.

The New Jersey Devils have a very nice right-side defense with Dougie Hamilton, John Marino and Damon Severson. The latter is eligible for UFA status next summer and his situation could be worth watching but the Devils are trying to win now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Severson’s drop to the third pairing and his free-agent eligibility has made him the occasional topic of media trade speculation. I think the Devils will hang onto him for the playoffs unless their season goes off the rails before the March 3 trade deadline.

Friedman thought Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk might make sense for the Calgary Flames. However, he no longer thinks that’s a fit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: van Riemsdyk is a UFA in July and is reportedly available in the trade market. The Flames, however, are pressed against the salary cap. Even if the Flyers retained half of JvR’s $7 million cap hit, the Flames would have to move out a player to make the dollars fit.

No one is expecting Jordan Staal to leave the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staal is a UFA next summer coming off a 10-year, $60-million contract. The 34-year-old center isn’t going to get $6 million annually again but perhaps he’ll accept something between $4.5 million and $5 million on a two or three-year deal to stay in Carolina.

Friedman considers the chances of the Vancouver Canucks trading defenseman Quinn Hughes to be low. He also thinks Ethan Bear will get a contract extension while a decision has to be made regarding Jack Rathbone.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless Quinn asks for a trade he’s not going anywhere.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 20, 2022

by | Dec 20, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – December 20, 2022

The holiday roster freeze is in effect until Dec. 27 but the NHL rumor mill hasn’t stopped churning. Check out the latest on the Flyers and Canadiens.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Sam Carchidi cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wondering if the Flyers and Kevin Hayes could be headed toward a buyout. Friedman mentioned what appears to be growing tension between Hayes and head coach John Tortorella, who has complained about the 30-year-old forward’s defensive play and benched him three times already this season.

Philadelphia Flyers center Kevin Hayes (NHL Images).

Hayes is the Flyers’ most productive offensive player with 29 points in 31 games. Nevertheless, Friedman observed most of the $14 million of bonus money in Hayes’ contract is almost paid off. If bought out at the end of this season, he’ll earn on average $2 million annually.

Carchidi notes Hayes is making $7.1 million per season. If he’s bought out in June, it’ll cost the Flyers $2.25 million against their cap for 2023-24, followed by $4.75 million annually for the next two seasons before dropping to $1.6 million annually for the final three seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wonder if the Flyers might attempt to trade Hayes rather than buy him out. He now carries a 12-team no-trade list giving management 20 potential destinations. His cap hit, of course, is a big sticking point but that could be alleviated if the Flyers agree to retain half of it.

That’s over $3.5 million of dead cap space annually over the next three seasons but that’s better than carrying six years from a buyout. It’s also more affordable than having $4.75 million annually counting against their cap for 2024-25 and 2025-26 from the buyout.

The Flyers might not get much back from trading Hayes. Still, they could get a draft pick, a prospect, or a struggling young player in need of a change of scenery.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Flyers, Marco D’Amico cited Friedman saying the Flyers attempted last summer to trade James van Riemsdyk with the goal of dumping his full $7 million cap hit for this season. The 33-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

The Flyers wanted to shed van Riemsdyk’s cap hit in hope of clearing enough cap space to sign Johnny Gaudreau in last summer’s free-agent market. The Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks were among those the Flyers spoke to but the asking price was for their 2023 first-round pick to be included in the deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I mention this because Friedman’s colleague Jeff Marek reported on Saturday that the Flyers have made “JvR” available in the trade market. The Flyers are said to be willing to retain salary to facilitate a deal.

Such a move probably won’t occur until the weeks leading up to the March 3 trade deadline. And no, the Flyers won’t be bundling him with their 2023 first-rounder. Given how their season is going, it could become the first-overall pick if the draft lottery balls fall their way.

D’Amico also wondered if the Canadiens and Washington Capitals might rekindle trade discussions now that Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom could be ready to return from offseason hip surgery in the next several weeks.

