NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 13, 2025

by | Jun 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 13, 2025

The Oilers rally to defeat the Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck wins the Hart and Vezina trophies, Kings captain Anze Kopitar wins the Lady Byng Trophy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OILERS RALLY, DEFEAT THE PANTHERS IN GAME 4 OF THE STANLEY CUP FINAL

NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl’s overtime goal gave the Edmonton Oilers a 5-4 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, tying the series at two games apiece.

The Panthers dominated the first period, with Matthew Tkachuk scoring twice and Anton Lundell tallying to take a 3-0 lead, putting the Oilers on the verge of collapsing as they did in Game 3. After swapping out starting goalie Stuart Skinner for Calvin Pickard, the Oilers tied it on goals by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, and Vasily Podkolzin.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Edmonton took the lead with just over six minutes remaining in the third period on a slapshot by Jake Walman. However, Florida pulled goalie Sergei Bobrovsky for an extra attacker and cashed in as Sam Reinhart tied it with 20 seconds remaining in the period.

The Panthers nearly won it in overtime when Sam Bennett hit the crossbar. Moments later, Draisaitl hopped onto the ice, skated into the Panthers’ zone, and shoveled a one-handed backhander that deflected off Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola past Bobrovsky.

This series returns to Edmonton for Game 4 on Saturday, June 14, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was one of the greatest Stanley Cup Final games I’ve ever seen. Edmonton seemed done like dinner after the first period, and Florida appeared on the verge of taking a 3-1 stranglehold on the series.

The Panthers completely controlled the first period, outplaying Edmonton to take what seemed an insurmountable three-goal lead. Skinner couldn’t be faulted for those goals, which were the result of his teammates’ sloppy play. Swapping him for Pickard felt like a desperation move, but it helped to settle the Oilers down. He was steady throughout the rest of the game, stopping 22 of 23 shots.

Draisaitl set an NHL record for the most overtime goals (four) in a single postseason. The Oilers shook up their lineup before the game, sitting forward Viktor Arvidsson and defenseman John Klingberg in favor of Jeff Skinner and Troy Stecher.

After the game, Draisaitl praised teammate Corey Perry for rallying his teammates following the first period. “Corey spoke up. When he speaks up, you listen, and you do what he says. We did a great job of grabbing it, grabbing some momentum and keeping it.”

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is the winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Vezina Trophy for 2024-25. He’s the first goalie to win both awards since Carey Price in 2014-15, and the only active three-time winner of the Vezina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here, as a photo of Hellebuyck with both trophies was recently leaked on social media. Nevertheless, he was a deserving winner. He was the best goaltender in the league this season and was considered the front-runner for the Hart Trophy.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the third time in his career, taking only two minor penalties this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hockey followers often deride the Lady Byng Trophy because it rewards “gentlemanly play”, which is a quaint early 20th-century way of saying the winners play a strong, disciplined game. The 37-year-old Kopitar remains among the most respected two-way players in the game, whose play remains worthy of recognition.

Hellebuyck and Jets winger Kyle Connor were named to the 2024-25 First All-Star Team, joining Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar, Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski.

Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, defenseman Victor Hedman, and winger Brandon Hagel were part of the Second All-Star Team. Joining them were Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes.

Calder Memorial Trophy winner Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens and 2024 first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks were among the players named to the 2024-25 NHL All-Rookie Team. They joined Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier, and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk.

Former NHL star and future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr won a regional Emmy Award for his work as a producer and writer on last year’s broadcast of his jersey retirement ceremony by the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 8, 2025

by | Jun 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 8, 2025

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery wins the Jack Adams Award, the winner of the Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy may have been inadvertently revealed, the latest on the Oilers and Panthers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals is the 2024-25 winner of the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year. Carbery was surprised with the award by his wife and children in-studio during what he thought was an interview with Capitals play-by-play announcer Joe Beninati.

Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery (NHL Images).

