NHL Rumor Mill – January 10, 2025

by | Jan 10, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 10, 2025

Check out the latest trade speculation about Canucks center Elias Pettersson plus the latest on the Bruins, Oilers and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MORE PETTERSSON SPECULATION

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon looked at four clubs that might be best-positioned to acquire Elias Pettersson if the Vancouver Canucks decide to trade the 26-year-old center.

Dixon noted the Carolina Hurricanes were in talks with the Canucks about Pettersson last season before he signed his current contract. He noted the Canucks prefer a center-for-center swap but the Hurricanes aren’t parting with Sebastian Aho. Dixon wondered if the conversation could shift to Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis or promising defense prospect Alexander Nikishin.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That trade won’t happen this season because the Hurricanes lack the cap space to take on Pettersson’s $11.6 million annual cap hit. And no, the Canucks won’t retain half of it. They don’t want $5.8 million in dead cap space on their books for the next seven years. Such a deal would have to wait until this summer when the Hurricanes will have over $27 million in cap space under a projected $92.4 million cap for 2025-26.

Dixon believes the Buffalo Sabres should be a no-brainer. They’re an Eastern Conference club, which works if the Canucks prefer moving Pettersson outside of the Western Conference. The Sabres also have plenty of young pieces at center and on defense to entice the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dylan Cozens to Vancouver, anyone? Elliotte Friedman spitballed a package offer of Cozens and Bowen Byram last month. The Sabres also have the cap space this season to take on Pettersson’s full cap hit. Pettersson might not be keen about going to Buffalo but his lack of no-trade protection this season gives the Canucks the leeway to send him wherever they want.

The Anaheim Ducks might be able to offer up the best deal. Maybe they can put together a blockbuster offer that includes Trevor Zegras. The Ducks can also easily afford Pettersson’s contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks will likely want someone other than Zegras as his stock has declined over the last two years. They could ask for Leo Carlsson or Mason McTavish in a package deal for Pettersson.

Dixon believes the Minnesota Wild have long needed a first-line center to drive their offense. Marco Rossi’s name has come up in the rumor mill. Dixon suggests Rossi could become a trade candidate if he and general manager Bill Guerin fail to agree to a new contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guerin recently said he’s not shopping Rossi, a restricted free agent without arbitration rights this summer. However, the Wild lack sufficient cap space to acquire Pettersson this season. They’ll have over $18 million under a projected $92.5 million cap but Pettersson’s contract would eat up a big chunk of it. Guerin could also be reluctant to add an expensive player like Pettersson when franchise player Kirill Kaprizov is due for a hefty raise in 2026.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner reports industry sources claim the New York Islanders are among the teams calling the Canucks expressing interest in Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only way that works is if the Islanders free up considerable cap space before the trade deadline. That would mean moving a high-salaried player like Mathew Barzal, which isn’t happening, especially if the Canucks are on his 22-team no-trade list. Bo Horvat is a former Canuck but he may have put those years behind him and could be unwilling to waive his no-trade clause.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ken Campbell believes the worst thing the Canucks could do is trade Pettersson or J.T. Miller. He doubts they’d get equal value in return and whatever they do get won’t help them in the short or long term. Campbell believes the best solution is for Pettersson and Miller to work out their differences.

LATEST FROM TSN’S INSIDERS

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is open for business. They have some free-agent players (like Trent Frederic and Justin Brazeau) who could be in play.

Dreger said they plan to map out a strategy that takes them up to the March 7 trade deadline, unless they receive an offer that makes sense to them beforehand.

Pierre LeBrun reports Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman is making preliminary calls around the league. He intends to add a defenseman before the trade deadline, hoping to ensure the Oilers have sufficient depth should injuries strike their blueline.

It’s assumed they could pursue a right-shot shutdown defenseman like David Savard of the Montreal Canadiens. However, they’re also comfortable dealing for a left-shot blueliner.

Speaking of the Canadiens, LeBrun said GM Kent Hughes isn’t going to get carried away by his club’s recent improvement. He let pending free-agent center Jake Evans know that the club wants to re-sign him. However, Evans’ career year could be the 28-year-old center’s best chance to hit a home run in the free-agent market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie said earlier this week that he believes the two sides will get a deal done. However, LeBrun indicated the New Jersey Devils are among the clubs interested in Evans if the Canadiens shop him before the trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2025

by | Jan 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2025

Milestone games for Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Leafs captain Auston Matthews, the Wild unveils their Quarter-Century Team and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves for his 300th NHL regular-season win by downing the Nashville Predators 5-2. Kyle Connor’s 23rd goal of the season was the game-winner while Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry collected two assists each as the Jets snapped a three-game losing skid while the Predators’ two-game win streak ended.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck is the third-fastest goaltender to reach the 300-win plateau, accomplishing the feat in 538 games. He trails Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy (490 games) and Hall-of-Famer Jacques Plante (521).