The Capitals will have to clear some cap space to make room for Backstrom. With Carey Price on LTIR for the season, the Habs have the cap flexibility to take on an expiring contract or by targeting a slumping forward like Anthony Mantha in exchange for one of their veteran forwards at 50 percent salary retained.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this season, the Canadiens were believed to have spoken to the Capitals. It was said they offered the Capitals one of their veteran forwards (Mike Hoffman, Joel Armia or Jonathan Drouin) but nothing came of it.

Maybe the Canadiens could get involved to take on a contract (bundled with a draft pick, of course) from the Capitals. However, the Habs won’t be the only team the Caps will speak to and they could get a better deal elsewhere.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 18, 2022

by | Dec 18, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 18, 2022

Check out the latest on the Canucks plus recent rumors on Ryan O’Reilly, James van Riemsdyk and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks don’t want to tear down and rebuild their roster but they’re interested in changing their mix and breathing new life into the team.

The Canucks have indicated center Elias Pettersson is their only untouchable. They’re not looking to trade defenseman Quinn Hughes and it would take “a mammoth offer” to pry him away.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images)

As for Bo Horvat, Friedman believes they don’t want to go over the $56 million they signed J.T. Miller to back in September on an eight-year deal. However, Horvat’s performance this season puts him over that.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes is all but untouchable. I don’t see them moving him given he’s their best defenseman and it would be very difficult to find a comparable replacement. Unless he wants out, they’re not trading him.

Horvat, meanwhile, is on pace to reach 50 goals this season. If the Canucks aren’t willing to pay him more than the $8 million per season that Miller will start earning in 2023-24, expect him to be suiting up with a new club by no later than March 3.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Canucks would seek a hockey deal rather than a futures-only return if they were to move Horvat before the March 3 trade deadline. They want to upgrade at center and/or their right-shot defense if possible and bring in a player in his twenties.

LeBrun wondered if non-playoff teams with cap space might try to acquire Horvat before the deadline. He considers it a long shot but one of those clubs might consider it worthwhile to acquire him in order to negotiate a new contract with him before his unrestricted free-agent eligibility on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been frequently reported that Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini doesn’t want to rebuild the roster. Management has no other option but to try and retool around the current core. That means shopping players like Horvat and Brock Boeser for comparable roster players (or as close to it as possible) in return.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps doesn’t count out the Golden Knights as a potential suitor for Horvat. He acknowledged the Golden Knights’ lack of salary-cap space and that they play in the same division as the Canucks are two factors that work against it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Let’s just say that Horvat ending up with the Golden Knights this season is a long shot and leave it at that.

OTHER NOTABLE POTENTIAL TRADE BAIT

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek wondered if St. Louis Blues center Ryan O’Reilly might return to the Colorado Avalanche before the March 3 trade deadline. O’Reilly returning to the team where he started his NHL career would be a juicy storyline but a lot would have to happen to make it take place.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche’s limited cap space plus the recent rivalry between the Avs and Blues probably works against this. Still, never say never, I suppose.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Gustav Nyquist could be worth monitoring. He’s been playing five-on-five minutes with Johnny Gaudreau and has a modest 13 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nyquist also had a 53-point performance last season with the Jackets before Gaudreau arrived. Duhatschek points out he’s got a $5.5 million cap hit this season. However, I think the Jackets could retain part of that for the right return.

Duhatschek also suggested Anaheim Ducks forward Derek Ryan and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk could become trade bait. He also included Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jack Johnson and Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad.

