NHL Rumor Mill – February 9, 2023

by | Feb 9, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 9, 2023

Can the Rangers afford to acquire Timo Meier? What’s the latest on the Leafs, Hurricanes, Coyotes and Stars? Is Jakub Vrana done with the Red Wings? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MEIER COULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THE RANGERS

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks remains doubtful about the rumors linking the Rangers to San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier. He pointed out they’ll have $16.76 million in cap space next season “to add six forwards, two defensemen and a backup goaltender.” That includes new contracts for restricted free agents K’Andre Miller, Filip Chytil and Alexis Lafreniere.

“But they are supposed to have interest in trading for Timo Meier and his $10 million qualifying offer. Where are the laughing-crying emojis when you need them?”

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless the Rangers are giving up one of those RFAs in return for Meier, I also don’t them being a serious suitor for Meier. Even then, the cost of re-signing him would still bite deeply into their remaining cap space.

I expect the Rangers will be shopping at this year’s trade deadline but it’ll be for the more affordable fare. Brooks advocates pursuing someone like the Nashville Predators’ Tanner Jeannot, though we don’t know if Predators general manager David Poile is a seller at this year’s deadline or if Jeannot would be among those he’d be willing to part with by March 3.

NO BIG DEADLINE MOVES FOR THE LEAFS?

SPORTSNET: In his latest mailbag segment, Luke Fox was asked what realistic moves we can expect of the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of the March 3 trade deadline.

Fox doesn’t see the Leafs landing a big-name player such as Timo Meier, Jakob Chychrun, Ryan O’Reilly, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. Instead, he sees them pursuing such less-heralded trade candidates as St. Louis’ Ivan Barbashev, Columbus’ Vladislav Gavrikov, Vancouver’s Luke Schenn, Chicago’s Sam Lafferty and Jake McCabe and Anaheim’s Adam Henrique and Max Comtois.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Fox. The Leafs lack the cap space and depth in tradeable assets to pursue a big fish in the trade pool.

Even with Jake Muzzin on long-term injury reserve, Cap Friendly indicates the Leafs have $1.13 million in trade deadline cap space. They’re also unwilling to part with their 2023 first-round pick and top prospect Matthew Knies.

WHO COULD THE HURRICANES PURSUE AT THE DEADLINE?

NHL NETWORK: Mike Johnson believes the Carolina Hurricanes need to add a second-line center before the trade deadline. He suggested Chicago’s Jonathan Toews, St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly and Detroit’s Dylan Larkin as trade targets.

Johnson believes acquiring one of those three will make the Hurricanes a Stanley Cup contender. He believes Larkin is the best of that trio right now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin’s come up more frequently in recent trade speculation because he and the Red Wings haven’t yet reached an agreement on a contract extension. He’d definitely be a significant addition to the Hurricanes or any other club. However, I still believe Larkin and the Wings will get a deal done.

As for Toews and O’Reilly, the Hurricanes have the cap room and the depth in young players to make a tempting offer for either guy. However, they usually don’t pursue big-ticket rental players at the trade deadline. It’ll be interesting to see if they change that pattern this year.

LATEST ON THE COYOTES

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan recently looked at the Arizona Coyotes’ potential trade candidates ahead of deadline day. He indicated Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong isn’t wavering from his asking price of two first-round picks and a second-round pick (or the equivalent of that in a prospect) for Jakob Chychrun, who continues to be linked to the Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Armstrong’s asking price could lead to Chychrun’s trade situation carrying over into the offseason. However, his impressive performance this season makes him a far more tempting trade target than he was last season when he was battling injuries and adjusting to a new head coach.

Morgan anticipates the sidelined Shayne Gostisbehere’s affordable remaining salary could make him easy to move to a contender seeking help on the power play. He doesn’t rule out the possibility of goaltender Karel Vejmelka getting moved but doubts Armstrong would accept a second-rounder for him. Vejmelka’s lack of a playoff resume is a concern. Morgan also noted there’s plenty of interest in center Nick Bjugstad and speculates he could fetch a second or third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m still skeptical that the Coyotes will trade Vejmelka but I won’t rule it out if Armstrong got an offer of a first-round pick for him.