Carbery guided the Capitals to a 51-22-9 record and a first-overall finish in the Eastern Conference.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carter Brooks reports a slightly out-of-focus photograph circulated on social media Saturday, appearing to show Connor Hellebuyck posing in his backyard with the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Vezina Trophy. The 32-year-old Winnipeg Jets goaltender is a finalist for both awards.

Brooks pointed out that an NHL Media release indicated the winners of those trophies would be officially revealed during its Awards show on June 12.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It won’t be surprising if Hellebuyck won both awards. He had an outstanding regular season and was the most valuable player for his team. He would become the first goaltender to win the Hart and Vezina Trophies since Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens in 2014-15.

NHL.COM: The coaching staff and a cohesive dressing-room environment have contributed to the solid performance of the Florida Panthers’ defense corps. Nate Schmidt, Gustav Forsling and Dmitry Kulikov are among the blueliners who have thrived in Florida.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples observes that Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse is struggling against the Florida Panthers again. Despite what may be his best regular season, he is having difficulty moving the puck, making unforced icings and turnovers in the first two games of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

Staples noted that Nurse played his best hockey when paired with Troy Stecher, suggesting reuniting the pair. The return of Mattias Ekholm relegated Stecher to the press box, with Nurse paired with Brett Kulak.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Hannah Kirkell cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas recently discussing the health of Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. They observed he skipped the 4 Nations Face Off in February to prioritize getting his body in the best possible shape for the playoffs.

The pair discussed whether Pietrangelo would be available to play for Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics. They don’t know the extent or the nature of the blueliner’s injury, but they wondered if he’d be ready for the start of next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pietrangelo appeared to be playing with a lower-body injury this season. He had 33 points with a plus-minus of plus-11 in 71 games this season and had six points in 10 playoff games. However, the 17-year NHL veteran is 35 years old, and the physical toll of his long career could be catching up with him.

Pietrangelo is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8.8 million and a full no-movement clause.

NEW YORK POST: Matthew Schaefer endured a season-ending injury and the recent deaths of his mother and billet mother. Nevertheless, how the 17-year-old Erie Otters defenseman handled the injury and his grief displayed a maturity and character that contributed to his rise to the top of the 2025 NHL Draft rankings.

TVA SPORTS: Radim Mrtka said the Montreal Canadiens are the team that has shown the most interest in him. However, the 17-year-old Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman isn’t expected to be available when the Canadiens make the first of their two first-round picks (16th and 17th overall).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mrtka is a big (6’6”), smooth-skating blueliner who emulates Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings. The report noted he was taken to dinner by the Pittsburgh Penguins last week.

I have the Seattle Kraken taking Mrtka with the eighth overall pick in my mock draft, with the Canadiens choosing defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson of the OHL’s Barrie Colts at No. 16.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins forward Vasily Ponomarev is expected to return to the KHL with Omsk for 2025-26. The 23-year-old restricted free agent was part of the return the Penguins received from the Carolina Hurricanes in last year’s Jake Guentzel trade. He has no points in seven games with the Penguins this season and received no guarantees that he’d be in their lineup for 2025-26.

NEW YORK POST: The longest scoring review in NHL history reached its conclusion with former Hartford Whalers goaltender John Garrett receiving an assist on Gordie Howe’s final NHL goal on Apr. 9, 1980.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Trois-Rivieres Lions are the winners of the ECHL’s Kelly Cup for the first time. They are the secondary affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens and the first Canadian-based team to win the Kelly Cup in six years.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2025

by | Apr 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2025

The Hurricanes move on to the second round, the Senators stave off elimination again, the Oilers and Golden Knights are on the verge of advancing, the Norris Trophy finalists are revealed, Rick Tocchet won’t return as Canucks coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes are the first team in this postseason to reach the second round following a 5-4 double-overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils in Game 5 of their first-round series.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (NHL Images).