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reports the Philadelphia Flyers have made winger James van Riemsdyk available. He’s in the final season of his contract with a $7 million salary-cap hit but he’s earning $5 million in actual salary, of which $1 million was already paid as a bonus. Marek believes the Flyers could be willing to retain part of his salary to make the 33-year-old winger more palatable in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marek pointed out that van Riemsdyk has playoff experience and could be enticing to playoff contenders seeking help on the power play. He’s reached 20-plus goals seven times and 40 or more points eight times in his previous 13 seasons. He was sidelined by a fractured finger earlier in the season but has 11 points in 12 games this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 8, 2022

by | Dec 8, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 8, 2022

The Sabres’ Tage Thompson has a five-goal game, Oilers captain Connor McDavid is already halfway to 100 points this season, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin reaches another scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson scored five goals as his club crushed the Columbus Blue Jackets 9-4. Thompson tied an NHL record with four goals in the first period and tied a franchise record for the most goals in one game. Alex Tuch had four points while Rasmus Dahlin and Dylan Cozens each had three points as the Sabres improved to 12-13-1. Patrik Laine and Gustav Nyquist each tallied twice for the Blue Jackets as they fell to 8-15-2.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s six points on the night vaulted him into fourth place among this season’s top-10 scorers with 40 points. Dahlin, meanwhile, sits second among defensemen with 32 points. The Sabres currently lead the league in goals-per-game average (4.00) but their 3.69 goals-against per game is the fifth-highest. They’ll rise higher in the standings if they can improve the latter without sacrificing the former.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid became the player this season to reach the 50-point plateau in an 8-2 thrashing of the Arizona Coyotes. McDavid had two goals and two assists while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice and collected an assist for the 15-12-0 Oilers. Christian Fletcher collected two assists for the Coyotes (7-13-4) as they’re winless in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi was held scoreless in this game. On Tuesday, the 24-year-old winger told a Finnish journalist that he’s not sure that he can be a scorer at the NHL level. “Twenty games in and I have one goal. It’s sad,” said Puljujarvi. “I’ve been thinking a lot about how to do things differently. Right now, I just don’t have the answer.”

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin now sits 99 goals behind Wayne Gretzky’s career record of 894 after tallying two empty-netters in a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Ovechkin had 795 career goals while his Capitals improved their record to 12-12-4. Kevin Hayes replied for Philadelphia (9-13-15). Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk returned to the lineup after missing the last 20 games with a broken index finger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Travis Konecny took issue with how Ovechkin scored his second empty-netter and the two jostled along the boards. Following the game, Konecny explained that he thought the Capitals winger was deking the puck and putting it on his backhand. “Maybe it wasn’t as bad as I thought,” he said. Ovechkin shrugged off the incident. “They have character. They’re a good bunch of guys,” he said, chalking up Konecny’s actions to frustration over the Flyers’ loss.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin collected three assists to reach 600 career points as his club downed the Vegas Golden Knights 5-1. Mika Zibanejad scored twice and collected an assist while Igor Shesterkin stopped 25 shots for the Rangers (13-10-5). Jonathan Marchessault replied for the Golden Knights (19-8-1), who remain on top of the Western Conference with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo remains sidelined as he’s dealing with an illness in his family. There is no timetable for his return.

The Boston Bruins got a 23-save shutout from Linus Ullmark to blank the Colorado Avalanche 4-0. Taylor Hall scored twice as the Bruins (21-3-1) regained first place in the overall standings with the New Jersey Devils. Both clubs have 43 points but the Bruins hold a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins played well and deserved this win but I think this game (and the one the two clubs played on Dec. 3) would’ve been more closely contested if the Avalanche roster wasn’t depleted by injuries. Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Josh Manson, Artturi Lehkonen, Bo Byram and Evan Rodrigues are among the notables missing from their lineup for this contest.

The Calgary Flames improved their record to 13-10-3 with a 5-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Tyler Toffoli scored twice while Elias Lindholm and Rasman Andersson each had three points. Minnesota winger Kirill Kaprizov scored for the seventh straight game while extending his points streak to 13 games. The Wild are 13-10-2 on the season.