It was a costly game for both clubs. Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game early in the second period with a lower-body injury. They were already missing a blueliner in this contest as Colin Miller is sidelined with a fractured larynx for at least two weeks. Meanwhile, Predators forwards Steven Stamkos (undisclosed) and Luke Evangelista left this game with injuries.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored a goal and collected an assist for his 200th career multipoint game in a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Matthew Knies snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period, Mitch Marner and John Tavares each had two points and Joseph Woll stopped 30 shots for their fifth consecutive win. The Flyers got both goals from winger Travis Konecny as they’ve dropped three straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the fastest US-born player to reach 200 multipoint games, having done so in 589 games. The Leafs are tied with the idle Washington Capitals with 56 points but the latter holds first overall in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand.

The Dallas Stars extended their points streak to seven games (6-0-1) by nipping the New York Rangers 5-4 on an overtime power-play goal by Jamie Benn. Thomas Harley finished the night with three points, including the game-tying goal late in the third period as the Stars overcame 3-0 and 4-3 deficits. Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck each tallied twice and Artemi Panarin had three assists for the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a hard hit from Rangers forward Sam Carrick. Meanwhile, Stars winger Mason Marchment remains sidelined after undergoing surgery for a facial injury suffered on Dec. 27 and remains week-to-week.

Rangers center Filip Chytil left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Winger Chris Kreider (upper body) missed this contest as he was placed on injured reserve.

An overtime goal by Patrick Kane lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Ottawa Senators 3-2, giving the Wings their fifth straight win. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored to extend his goal streak to four games. Thomas Chabot and Brady Tkachuk replied for the Senators, who’ve dropped five of their last six contests (1-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win gives the Senators 41 points, putting them one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. The Red Wings are right behind them with 40 points. Wings goaltender Alex Lyon left this contest following the first period with an upper-body injury. Senators defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker missed this game with a high-ankle sprain and is expected to miss some time.

The Edmonton Oilers blanked the Boston Bruins 4-0. Adam Henrique tallied two goals, Connor McDavid scored to end a two-game point drought, and Stuart Skinner made 26 saves as the Oilers picked up their fourth straight win. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 35 shots for the Bruins as their losing skid reached five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner was not awarded the shutout as he briefly left in the first period for concussion protocol following a collision with Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov. He returned to finish the game.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point scored with 52 seconds remaining in the third period to lift his club to a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, snapping a four-game losing skid. Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 30 shots as the Lightning hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 44 points.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (42 points) hold the final Eastern wild-card spot as they nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored in the shootout and Dmitry Voronkov tallied twice in regulation for the Blue Jackets, who’ve won three of their last four games. Rickard Rakell scored twice and Sidney Crosby picked up two assists as the Penguins sit just behind the Blue Jackets in the standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both clubs have 42 points but the Jackets hold a game in hand and have 18 wins while the Penguins have 17. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin missed this game with an upper-body injury. Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan left in the third period with an upper-body injury.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone had a goal and an assist as his club doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2 for their ninth win in their last 10 games. Tomas Hertl scored against his former club and Shea Theodore had two assists as the Golden Knights lead the league with 59 points. William Eklund and Timothy Liljegren replied for the Sharks as their two-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forward Nico Sturm missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Minnesota Wild overcame a 4-2 deficit for a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues, extending their win streak to four games. Jake Middleton had a goal and an assist in his first game back from an upper-body injury while Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 15 shots for the win after Filip Gustavsson gave up four goals on 18 shots. Dylan Holloway and Justin Faulk each had two assists for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild defenseman Brock Faber left this game with an upper-body injury in the first period. There was no postgame update on his condition.

Calgary Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau’s overtime goal gave his club a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves for the Flames (45 points), who sit right behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western wild-card berth. Alex Killorn and Mason McTavish scored for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks also have 45 points but hold that wild card with a game in hand. Flames center Conor Zary left the game in the second period following a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson, who received a major penalty and a game misconduct.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild’s Quarter-Century Team was unveiled on Tuesday.