UPDATE ON THE STARS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill intends to be patient as the trade deadline approaches. He’s willing to add to his roster but not at any price plus he has limited salary-cap space to work with. The Stars also lack a first-round pick to use as trade currency as Nill shipped that to the Rangers for Nils Lundqvist in September.

LeBrun doesn’t see Nill pursuing a big-ticket trade candidate such as San Jose’s Timo Meier. Thanks to their strong core, the Stars GM could prefer a rental player if the cost isn’t crazy.

LeBrun’s colleague Saad Yousuf recently listed the Stars’ potential trade bait. Winger Denis Gurianov is the most popular name but his trade value is low right now. He could be a candidate for a “one-for-one” swap for a player in a comparable situation.

Forward Radek Faksa and goaltender Anton Khudobin are other trade options. Yousef believes their biggest need is for a middle-six forward for their third line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars are riding high in the Western Conference right now. Nill could surprise us with a major deadline move but I think he’s instead looking at tweaking his roster.

IS VRANA DONE WITH THE RED WINGS?

LEAFS NATION’s Nick Alberga recently tweeted that Jakub Vrana may have played his final game with the Detroit Red Wings. He believes the likely scenarios are a trade or offseason buyout.

DETROIT FREE PRESS: Helene St. James reports the Wings are still evaluating Vrana’s play with their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. She noted they signaled their willingness to part with the 26-year-old winger when they placed him on waivers but couldn’t find any takers. Any improvement in his game, however, could change things ahead of the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings gave up Anthony Mantha to get Vrana at the 2021 trade deadline. They’re unlikely to get much of a return if they put him on the trade block.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 7, 2023

by | Jan 7, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 7, 2023

A look at five teams that could affect this season’s trade market, the latest on Sharks winger Timo Meier and an update on Jakub Vrana in today’s NHL Rumor Mill

FIVE POTENTIAL SELLERS THAT COULD AFFECT THE 2023 NHL TRADE MARKET

SPORTSNET: Rory Boylen recently listed the Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks as the five potential sellers that could affect this season’s trade market. Those clubs all carry notable talent that has frequently surfaced in trade speculation.

The Canucks’ potential trade bait includes Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller and Andrei Kuzmenko. Kevin Hayes, James van Riemsdyk, Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny are the notable Flyers who could be on the moves.

Jakob Chychrun tops the list of Coyotes’ trade candidates, which includes Shayne Gostisbehere and Karel Vejmelka. Blues such as Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly and Jordan Binnington could be available. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are the notables for the Blackhawks.

Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of the players on this list are eligible to become unrestricted free agents this summer. They are the most likely to be shopped if their current clubs can’t or won’t re-sign them.

I think Horvat, van Riemsdyk, Chychrun, Gostisbehere, Tarasenko and Kane are the most likely to be playing with other clubs by the March 3 trade deadline.

Boeser, Hayes, and Binnington all carry expensive annual salary-cap salaries on long-term contracts that could prove too difficult to move during this season with so many teams lacking salary-cap space. It wouldn’t be surprising if they remain in the trade market heading into the offseason.

I expect pending UFAs such as Toews, O’Reilly and Kuzmenko to re-sign with their current clubs. The others are on long-term deals (Provorov, Konecny, Vejmelka) and remain important key players to their current clubs. They could still have roles to play with those teams beyond this season.

Miller is a unique exception. He has a seven-year, $56 million contract starting in 2023-24 with no-trade protection. However, he’s in the final season of his current contract with a $5.25 million cap hit and lacks a no-trade clause. A playoff contender looking for immediate and long-term help could consider him a worthwhile trade candidate before March 3.

LATEST ON MEIER

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Corey Masisak was asked if he felt Timo Meier would still be with the San Jose Sharks beyond this season. The 26-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this season. His current average annual value is $6 million but he’s earning $10 million in actual salary, which is what it will cost the Sharks to qualify his rights.

Masisak is skeptical about Meier’s future in San Jose, citing uncertainty over his contract situation, the club’s ongoing struggles, and whether he fits into general manager Mike Grier’s long-term roster plans. Given Meier’s RFA status, the Sharks can wait until the offseason to move him if unable to reach an agreement on a new contract by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Grier could move Meier by the trade deadline for the right offer. However, I think other general managers don’t want to deal with the headache of his qualifying offer and arbitration rights. They could prefer waiting to see how the Sharks handle this situation in the offseason.