An overtime goal by Elias Pettersson lifted the Vancouver Canucks over the San Jose Sharks by a score of 6-5. Dakota Joshua tallied twice for the Canucks as they reach .500 for the first time this season with a record of 12-12-3. Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture each collected two points for the 8-16-5 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have won three straight games in overtime with Pettersson scoring the game-winner in two of those contests. With 27 points, they’re two points out of a wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

HEADLINES

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has missed the last six games battling pneumonia. He’s expected to return to action on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings.

TSN: The Seattle Kraken will release center Shane Wright to play for Team Canada at the upcoming World Junior Championship in Halifax and Moncton.

LA KINGS INSIDER: The Kings will loan defenseman Brandt Clarke to Canada’s WJC squad.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins prospect Sam Poulin is taking a leave of absence from the club’s AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for personal reasons.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes have assigned defenseman Dylan Coghlan to the AHL affiliate in Chicago on a conditioning stint.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks goaltending coach Jimmy Waite suggests deflections and tip-in are partly responsible for the rise in scoring and the decline in save percentage. The league’s 6.4 goals-per-game average is the highest since 1994 while the league save percentage (.904) is the lowest since 2006.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waite pointed out that teams are driving to the net more and generating more traffic in front of goaltenders. However, I believe that’s just one factor contributing to the rise in goal scoring.

Players are faster and better skilled now. Smaller, quicker forwards and puck-moving defensemen are thriving. Flyers head coach John Tortorella recently pointed out that there’s an increase in young players and that’s resulting in more defensive mistakes.

The overall caliber of goaltending also seems to be in a decline, though it could also be attributable to players being more creative now with their shots and passing. Most goalies favor the “butterfly style” to take away the bottom of the net. In recent years, however, we’ve seen players shooting higher on goaltenders more often and also attempting more shots from difficult angles.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2022

by | Oct 30, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2022

The Canadiens rally to beat the Blues, the Oilers win the latest chapter of “The Battle of Alberta”, the Stars lose Jake Oettinger to injury, and Flyers center Sean Couturier is sidelined for months by back surgery. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens overcame a 3-1 deficit to upset the St. Louis Blues 7-4. Christian Dvorak had a hat trick while Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each collected three points for the Canadiens (5-4-0). Jordan Kyrou scored twice for the Blues, whose record falls to 3-4-0. Pavel Buchnevich returned to the Blues lineup after missing five games with a lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the most surprising outcome of the evening. A big comeback win against the Blues for the Canadiens, who would’ve folded like a cheap lawnchair at this point last season had they fallen behind 3-1 to the Blues or any other club. Habs rookie Juraj Slafkovsky tallied his first-ever NHL power-play goal in this contest while fellow rookie Jordan Harris collected two assists.

Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists and Zach Hyman scored twice to lift the Edmonton Oilers to a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames in the latest chapter of “The Battle of Alberta”. Stuart Skinner kicked out 40 shots to pick up the win for the Oilers, who improved to 6-3-0. Mikael Backlund and Brett Ritchie replied for the Flames (5-2-0).

The Florida Panthers got three-point performances from Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe and Brandon Montour as they dropped the Ottawa Senators 5-3. Verhaeghe tallied twice as the Panthers improved to 5-3-1. Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg made 53 saves as his club’s record fell to 4-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The score flattered the Senators, who would’ve lost by a more lopsided margin if not for Forsberg, who deserved better from his teammates as they wasted his performance in this one. He kept them in this game despite facing 47(!) shots through the first two periods. Yes, the Sens were playing without one of their top-four defensemen in Artem Zub, but they still should’ve put forth a better defensive effort.

Four straight third-period goals (two within 17 seconds by Scott Mayfield and Anthony Beauvillier) lifted the New York Islanders from a 3-1 deficit to hold off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4. The Isles were down 3-0 at one point in the second period until Noah Dobson got them on the scoreboard. Their record now sits at 5-4-0. Evan Rodrigues scored twice for the Avalanche as the defending champions fall to 4-4-1.