Sebastian Aho scored twice (including the game-winner) and collected an assist. Seth Jarvis and Shayne Gostisbehere each collected two assists and Pyotr Kochetkov made 31 saves for the Hurricanes, who won the series four games to one.

Jacob Markstrom kicked out 49 shots for the Devils, who blew 3-0 and 4-3 leads in this game. Stefan Noesen and Brett Pesce each had two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Dawson Mercer got a double-minor for high-sticking Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi early in the second OT period. That was the turning point, setting the stage for Aho’s winning goal.

The Hurricanes had a horrible start to this game, but their poise and experience shone through as they rallied back. Their special teams made the difference in this game, as they had throughout the series, going two-for-six on the power play and killing off three penalties.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark stopped 29 shots to shut out the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0 in Game 5 of their first-round series. Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk each had a goal and two assists while Thomas Chabot and Dylan Cozens also scored for the Senators, who staved off elimination for the second straight game.

Toronto goaltender Anthony Stolarz gave up two goals on 17 shots. The Leafs hold a 3-2 series lead and can end it in Game 6 on Thursday, May 1, in Ottawa at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Collars are tightening for the Leafs and their fans. They are 1-13 in postseason elimination games since 2017.

The Edmonton Oilers took their first series lead in their first-round tilt with the Los Angeles Kings with a 3-1 win in Game 5, taking a 3-2 lead after starting this series down 2-0.

Evander Kane, Mattias Janmark and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for the Oilers while Calvin Pickard stopped 21 shots for his third straight win in this series. Darcy Kuemper made 43 saves for the Kings.

The series returns to Edmonton for Game 6 on May 1 at 10 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s no mystery who’ll be the Oilers’ starting goalie for Game 6. Pickard’s steady goaltending has made the difference since replacing Stuart Skinner late in Game 2.

An overtime goal by Brett Howden lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild, giving them a 3-2 lead in their first-round series.

William Karlsson and Mark Stone also scored, and Jack Eichel had two assists for the Golden Knights. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy replied for the Wild. Game 6 is back in Minnesota on Thursday, May 1 at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson left this game with an illness after the second period. Backup Marc-Andre Fleury stopped six of seven shots.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks, Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, and Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets are the finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as this season’s top defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes and Makar are former Norris Trophy winners. This is the first time Werenski’s been a finalist for this award. He was the Jackets’ best player this season.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman broke the news yesterday that Rick Tocchet will not return as head coach of the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is another serious blow in a tumultuous season for the Canucks. They wanted to sign Tocchet to an extension, but he cited family reasons for his decision to move on and explore other options.

NHL.COM: The league announced the 2025 Draft Lottery will be on Monday, May 5. The San Jose Sharks have the best odds of winning the lottery for the second straight season, finishing last in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There is no clear-cut potential superstar prospect in this year’s draft class compared to 2023 (Connor Bedard) and 2024 (Macklin Celebrini) and no clear favorite as the top pick. The front-runner is defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the OHL’s Erie Otters.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW/TAMPA BAY TIMES: Panthers defenseman Aaron Eklad received a two-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for a high hit on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel during Game 4 of their first-round series. Hagel has been ruled out for Game 5 between the two clubs.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Panthers, defenseman Niko Mikkola was fined $5,000.00 for boarding Lightning forward Zemgus Girgensons in Game 4.

DAILY FACEOFF: Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi will return to the lineup for Game 5 of his club’s first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. Vilardi had been sidelined since late March with an upper-body injury.

Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury and will miss Game 5 against the Jets on Wednesday.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury and isn’t expected to be in the lineup for Game 5 against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. Defenseman Alex Carrier (possible concussion) is also expected to miss that game. The Canadiens face elimination, down 3-1 in the series. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Backup Jakub Dobes will get the start as he did in Game 4. Jayden Struble is expected to replace Carrier on the Canadiens’ blueline.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings announced that assistant coaches Alex Westlund and L.J. Scarpace won’t return.