UPDATE ON VRANA

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli said a number of people around the NHL were surprised that no one claimed Detroit Red Wings forward Jakub Vrana off waivers earlier this week. He noted there was one club that discussed internally the possibility of trading for him.

Seravalli wondered if there was a deal available where Detroit retain a portion of Vrana’s salary equivalent to whatever it would cost the Wings to buy out the remainder of his contract this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wasn’t surprised that Vrana cleared waivers. His $5.25 million annual cap hit through 2023-24 is too expensive for most clubs to absorb this season.

Seravalli’s suggestion of a trade where the Wings retain a portion of his salary seems the most sensible option. However, that might not take place until the offseason as any interested club might want to see how well he performs in Grand Rapids. They could also want to see him get in some NHL games before the trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2023

by | Jan 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2023

Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild over the Lightning, the Red Wings make some roster moves, the 2023 Winter Classic ratings improve over last season’s, plus updates on Nicklas Backstrom, Max Pacioretty and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored twice and Calen Addison had a three-point performance in a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kaprizov has 22 goals on the season as the Wild (22-13-2) move to within three points of the second-place Winnipeg Jets in the Central Division with 46 points. The Lightning (24-12-1, 49 points) remain four points back of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. The Lightning’s Brayden Point also tallied his 22nd goal of the season.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Alexander Holtz each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (24-11-3), who hold a three-point lead over the New York Rangers for second place in the Metropolitan Division with 51 points. Lucas Raymond replied for the Red Wings, who fell to 16-13-7 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri made his season debut since suffering a lower-body injury last March. Jakub Vrana cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids while goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was assigned to Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint.

No surprise that Vrana cleared waivers. With a large number of teams carrying less than $3 million in salary-cap space, there were no takers for his $5.25 million annual cap hit through 2023-24.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson turned in a 35-save shutout to upset the Dallas Stars 2-0. Mason McTavish scored and collected an assist on Adam Henrique’s goal as the Ducks sit with a record of 11-24-4. The Stars (23-11-6, 52 points) remain two points behind the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: 1.8 million viewers tuned in on Jan. 2 to watch the Boston Bruins down the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 in the 2023 NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park. That’s up 31 percent over the 2022 event.

ESPN.COM: The NHL has revamped its All-Star Game selection process to make it more inclusive for fans. The league’s hockey operations department has selected the first 32 All-Stars (one from each team), leaving the fans to vote for the rest.

THE ATHLETIC: Nickas Backstrom and Tom Wilson are close to making their season debuts for the Washington Capitals. Backstrom has been recovering from hip resurfacing in June while Wilson underwent surgery on his right knee in May.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals will have to free up cap room when Backstrom and his $9.2 million AAV come off long-term injury reserve. They could put defenseman John Carlson ($8 million) on LTIR as he’s sidelined indefinitely with a facial injury suffered on Dec. 23.

SPORTSNET: Max Pacioretty could soon make his season debut with the Carolina Hurricanes as the club activated him off LTIR. The 34-year-old winger has been sidelined since suffering a torn Achilles during offseason training.

DAILY FACEOFF: Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk reportedly suffered a fractured fibula. It’s uncertain if he suffered the injury during the Winter Classic (when he scored both goals for the Bruins) or sometime afterward.

PHILLY.COM: The Flyers activated goaltender Carter Hart from injured reserve. He’d been sidelined with a concussion since Dec. 23.