Forwards Kirill Kaprizov, Marian Gaborik and Mikko Koivu, defensemen Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon, and goaltender Nicklas Backstrom comprised the First Team. Forwards Joel Eriksson Ek, Zach Parise, and Andrew Brunette, blueliners Nick Schultz and Ryan Suter, and goalie Devan Dubnyk formed the Second Team.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Islanders placed forward Simon Holmstrom on injured reserve.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Seattle Kraken activated goaltender Joey Daccord off injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2025

by | Jan 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2025

Five-point performances by Leafs forwards Matthew Knies and Mitch Marner, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continues gaining ground on the goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Matthews Knies and Mitch Marner each had five-point performances in a 6-4 victory over the Boston Bruins. Knies scored his first NHL hat trick and added two assists while Marner had a goal and four assists. Leafs captain Auston Matthews had a three-point night after missing six games with an upper-body injury. David Pastrnak tallied twice for the Bruins as they lost their third straight game.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews and Marner comprise part of the Leafs’ Quarter-Century Team, joining teammate Morgan Rielly, former captain Mats Sundin, defenseman Tomas Kaberle, and goaltender Ed Belfour on the First Team.

Current Leafs William Nylander and John Tavares joined goaltender Curtis Joseph, forward Phil Kessel, and blueliners Bryan McCabe and Dion Phaneuf as part of the Second Team.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 872nd NHL regular-season goal and collected an assist as his club defeated the New York Rangers 7-4. Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists as the Capitals (55 points) held a three-point lead over the Leafs for first place in the Eastern Conference. Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored his 13th goal as his club has lost five of its last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin’s been on a tear since returning from a broken left fibula on Dec. 28, collecting four goals and five points in five games. He’s within 23 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

The Edmonton Oilers doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to 14 games with a goal and an assist and Viktor Arvidsson had two helpers as the Oilers have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 contests. Chandler Stephenson and Jaden Schwartz replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl leads all NHL scorers with 29 goals this season. He’s poised to reach the 30-goal plateau for the seventh straight year. Kraken defenseman (and former Oiler) Adam Larsson left this game following the second period with an undisclosed injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi collected a career-high four assists in a 4-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Filip Gustavsson had a 21-save shutout while Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello each had three points as the Wild have won five of their last six contests. The Hurricanes have lost four of their last six (2-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s improved play silenced the trade rumors about the 23-year-old Wild center earlier this season. He’s sitting second among their scorers with 37 points in 40 games.

The Nashville Predators got a hat trick from Ryan O’Reilly to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Filip Forsberg and Fedor Svechkov collected two points each and Justus Annunen turned aside 31 shots for the Predators as they picked up their second straight victory. Mikael Backlund replied for the Flames as they dropped three of their last four games.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone scored to collect his 600th regular-season point in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist against his former team as the Golden Knights overtook the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings with 57 points. Jason Zucker scored for the Sabres as they go 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

Speaking of the Jets, they were upset by the Detroit Red Wings 4-2. Lucas Raymond had a goal and two assists while Dylan Larkin scored twice for the Wings as they picked up their fourth straight win. Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets as they’re winless in their last three (0-2-1).

The San Jose Sharks upset the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Cody Ceci scored the winning goal with 25 seconds remaining in the third period. Nikolai Kovalenko and Macklin Celebrini also scored for the Sharks as they picked up their second straight win. Nico Hischier and Paul Cotter scored for the Devils as their losing skid reached four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks activated William Eklund off injured reserve for this game and placed defenseman Jake Walman on IR. Meanwhile, the Devils placed defenseman Nick DeSimone on waivers.

Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe’s third-period goal gave his club a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mikey Anderson also scored and Darcy Kuemper kicked out 34 shots as the Kings extended their winning streak to four games. Victor Hedman had the Lightning’s only goal as they’ve dropped three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings got a boost for this game as forwards Trevor Moore and Trevor Lewis came off injured reserve.

Shootout goals by Cole Caufield and Kirby Dach lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Caufield also scored the tying goal in regulation and rookie goalie Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots for his second straight win in as many games. Mikko Rantanen scored for the Avalanche as their six-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal forward Patrik Laine (illness) and defenseman David Savard (upper-body injury) missed their second straight game. The Canadiens (39 points) have won seven of their last 10 games and sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Utah Hockey Club 3-2 on an overtime goal by Thomas Harley. Joel Oettinger made 33 saves while Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston each picked up two assists for their club’s fourth straight victory. Matias Maccelli tallied both goals for Utah as they’d lost six of their last seven games (1-4-2).