Former Red Wings forward Valtteri Filppula announced his retirement. He spent 16 seasons in the NHL from 2005-06 to 2020-21 with the Red Wings, Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders, scoring 197 goals and 530 points in 1,056 regular-season games, and 86 points in 166 playoff games. Filppula spent the past four seasons playing in Switzerland and Finland. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 29, 2025

by | Apr 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 29, 2025

The Panthers and Stars are on the verge of advancing to the second round, the Vezina Trophy finalists are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers have taken a 3-1 stranglehold in their best-of-seven first-round series over the Tampa Bay Lightning following a 4-2 victory in Game 4.

Florida defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones scored 11 seconds apart in the third period and winger Carter Verhaeghe scored an empty-netter to seal the win. The Lightning’s Mitchell Chaffee and Erik Cernak also scored 11 seconds apart in the first period after Anton Lundell opened the scoring for the Panthers.

The Panthers can win the series in Game 5 on Wednesday, Apr. 30, in Tampa Bay, starting at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad and Jones scored the fastest two goals by defensemen for one team in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

This game was also a physical contest between the Florida rivals. Ekblad could face supplemental discipline after knocking Lightning winger Brandon Hagel out of the game with a forearm to the head in the first period. There was no call on the play.

Panthers blueliner Niko Mikkola was ejected early in the third period for boarding Lightning forward Zemgus Girgensons, who remained in the game.

The Dallas Stars are poised to eliminate the Colorado Avalanche following a 6-2 win in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in their first-round series.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (NHL Images).

Wyatt Johnston scored twice, including the first nine seconds of the game, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists, and Jake Oettinger stopped 26 shots for Dallas. Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon replied for the Avalanche.

Dallas can win this series in Game 6 in Denver on Thursday, May 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dallas put Colorado on the back foot early, running up an early 3-0 lead. The Avalanche made it interesting by cutting that lead to 3-2 before Johnston, Mason Marchment and Roope Hintz put the game away for the Stars.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings, and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning are the finalists for the Vezina Trophy, honoring this season’s top goaltenders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck is the favorite here, leading the league in wins (47), goals-against average (2.00) and shutouts (eight), and finishing second in save percentage (.925) among goaltenders with at least 25 games played this season.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Speaking of Hellebuyck, he admits he needs to improve after giving up a combined 11 goals in Game 3 and 4 of the Jets’ first-round series against the St. Louis Blues.

“I am going to be better,” said Hellebuyck. “I’ve studied goaltending extremely hard. I’ve probably studied the most out of anyone in this world, so I know what to do and how to get my best game.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets and Blues are tied at two games apiece. Game 5 is Wednesday in Winnipeg at 9:30 pm ET.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews will be expected to improve his performance in Game 5 of his team’s first-round series against the Ottawa Senators. The Leafs hold a 3-1 series but missed a golden opportunity to sweep the Senators in Game 4.

OTTAWA SUN: Veteran center Claude Giroux will try to help the Senators stay alive in their series with the Leafs. Giroux was part of the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers that overcame a 3-0 first-round deficit against the Boston Bruins to win that series in seven games.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas could suit up for Game 5 of his club’s first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens. Protas has been sidelined since Apr. 4 after suffering a skate cut to the foot. The Capitals hold a 3-1 series lead and can wrap things up with a win on Wednesday.

TSN: The Capitals and Canadiens were fined $25,000 each by the league for unsportsmanlike conduct during warm-ups before Game 4. Montreal defenseman Arber Xhekaj and Capitals blueliner Dylan McIlrath received individual fines for unsportsmanlike conduct during those warmups.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch is staying coy about naming his starting goaltender for Game 5 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. However, it’s expected Calvin Pickard will get the call following back-to-back wins in Games 3 and 4.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2024

by | Apr 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 30, 2024

The Panthers eliminate the Lightning, the Stars tie their series with the Golden Knights, the Vezina Trophy finalists are announced and the Kraken fire head coach Dave Hakstol. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-1 to win their best-of-seven first-round series in five games. Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov each scored twice and collected an assist for the Panthers, who will play the winner of the Boston Bruins-Toronto Maple Leafs first-round series in the second round.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was critical of two goalie interference calls that went against his club in this game. Those goals might’ve changed the outcome of this game had they counted but would’ve only delayed his club’s inevitable elimination. After years in the Lightning’s shadow, the Panthers emerged this season as the dominant NHL club in Florida.