OTTAWA SUN: Cam Talbot is willing to re-sign with the Senators. The 35-year-old goaltender is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s interested in signing a contract extension but indicated there haven’t been any formal discussions yet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That conversation might not happen until the end of the season. Much will depend on how the Senators end the season and if Pierre Dorion remains general manager under the club’s new ownership. It’s expected the team will have a new owner in place sometime in March.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed winger Jimmy Vesey to a two-year, $1.6 million contract extension. The average annual value is $800K.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 4, 2023

by | Jan 4, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 4, 2023

Hat-trick performances by the Sabres’ Tage Thompson and the Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk while Auston Matthews sets a Leafs franchise record. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson tallied in overtime for his third hat trick of the season in a 5-4 win over the Washington Capitals. Thompson finished the night with four points while Alex Tuch had a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who improve to 19-15-2. Alex Ovechkin tallied twice for the 21-13-6 Capitals.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson has 30 goals on the season and sits three back of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid for the goal-scoring lead. The Sabres, meanwhile, have won seven of their last 10 games. With 40 points, they’re six back of the New York Islanders for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Before the game, the Sabres entered Capital One Center in Washington wearing t-shirts that read, “Love for 3” to honor Buffalo Bill safety Damar Hamlin, who remains hospitalized in critical condition after collapsing during Monday’s NFL game against the Bengals. Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams released a statement in support of Hamlin and the Bills’ organization.

Matthew Tkachuk tallied his first hat trick with the Florida Panthers as they downed the Arizona Coyotes 5-3. Eric Staal also scored twice for the Panthers (17-18-4) while Clayton Keller had two points for the 13-18-5 Coyotes, who’ve lost 10 straight road games.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews collected two points to become the fastest player in franchise history to reach 500 points (445 games) but his club fell 6-5 to the St. Louis Blues. Brayden Schenn tallied the winner in the shootout while Brandon Saad scored two goals for the Blues, who improved to 18-17-3. Michael Bunting scored twice and William Nylander had a three-point performance for the 23-8-7 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Bunting, the Leafs have reportedly opened preliminary talks about a contract extension for the winger, who’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

The Tampa Bay Lightning picked up their fourth straight victory by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Former Blackhawk Brandon Hagel had a goal and an assist in the third period against his former club as the Lightning rose to 24-11-1 on the season. Seth Jones replied for the Blackhawks, who dropped to 8-25-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury. An update on his condition is expected on Wednesday.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Artemi Panarin, K’Andre Miller and Filip Chytil gave the New York Rangers a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, snapping the latter’s 11-game win streak. Paul Stastny collected two assists for Carolina (25-7-6) while the Rangers improved to 21-12-6. With 56 points, the Hurricanes remain six back of the league-leading Boston Bruins.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Pheonix Copley stopped 28 shots to backstop his club over the Dallas Stars by a score of 3-2. Adrian Kempe snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Kings (22-13-6) reach the 50-point plateau, sitting four points behind the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Roope Hintz collected two assists for the 23-10-6 Stars as their four-game win streak came to an end. With 52 points, they’re two back of the Golden Knights for first overall in the Western Conference.

The Winnipeg Jets got a 33-save performance from Connor Hellebuyck in a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Sam Gagner tallied the tie-breaker in the third period as the Jets improved to 24-13-1 and sit three points behind the first-place Stars in the Central Division. The Flames’ record fell to 18-14-7 on the season.

Four straight second-period goals carried the Seattle Kraken over the Edmonton Oilers 5-2. Jaden Schwartz had a goal and two assists for the Kraken (20-12-4) as they sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 44 points, one up on the Flames and two ahead of the Oilers. Connor McDavid netted his league-leading 33rd goal of the season for the Oilers (20-17-2) as they dropped their fifth straight home game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leon Draisaitl returned to the Oilers lineup after being sidelined for two games with what was believed to be a core muscle strain.

A three-point night by Mathew Barzal carried the New York Islanders to a 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored twice for the Isles, who improved to 22-15-2 and hold the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. Bo Horvat scored twice for the Canucks as they dropped to 16-18-3.

Ottawa Senators goalie Anton Forsberg turned in a 22-save shutout to blank the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux each had two points for the Senators (18-17-3) while the Blue Jackets slide to 11-23-2 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Senators, a source told the Ottawa Sun that it could take until March to determine who the club’s new owner will be. Even then, the paperwork to complete the sale might not be done until June.

The Nashville Predators downed the Montreal Canadiens 6-3, handing the latter their fifth straight loss and leaving them with just one win in their last 10 games. Nino Niederreiter had three assists for the 16-14-6 Predators. Cole Caufield netted his 22nd goal of the season for the 15-20-3 Canadiens.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings placed winger Jakub Vrana on waivers yesterday. The move comes as the club attempts to create roster space for sidelined players such as Robby Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi and Filip Zadina slated to return soon to their lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vrana missed most of this season in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and is currently with the Wings’ AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint.