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov tallied two goals while Sean Monahan and Ivan Provorov had three assists each in a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. With the win, the Blue Jackets are one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jordan Kyrou scored a goal and two assists for the Blues, who sat two points out of the final Western wild-card position.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2025

by | Jan 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2025

Recaps of Thursday’s action and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 on an overtime goal by Devon Toews, who finished with three points. Nathan MacKinnon collected three assists, including setting up Jonathan Drouin for the tying goal with eight seconds remaining in the third period. Sabres winger Jason Zucker scored a hat trick and added an assist while Tage Thompson had three helpers.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league with 64 points and is the first player this season to reach the 50-assist plateau. The Avalanche have won six straight games.

Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood suffered a lower-body injury in the third period following a collision with Sabres forward Zach Benson, who scored to make it 4-2. Avs head coach Jared Bednar was visibly angry with the officials for not whistling the play dead when it was apparent Wedgewood was hurt before Benson scored. Mackenzie Blackwood replaced Wedgewood for the rest of the game.

The Avalanche also played without winger Valeri Nichushkin. He’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry scored his second goal in overtime as his club upset the Winnipeg Jets 4-3. Terry finished with three points and Radko Gudas had a goal and an assist as the Ducks picked up their third straight victory. Mark Scheifele tallied his 23rd goal of the season while Alex Iafallo had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 56 points.

The Vegas Golden Knights picked up their seventh win in their last eight games with a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Mark Stone, Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin each collected two points for the Golden Knights as they sit one point behind the Jets in the overall standings. Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights placed winger Ivan Barbashev on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 17.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 871st regular-season goal but his club fell 4-3 to the Minnesota Wild. Matt Boldy scored the winner in a shootout and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 28 shots as the Wild have won four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is 24 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 regular-season goals. His Capitals picked up a point and hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 53 points. Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered by a slew-foot from Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux, who received a three-game suspension for his actions.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1. Jaccob Slavin snapped a 1-1 tie and Martin Necas added an empty-netter to seal the win. Anton Lundell scored for the Panthers, who got a 37-save performance from goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. They’ve lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Tyson Jost missed this game as he was sent back to Raleigh for treatment for an injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz tallied twice in a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist while goalie Jake Oettinger faced only 13 shots as the Stars picked up their third straight win. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist as his club has dropped three of their last four contests and cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 40 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators welcomed back defenseman Artem Zub as he returned to action after missing 16 games with a broken foot.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann scored twice as his club nipped the New York Islanders 2-1. McMann got the tiebreaker with 2:59 remaining in the third period while Joseph Woll stopped 32 shots as the Leafs lead the Atlantic Division with 50 points. Scott Mayfield scored for the Islanders as they’ve lost four of their last five games.

The Vancouver Canucks regained the final Western Conference wild-card spot (44 points) with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Seattle Kraken. J.T. Miller scored the winning goal for the Canucks while Kevin Lankinen replaced Thatcher Demko after the latter left the game with back spasms in the second period. Matty Beniers and Vince Dunn each collected two points, including goals as the Kraken overcame a 3-1 deficit to tie the game in the third period.

Utah Hockey Club forward Lawson Crouse netted two goals in a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames, who slipped one point behind the Canucks in the Western wild-card race. Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist for the Flames. The win was Utah’s first in five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah forward Matias Maccelli missed this game due to illness.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick kicked out 32 shots for his 399th career NHL win to backstop his club over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Mika Zibanejad and Brett Berard scored for the Rangers as they snapped a four-game losing skid. Elias Lindholm scored for the Bruins, who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

The San Jose Sharks upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1. Yaroslav Askarov turned aside 24 shots for the win while Tyler Toffoli and Mario Ferraro scored for the Sharks as they snapped an eight-game losing streak. Anthony Cirelli replied for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic made his season debut after being sidelined with an upper-back injury since training camp.

Detroit Red Wings forward Jonathan Berggren scored with 36 seconds remaining in the third period in a 5-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and two assists while Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane scored a goal and an assist each for the Wings, who’ve won three straight. James van Riemsdyk and Zach Werenski each collected three points for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets Quarter-Century Team was unveiled yesterday.