Three goals in a 2:07 span in the third period lifted the New York Rangers over the Dallas Stars 6-3 to snap a four-game winless skid. Vincent Trocheck scored twice and collected an assist while Mika Zibanejad had a goal and two assists for the Rangers (4-3-2). The Stars dropped to 5-3-1 but also lost starting goalie Jake Oettinger to a lower-body injury midway through the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oettinger will be reevaluated today. The Stars will be hoping his injury isn’t serious. He’s the league leader in goals-against average (1.40) while his .952 save percentage is second overall.

Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist and Anze Kopitar picked up two helpers as the Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2. John Tavares and Pierre Engvall scored for the slumping Leafs (4-4-1), who have lost three straight games. The Kings improved their record to 5-5-0.

A late goal by Nikita Kucherov carried the Tampa Bay Lightning over the San Jose Sharks 4-3. Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel each had two assists while Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (5-4-0). Erik Karlsson tallied twice for the Sharks but their record now stands at 3-8-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson’s been among the few bright spots in an otherwise horrible start for the Sharks. He leads all NHL defensemen with six goals and 11 points.

An overtime goal by Brent Burns gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist in his 1,100th career game as his club improves to 5-2-1. Wade Allison and Nicolas Deslauriers each had a goal and an assist for the 5-2-1 Flyers. Hurricanes center Derek Stepan left this game with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers also announced Sean Couturier will be sidelined for three-four months due to back surgery while winger James van Riemsdyk will miss six weeks recovering from surgery to repair a broken finger. Couturier has now undergone two procedures on his back since February, raising concerns that his condition could prematurely end his career.

Washington Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper stopped 34 shots to shut out the Nashville Predators 3-0. Alex Ovechkin tallied the Capitals’ third goal. It was a costly win for the Capitals (5-4-0) as T.J. Oshie and John Carlson left the game with lower-body injuries in the first period. The Predators dropped to 3-5-1.

Three unanswered goals by Jordan Eberle, Morgan Geekie and Jaden Schwartz gave the Seattle Kraken a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, extending the latter’s losing streak to four games. Jake Guentzel and Jason Zucker returned to the lineup with Guentzel tallying the only goal for the Penguins, who fall to 4-4-1 while the Kraken improve to 4-4-2.

The Buffalo Sabres got two goals each from Tage Thompson and Victor Olofsson as they overcame a 3-1 deficit to nip the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime. Olofsson opened and closed the scoring for the Sabres, who improve to 5-3-0. Blackhawks goalie Arvid Soderblom made 41 saves for the Blackhawks as their record sits at 4-3-1.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond scored his first two goals of the season and Ville Husso made 30 saves in a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Kirill Kaprizov tallied for the Wild (3-4-1) while the Wings improve to 4-2-2.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NJ.COM: The New Jersey Devils placed winger Ondrej Palat on injured reserve with a lower-body injury retroactive to Oct. 24.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks are awaiting test results on Jamie Drysdale, who suffered an upper-body injury in Friday’s loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Drysdale was hurt following a hit by Golden Knights’ forward William Carrier.

TSN: Devan Dubnyk yesterday officially announced his NHL retirement after 12 seasons and 542 games with the Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, Arizona Coyotes, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche. He won 253 games with a career 2.61 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and 33 shutouts. In 2014-15, he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy and was named to the Second All-Star Team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubnyk spent nearly six seasons with the Wild, where he played his best hockey. He’s now working as an analyst for NHL Network. Best wishes to him in his post-playing career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2022