A rival club interested in bolstering their scoring could pluck Vrana off waivers today by the noon ET deadline. He’s under contract through next season but also carries a $5.25 million annual average value. Given the high number of teams that Cap Friendly indicates have less than that in cap space, it’ll be interesting to see if he gets plucked off the waiver wire later today.

The Red Wings are carrying three goaltenders. However, they decided against putting Alex Nedeljkovic or the well-traveled Magnus Hellberg on waivers for the purpose of sending one of them to the minors for the time being.

LAS VEGAS SUN’s Danny Webster took to Twitter yesterday to report the Golden Knights have taken center Jack Eichel off injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers activated promising winger Bobby Brink off injured reserve and have sent him to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins have recalled goalie Dustin Tokarski from the AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. They’ve also placed defenseman Kris Letang on their non-roster list as he’s joined his family in Montreal following the recent death of his father.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2023

by | Jan 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2023

The Bruins defeat the Penguins in the 2023 NHL Winter Classic, the three stars of the week are announced, plus updates on sidelined stars such as Ryan O’Reilly and John Carlson in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 at the 2023 NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park. Jake DeBrusk tallied the game-tying and winning goals in the third period for the league-leading Bruins (29-4-4, 62 points) as they extended their home points streak to 22 games. Kasperi Kapanen scored for the Penguins (19-12-6) as they’ve lost five straight games.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury. No update was provided on his condition following the game.

The Pens also played without defenseman Kris Letang, who returned home to Montreal following the death of his father. He remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury. My condolences to Letang and his family for their loss.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy scored twice as the Vegas Golden Knights held off the Colorado Avalanche 3-2. With the win, the Golden Knights (26-12-2) regained first place in the Western Conference with 54 points and sit two up on the Dallas Stars. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist for the 19-14-3 Avalanche, who’ve dropped four games in a row.

The Philadelphia Flyers (14-17-7) picked up their third straight win with a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist while goaltender Samuel Ersson made 28 saves. Ryan Strome replied for the Ducks, who dropped to 10-24-4.

HEADLINES

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg, San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson and Carolina Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 1, 2023.

The Seattle Kraken will host the Vegas Golden Knights at the 2024 NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2024, at T-Mobile Field.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m taking a victory lap having predicted this during a Bleacher Report roundtable last week. OK, I picked the wrong stadium where they’d play but I’m not sweating the minor details here.

TSN: Bad news for the St. Louis Blues as captain Ryan O’Reilly (broken foot) will be sidelined for six weeks while winger Vladimir Tarasenko (hand injury) will be out for four weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are struggling to stay in the Western Conference playoff race. Losing their two core forwards for a month could sink their postseason hopes.

THE ATHLETIC: Tarik El-Bashir recently reported Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson could be sidelined for months with a head injury suffered against the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 23. His estimated return could be late in the regular season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals will miss Carlson’s presence on the blueline. He had 21 points in 30 games this season before his injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings have extended Jakub Vrana’s conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate from three days to the full two weeks. He only played two games with the Wings this season before voluntarily entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in mid-October.

The New York Islanders activated goaltender Semyon Varlamov off injured reserve.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed defenseman Nick Perbix to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.125 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Top NHL prospect Connor Bedard broke the Canadian World Junior record for all-time goals (16) and points (33) to lead Canada to a 4-3 overtime victory over Slovakia in the quarter-final of the 2023 World Junior Championships.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard was considered the top prospect in the 2023 NHL Draft prior to the 2023 WJC. His performance in this tournament will cement his spot in that position.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2022

by | Dec 28, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2022

The schedule resumes with the Hurricanes extending their win streak to nine games, Connor McDavid stretching his points streak to 16 games and Jamie Benn reaching a Stars milestone. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes extended their win streak to nine games by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0. Antti Raanta stopped 24 shots for the shutout while Martin Necas, Jesper Fast and Jordan Martinook were the goal scorers as the Hurricanes (23-6-6, 52 points) hold a six-point lead over the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Petr Mrazek made 46 saves for the Blackhawks (8-21-4) sitting in last place in the overall standings with 20 points.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid stretched his points streak to 16 games by scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. McDavid leads the league with 31 goals while Stuart Skinner kicked out 46 shots for the win as the Oilers improved to 19-15-2. Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames as they dropped to 16-13-7.