Werenski, Seth Jones, Rick Nash, Artemi Panarin, Cam Atkinson and Sergei Bobrovsky were named to the First Team. Johnny Gaudreau, Boone Jenner, Nick Foligno, David Savard, Fedor Tyutin and Steve Mason made up the Second Team.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2025

by | Jan 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2025

The Blues defeat the Blackhawks in the Winter Classic, both clubs reveal their quarter-century teams, the Rangers get bad news about Igor Shesterkin and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler scored two goals in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game, leading his club to a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field before a sellout crowd of 40, 933 fans.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler celebrates a goal at the 2025 NHL Winter Classic (NHL.com).

Justin Faulk had a goal and two assists for the Blues (40 points), moving within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the Blackhawks as their losing skid stretched to five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall was among several Blackhawks who apologized to their fans for their poor performance in this game.

No offense to Chicago or the Blackhawks but I hope we don’t see them in any more Winter Classics for a while, or at least until they’re a competitive team again. This was their seventh appearance and the worst thus far.

The Winter Classic has become an afterthought. The league must consider new locations, teams, or formats to reinvigorate their annual New Year’s Eve outdoor game. They should also consider scaling back some of its annual Stadium Series games to focus more on the Winter Classic.

Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid collected two assists and Leon Draisaitl scored in a 4-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. McDavid and Draisaitl extended their points streaks to 12 games while McDavid moved past Mark Messier into third place on the Oilers’ all-time points list with 1,036. Jaxson Stauber stopped 34 shots for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah sent goaltender Connor Ingram to their AHL affiliate in Tucson on a conditioning stint. He’s working his way back from a lower-body injury that has sidelined him for 18 games.

The Washington Capitals remained in first place in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Boston Bruins 3-1. Aliaksei Protas scored two goals and Tom Wilson had two assists for the Capitals (52 points), who sit one point up on the New Jersey Devils. Justin Brazeau scored for the Bruins.

Speaking of the Devils, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Strome tallied the tie-breaker with 3:24 remaining in the third period, finishing the night with two points. Lukas Dostal made 32 saves for the Ducks. Jonas Siegenthaler and Timo Meier were the Devils’ goal scorers as they’ve lost two in a row.

The Montreal Canadiens picked up their third straight victory by upsetting the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Vegas took a 2-0 lead on goals by Zach Whitecloud and Noah Hanifin but the Canadiens stormed back with unanswered goals from Cole Caufield, Emil Heineman and Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights sit second in the Western Conference standings with 53 points. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have won six of their last seven and sit three points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Colorado Avalanche center Casey Mittelstadt scored the winning goal in a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. It was Mittelstadt’s first goal in 19 games. Jonathan Drouin picked up two assists in his return from injury as the Avalanche collected their fifth straight win. Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi scored and Eric Comrie stopped 33 shots for the league-leading Jets (55 points) as their win streak ended at four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Islanders 3-1. Steven Lorentz ended a 23-game scoreless drought with the game-winner while Joseph Woll made 30 saves to give the Leafs the win. Jean-Gabriel Pageau replied for the Islanders, who are 2-5-0 in their last seven contests. Isles forward Simon Holmstrom missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy surprised everyone by pulling goalie Ilya Sorokin with 42.3 seconds while the faceoff was in his own zone. The Isles failed to clear the zone and John Tavares scored an empty-netter to seal the win for Toronto. Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed his fifth straight game as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi tallied twice and collected an assist while goalie Filip Gustavsson kicked out 43 shots in a 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury. Colton Sissons, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predator forward Zachary L’Heureux received a match penalty for slew-footing Wild captain Jared Spurgeon during the second period. Spurgeon crashed heavily into the end boards and left the game with a lower-body injury.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. Jason Robertson led the way with a goal and two assists as the Stars are 6-3-1 in their last 10 and sit in the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 45 points. Jason Zucker and Beck Malenstyn replied for the Sabres as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Matt Dumba returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury. They loaned blueliner Lian Bichsel back to their AHL affiliate.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri snapped a 1-1 tie and Jonathan Huberdeau netted the insurance goal to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. Brock Boeser tallied his 14th goal for the Canucks, who are winless in five of their last six games (1-2-3). The win vaults the Flames (43 points) over the Canucks into the final Western wild-card berth.

Shootout goals by Kent Johnson and Adam Fantelli lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Kirill Marchenko scored two goals, Sean Monahan had three assists and Elvis Merzlikins made 33 saves for the Blue Jackets as they’ve won three of their last four games. Sebastian Aho collected two assists for the Hurricanes, who are 1-2-1 in their last four contests.