This is the second straight season that the former Stanley Cup champion Lightning have been eliminated in the first round. The main reason is steady depletion of their roster due to salary cap constraints.

The future of Steven Stamkos is the biggest question facing the Lightning in this offseason. The long-time Tampa Bay captain is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Following this game, Stamkos said he hadn’t thought about it as he was focused on trying to help his team win this season. Cooper believes Stamkos knows he belongs with the Lightning. That will depend on whether he and Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois can agree to a new contract before free agency begins on July 1.

The Dallas Stars scored three unanswered goals as they overcame a 2-1 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 4 of their first-round series. Wyatt Johnston tied the game, Ty Dellandrea scored the winning goal and Jake Oettinger stopped 32 shots as the Stars tied this series at two games apiece. Michael Amadio and Jack Eichel scored for the Golden Knights.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

NHL.COM: Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers, Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks, and Connor Hellebucyk of the Winnipeg Jets are the finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender in 2023-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists. Hellebuyck seems the most likely to win this award, joining Bobrovsky as the only active goalies to win the Vezina at least twice.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken fired head coach Dave Hakstol after three seasons behind their bench. Hakstol guided the club to its first postseason in its second NHL season but they failed to qualify for the playoffs this season. Assistant coach Paul McFarland also won’t be returning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken’s disappointing follow-up to last season’s surprising performance isn’t solely on Hakstol. Matty Benier’s sophomore slump, another injury-shortened season for Andre Burakovsky and the offseason departures of Daniel Sprong and Morgan Geekie were contributing factors. Still, it’s usually the head coach who bears the responsibility when a team struggles.

There’s no shortage of candidates to replace Hakstol. They include former NHL bench bosses like Craig Berube, Todd McLellan, Gerard Gallant, and Dean Evason. The Times’ Geoff Baker suggested keeping an eye on Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour, whose current contract expires at the end of this season.

TORONTO STAR: The Maple Leafs are preparing to play Game 5 against the Bruins without Auston Matthews. The Leafs center missed practice on Monday with an ongoing illness and is questionable for tonight’s game.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark would love to start Game 5 against the Maple Leafs. However, he’s said he won’t be a “salty crybaby” if Jeremy Swayman gets the call. Swayman has played three of the four games thus far, winning all three.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins can advance to the second round with a win over the Leafs in Game 5.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet expects a better effort from his club as they look to eliminate the Nashville Predators in Game 5. He said his players were pleased with their comeback effort in Game 4 but they knew their play in that contest was average. Tocchet indicated they are focused on improvement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series would be tied at two games apiece if not for those frantic final minutes for the Canucks in Game 4. They can’t afford another average performance against a desperate Predators team in Game 5.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov suffered a fractured cheekbone after being struck by a shot by teammate Nate Schmidt during Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. However, he hasn’t been ruled out for Game 5 of the first-round series between the two clubs on Tuesday. The Avalanche hold a 3-1 series lead.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour is shaking up three of his lines for Game 5 against the New York Islanders. Jack Drury will move up to center the second line, winger Teuvo Teravainen drops down to the third line and Jesperi Kotkaniemi moves to the fourth line.