by | Oct 26, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2022

Recaps of Tuesday’s games including the Golden Knight’s Phil Kessel setting the league’s Ironman record and the Wild’s Marc-Andre Fleury reaching a goaltending milestone, plus the latest on the Canadiens’ Carey Price and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Phil Kessel set the NHL’s Ironman record by playing his 990th consecutive game and scored his 400th career goal as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist while Adin Hill made 29 saves for the win as the Golden Knights improved their record to 6-2-0 while the Sharks drop to 2-7-0.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Kessel on setting a league record for consecutive games and reaching the 400-goal milestone.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves to backstop the Minnesota Wild over the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. It was Fleury’s 944th career game, moving him past Curtis Joseph into sixth place on the all-time games-played list for NHL goaltenders. Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice for the Wild as their record improves to 2-3-1 while the Canadiens fall to 3-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Habs winger Cole Caufield tallied his fifth goal in seven games.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt scored twice and collected an assist as his club defeated the Detroit Red Wings 6-2, handing the latter their first regulation loss of the season. Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Ryan Graves each had two points for the Devils (4-3-0) while Dylan Larkin and Dominik Kubalik replied for the Red Wings (3-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Ondrej Palat missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 44 shots against his former club in a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Mikko Rantanen and Evan Rodrigues scored in the shootout as the Avs record moves up to 4-2-1. Adam Fox scored for the Rangers (3-2-2) in the third period to send the game into overtime and the shootout.

The Boston Bruins got goals from David Pastrnak, Taylor Hall and Patrice Bergeron to down the Dallas Stars 3-1. Linus Ullmark made 30 saves as the Bruins improve to 6-1-0 while the Stars fall to 4-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day. Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo returned to action after missing four games with a concussion.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri scored twice and added an assist while Jacob Markstrom stopped 32 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for the Flames (5-1-0) while Evgeni Malkin replied for the Penguins (4-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins winger Jake Guentzel missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury while Jason Zucker is with a suspected right-hip injury suffered during their loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 24.

Jonathan Quick made 23 saves while Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 to improve their record to 4-4-0. The Lightning (3-4-0) got goals from Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning appear to be feeling the effects of a long 2021-22 season and a shortened offseason after their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Patrick Kane tallied his first goal of the season and added an assist as the Chicago Blackhawks upset the Florida Panthers 4-2. Alex Stalock stopped 29 shots for the 4-2-0 Blackhawks. Matthew Tkachuk was one of the goal scorers for the Panthers (4-2-1).

The Seattle Kraken improved their record to 3-3-2 by downing the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. Daniel Sprong had a goal and two assists while Martin Jones made 15 saves for the win. The Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin saw his record-setting, season-opening goal streak for defenseman end at five games while his club’s record drops to 4-2-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer missed this game as he was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Three-point performances by Shayne Gostibehere (two goals, one assist) and Clayton Keller (three assists) powered the Arizona Coyotes (2-4-0) over the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3, dropping the latter’s record to 3-5-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine was held scoreless as he returned from injured reserve. Earlier in the day, the Jackets announced forward Justin Danforth will be sidelined for six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price revealed his battle with alcoholism pushed him to seek help through the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program last fall.

The 35-year-old said it was the combination of coming so close to his goal of winning the Stanley Cup in 2021, followed by knee surgery and the realization that he’s in the latter stages of his career. “I was not a happy person, I wasn’t being a good father. I was drinking a lot,” he said.

Price also admitted the pressure to perform game in and game out was not easy to handle and became a weight on his mind.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price isn’t ready to retire and continues to explore treatment for his injured knee. What’s most important is his life and health beyond the rink. He recognized he had a problem and sought treatment voluntarily. Best wishes to Price in his ongoing sobriety.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed Jake Muzzin on long-term injury reserve due to a neck injury. It provides the Leafs with an additional $5.625 million of cap relief.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We don’t know how long Muzzin will be sidelined. If he’s out for the season they could use it to bolster their roster. If he’s not, they’ll have to ensure they’re cap compliant when he returns to action.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a fractured finger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough break (no pun intended) for van Riemsdyk, who was off to a good start with five points in his first six games of this season.

THE ATHLETIC: The St. Louis Blues placed forward Pavel Buchnevich on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.