Third-period goals by J.T. Compher and Dylan Larkin gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was their second straight victory under new head coach Todd McLellan, who collected his 600th NHL win. Drew O’Connor netted two goals for the Penguins (39 points), who remain one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins activated defenseman Marcus Pettersson (lower body) off injured reserve for this game and placed blueliner Kris Letang (lower body) on IR.

The Philadelphia Flyers blanked the San Jose Sharks 4-0, handing the latter their eighth straight loss. Samuel Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov combined for the shutout when Ersson left the game after the second period with an undisclosed injury. The goal scorers were Nick Seeler, Ryan Poehling, Travis Konecny and Egor Zamula. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 30 shots for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win puts the Flyers two points behind the Senators for that wild-card spot in the East. The Sharks placed forward William Eklund (upper body) on injured reserve.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Blackhawks and Blues revealed their quarter-century teams on Wednesday.

Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith were among the Blackhawks’ First Team selections while Hall-of-Famer Marian Hossa made their Second Team. Hall-of-Fame defenseman Chris Pronger and former Blues Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo highlight those who made the Blues’ First Team with Hall-of-Fame defenseman Al MacInnis among those on their Second Team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the links provided for the full lists. Many were no-brainers but there were a few interesting selections as well.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers placed goaltender Igor Shesterkin on IR with an upper-body injury. The move ensures they’ll be without their starting goaltender for the next three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be the death blow to the free-falling Rangers’ fading playoff hopes if Shesterkin is sidelined for a lengthy period.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 30, 2024

by | Dec 30, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 30, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we review some proposed destinations for recent notable trade candidates.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston recently played “NHL Trade Matchmaker” by predicting where the top trade candidates could end up by the March 7 deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the links above to see their full lists and the reasons behind their proposed deals. I’m singling out the five most notable, offering a brief take on each.

Ivan Provorov, Columbus Blue Jackets: LeBrun has the 27-year-old defenseman going to the Colorado Avalanche while Johnston sees the Tampa Bay Lightning as a landing spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have $3.75 million in trade-deadline cap space while the Lightning have 4.5 million. The Blue Jackets carry $4.725 million of his $6.75 million. Both clubs could want the Blue Jackets to retain salary or take on a salaried player in the deal. They also lack 2025 first-rounders to offer up as trade bait but the Lightning carry two 2025 second-rounders.

Brock Nelson, New York Islanders: Johnston suggests the Minnesota Wild as a good destination for the 34-year-old center. LeBrun mentions the Dallas Stars as his best guess.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson’s cap hit is $6 million. The Wild have almost $2.1 million in projected cap space. The Stars have $1.5 million but they’re expected to place sidelined center Tyler Seguin and his $9.85 million AAV on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) and use the savings to make one or two significant additions. They can more easily afford the remainder of Nelson’s daily cap hit by the March 7 deadline.

John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks: LeBrun thinks the 31-year-old goaltender could head to the Carolina Hurricanes. Johnston proposed the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun and Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos and Elliotte Friedman claimed the Hurricanes had trade discussions with the Ducks about Gibson last summer. LeBrun believes both clubs have “re-engaged” about this topic.

The Hurricanes seem a more likely destination for Gibson and his $6.4 million AAV through 2026-27 than the Oilers. Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal doesn’t see him as an upgrade over the current Oilers tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. Even if the Oilers took him on at half his cap hit, it would put a significant dent into their long-term cap space when they’ve got Evan Bouchard to re-sign next summer and Connor McDavid in 2026.

Taylor Hall, Chicago Blackhawks: Johnston pitched the Avalanche for the 33-year-old left wing. LeBrun suggested the Utah Hockey Club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall carries an AAV of $6 million for this season. Picking up the remainder of it at the deadline will be a tight squeeze for the Avs, though the asking price could be more affordable than what the Blue Jackets could seek for Provorov. Utah can easily fit him within their $24 million projected trade deadline cap space. They also have three second-rounders in 2026 to use as trade bait.

Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers: LeBrun sees the 30-year-old blueliner heading to the Winnipeg Jets. Johnston sees the Stars as his eventual destination.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ristolainen is signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $5.1 million. The Jets can afford to fit him into their $11.7 million AAV for the trade deadline. They also have plenty of cap room to fit him within their payroll beyond this season. The Stars can afford him if they put Seguin on LTIR but keeping him beyond this season could complicate efforts to re-sign Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston next summer.