CBS SPORTS: New York Islanders forward Matt Martin will miss Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 12, 2023

by | May 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 12, 2023

The Hurricanes advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Stars push the Kraken to the brink of elimination, the Vezina Trophy finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals with a 3-2 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils to win their best-of-seven second-round series in five games. Jesper Fast tallied the game-winner, Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns scored in regulation and Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots for the Hurricanes. Dawson Mercer and Timo Meier tallied for the Devils, who got a 36-save performance from Akira Schmid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes await the winner of the Florida Panthers-Toronto Maple Leafs series. The Panthers hold a 3-1 lead in that best-of-seven series and could wrap things up with a win tonight in Toronto.

This was the most closely-contested game of the series following four lopsided contests between these two clubs. The Devils dominated the play for long stretches and had several opportunities to break the game open but failed to cash in on their scoring chances.

Steady goaltending from Andersen, a solid defense corps and experience made the difference in this series for Carolina. Depth forwards such as Fast and Jordan Martinook also stepped up offensively for the Hurricanes in this series.

The Devils may be disappointed over the outcome of this series but it doesn’t overshadow their significant improvement this season. They reached the playoffs for the first time since 2018, finishing third overall with a franchise-record 112 points. They also won their first playoff series since 2012 by eliminating the arch-rival New York Rangers in the first round. Led by young stars like Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, the Devils have a bright future ahead.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski (NHL Images).

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz scored twice and collected an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken to take a 3-2 lead in their second-round series. Jason Robertson collected three assists while Joe Pavelski tied Chris Drury for the most career game-winning playoff goals (17) by a US-born player. Adam Larsson and Jared McCann replied for the Kraken. Game 6 goes Saturday evening in Seattle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 38-year-old Pavelski also became the oldest player to score at least seven times in a playoff series. Stars winger Mason Marchment missed this game after taking an elbow to the head in Game 4.

This game was much close than the score suggests as the Kraken narrowed Dallas’ 3-0 lead to 3-2 before Hintz put the game out of reach in the third period. The Stars should anticipate a tough battle from the Kraken in Seattle.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders and Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins are this season’s finalists for the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL’s best goaltender.

The department of player safety handed down one-game suspensions to Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and Edmonton Oilers blueliner Darnell Nurse.

Pietrangelo’s punishment was for slashing Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl in Game 4 of their second-round series on Wednesday. Nurse’s is for instigating a fight with Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague with less than five minutes remaining in Game 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nurse was suspended because he instigated a fight within the final five minutes of Game 4. However, Hague reportedly asked the Oilers’ defenseman for the fight. I guess the thinking here is that Nurse could’ve refused but didn’t.

Pietrangelo made a deliberate attempt to injure with his lumberjack slash on Draisaitl. It was uncharacteristic of him and was apparently provoked by his anger over uncalled infractions during the game. Nevertheless, that doesn’t excuse what he did. While Draisaitl wasn’t injured on the play, Pietrangelo’s action should’ve merited more than a one-game suspension.

TSN: Joseph Woll will get the start again for the Toronto Maple Leafs when they face off tonight against the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their second-round series. Ilya Samsonov remains sidelined by an upper-body injury. Matt Murray will serve as Woll’s backup.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: As expected, the Flyers formally announced Keith Jones as their new president of hockey operations. They also confirmed that Daniel Briere is now their full-time general manager after serving in the role on an interim basis since March.

OTTAWA SUN: Actor Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group won’t be submitting their $1 billion bid for the Senators. They reportedly sought exclusive negotiating rights with the National Capital Commission and the City of Ottawa to get a deal to build a new arena.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There are seven other groups that are anticipated to make bids for the Senators by the anticipated May 15 deadline.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Karl Subban, the father of former NHL defenseman P.K. Subban, has joined the group Ban Ads for Gambling to get ads for sports betting removed from hockey broadcasts. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has also called for a ban on the use of celebrities to sell sports betting.

A former school principal, Subban is concerned about children being exposed to gambling ads involving celebrities and NHL players.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: The Flames have reportedly blocked former general manager Brad Treliving from interviewing with other teams before his contract expires at the end of June.