The Vancouver Canucks are over .500 for the first time this season (16-15-3) as they downed the San Jose Sharks 6-2. Bo Horvat and Ilya Mikheyev each had four points for the Canucks. Timo Meier scored twice and Erik Karlsson collected two assists to extend his points streak to a career-high 10 games for the 11-19-6 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau said he’s hoping sidelined starting goaltender Thatcher Demko can return in mid-January but remains uncertain if he’ll be back before February. Demko’s been out with a lower-body injury since Dec. 1.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn scored his 343rd career goal and Roope Hintz tallied twice in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Benn moved past Brian Bellows into second place on the Stars’ all-time goals list. With 48 points (21-9-6), Dallas moves to within one point of the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Juuse Saros made 30 saves for the Predators as they slipped to 14-14-5. Predators forward Matt Duchene missed this game as his wife was giving birth to the couple’s baby daughter.

The Ottawa Senators (15-16-3) got a 49-save performance from Cam Talbot to upset the Boston Bruins 3-2 on a shootout goal by Alex DeBrincat, who also scored in regulation. Jake DeBrusk tallied his 14th goal of the season for the Bruins (27-4-3), who remain atop the overall standings with 57 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return. There was no update as to his condition following the game.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs past the St. Louis Blues 5-4 after the Blues (16-16-3) overcame 3-1 and 4-3 deficits to force the extra frame. Calle Jarnkrok had a goal and two assists for the Leafs (22-7-6) while Ryan O’Reilly and Jordan Kyrou were among the Blues scorers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues played without defenseman Torey Krug as he was placed on long-term injury reserve with a lower-body injury. He’s expected to be re-evaluated in six weeks. The Leafs, meanwhile, placed forward Nick Robertson and defenseman Victor Mete on LTIR.

The Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 with Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson each collecting a goal and two assists. The Kings (20-12-6, 46 points) move within three points of the Golden Knights (24-12-1), who sit atop the Western Conference with 49 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Trevor Moore missed this game for undisclosed reasons. The Kings also placed Arthur Kaliyev (lower body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 20. Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez departed in the second period with an injured leg after blocking a shot by Kings forward Alex Iafallo.

Washington Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 32 saves to blank the New York Rangers 4-0. Marcus Johansson, Erik Gustafsson, Lars Eller and Conor Sheary were the goal scorers as the Capitals (20-13-4) picked up their fifth straight win and their 10th in their last 11 contests. Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 shots for the 19-12-5 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen left the game in the final minutes after being struck in the face by the puck. Earlier in the day, they placed blueliner John Carlson (facial injury) on injured reserve.

New York Islanders forwards Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal each tallied twice in a 5-1 romp over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders improved to 20-14-2 but lost winger Oliver Wahlstrom to injury after he was cross-checked in the first period by Pittsburgh defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The Penguins slide to 19-10-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Penguins recalled defenseman Mark Friedman from their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Minnesota Wild (20-12-2) picked up their seventh victory in their last eight games by dropping the Winnipeg Jets 4-1, handing the latter their third straight defeat. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist while Filip Gustavsson made 36 saves for the Wild. Pierre-Luc Dubois tallied for the Jets (21-13-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets played without rookie forward Cole Perfetti as he’s out for at least a week with an injured shoulder. Wild defenseman Jake Middleton missed this game with a non-COVID illness.

Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each had a goal and an assist for the 12-16-5 Coyotes. Cale Makar had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche as they dropped to 19-12-2.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers got some good news as goaltender Carter Hart skated with his teammates in practice on Tuesday. He suffered what appeared to be an upper-body injury during Friday’s loss to the Carolina Hurricanes following a collision with Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis.

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings assigned forward Jakub Vrana to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint. Vrana hasn’t played since Oct. 15 before entering the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens recalled defenseman Justin Barron from their AHL affiliate in Laval.