NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2024

by | Nov 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2024

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck reaches a career milestone, the Panthers, Hurricanes and Wild each reach the 20-point plateau, the Sabres upset the Rangers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves for his second straight shutout (and the 40th of his NHL career) as his club held on to blank the Colorado Avalanche 1-0. Gabriel Vilardi scored the only goal at 1:06 of the first period for the Jets, who extended their league-leading record to 13-1-0 (26 points). Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev stopped 27 shots.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck became the sixth US-born goaltender to record 40 career shutouts, joining Jonathan Quick (66 shutouts), Ryan Miller (44), Craig Anderson (43), Frankie Brimsek and John Vanbiesbrouck (40 each).

The shutout snapped the 13-game season-opening points streaks of Avalanche stars Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. Cale Makar suffered an injury against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday but played over 25 minutes in this contest, recording two shots on net.

The Florida Panthers picked up their sixth straight win with a 6-2 victory over the Nashville Predators, handing the latter their fifth loss in their last six games. Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals and collected an assist, Aleksander Barkov picked up three assists and Sam Reinhart extended his goal streak to five games. Steven Stamkos and Juuso Parssinen replied for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers sit atop the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-3-1 (21 points). Predators forward Colton Sissons missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes netminder Pyotr Kochetkov turned aside 35 shots to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1. The Hurricanes picked up their eighth straight victory as Jack Roslovic scored twice and picked up an assist and Jalen Chatfield had three assists. Blake Lizotte scored for the Penguins.

The Buffalo Sabres romped to a 6-1 upset of the New York Rangers. Zach Benson had a goal and an assist and Jack Quinn picked up two assists for the Sabres. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin got the hook early in the second period after giving up five goals on 12 shots.

An overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Boston Bruins over the Calgary Flames 4-3. Bruins forward Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist while Joona Korpisalo made 34 saves for the win. The Flames forced the extra frame by overcoming a two-goal deficit on third-period goals by Yegor Sherangovich and Nazem Kadri.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Anthony Mantha missed this game with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

Dallas Stars forwards Logan Stankoven and Sam Steel each had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Tyler Seguin also scored and Jake Oettinger made 25 saves for the Stars. Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stankoven leads all rookie scorers with 12 points.

The Minnesota Wild got three assists from Kirill Kaprizov to drop the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Matt Boldy tallied twice for the Wild, who sit second in the Western Conference with a record of 9-2-2 (20 points). Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini scored both goals for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Jake Walman missed this game with an upper-body injury. He missed their previous contest for non-hockey reasons.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist as his club doubled up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Canucks winger Brock Boeser left this game midway through the first period following a blindside hit to the head by Kings forward Tanner Jeannot. There was no update on his condition following the game. Quinton Byfield and Vladislav Gavrikov scored for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jeannot received a match penalty for his illegal hit on Boeser. The incident will be reviewed by the league but remains to be seen whether he receives supplemental discipline.

A shootout goal by Owen Tippett lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tipett also scored in regulation while Ivan Fedotov made 23 saves for his first NHL victory. Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning, who played without Brayden Point as he remains sidelined by a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov was a healthy scratch as head coach John Tortorella expressed concerns over Michkov’s play at even strength. The 19-year-old winger is second among NHL rookie scorers with 10 points, seven of which were on the power play. He was held to one assist in his last five games.

The Utah Hockey Club defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-2 as Dylan Guenther scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period. Guenther finished the night with two points. Colton Parayko and Jordan Kyrou tallied for the Blues.

New Jersey Devils forwards Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each collected three points in a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, handing the latter their fifth straight loss (0-4-1). Alex Newhook scored twice for the struggling Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ leading scorers have been shut down lately. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have no points in their last three games while Juraj Slafkovsky was held to an assist in his last four contests. Meanwhile, the Devils reassigned defenseman Simon Nemec to their AHL affiliate in Utica. He’d been a healthy scratch for over two weeks.

The New York Islanders doubled up the Ottawa Senators 4-2. Bo Horvat led the way with a goal and two assists while Semyon Varlamov stopped 28 shots for the win. Nick Jensen and Drake Batherson replied for the Senators, who’ve dropped five of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators forward Tim Stutzle was cut above his right eye after taking a puck to the face in the first period. He left the game but returned at the start of the second period, finishing the game with two assists.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed practice on Thursday as he remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Leafs coach Craig Berube hasn’t ruled out Matthews from their upcoming two games against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday and the Canadiens on Saturday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer is listed as day-to-day after suffering what the club called “an unfortunate accident” at home. He’s expected to return within the next couple of days.

RG.ORG: Former New Jersey Devils forward John Madden remains puzzled as to why former teammate Alexander Mogilny continues to be passed over for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“It was crazy how many key goals he scored for us at the right moments, at the right time, whether it was regular season or playoffs; he just had that knack for burying goals that mattered,” said Madden. He considers Mogilny “one of the best players not to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Madden’s not the only person wondering why the Hall of Fame has continually passed over Mogilny since his first year of eligibility in 2009. A growing number of fans and pundits have openly questioned the Hall’s ongoing snub of one of the most skillful and exciting forwards to play the game.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The NCAA has voted to allow major junior players to maintain college eligibility if they are not signed to a pro contract. This decision allows players in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), which includes the QMJHL, OHL and WHL to transfer to NCAA teams beginning next season.

The move would enable players drafted by NHL teams out of the CHL to play NCAA Division I hockey as their next step in developing their game before signing a professional contract. How it will impact other leagues like the United States Hockey League (USHL) or the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) remains to be seen.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 5, 2024

by | Nov 5, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 5, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, there’s speculation over Kirill Kaprizov’s next contract, the Blue Jackets could be worth monitoring in the trade market, and there’s interest in two Kraken forwards.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman said he felt that Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov’s next contract could place him among the league’s highest-paid players.

Friedman speculated that Kaprizov could be paid “in the Matthews/Draisaitl range”. He added that he felt the Wild star “is going to be one of the top-paid players in the league.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov, 27, is in the fourth year of his five-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2026.

The Wild can attempt to sign Kaprizov to a contract extension next July. On Oct. 2, Wild owner Craig Leipold stated his club intends to re-sign him. “I will tell you nobody will offer more money than us, or longer (years), so all we have to do is prove to him that we want to win.”

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews earns an AAV of $13.25 million. Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl will start making $14 million annually next July when his new eight-year contract extension goes into effect.

The Wild can afford to pay Kaprizov that much on an eight-year contract. He’s their franchise player and the foundation of their efforts to build a Stanley Cup contender.

As Leipold pointed out their intent to win could be the deciding factor. If the Wild show no sign of becoming a contender by 2026, Kaprizov could take his talent elsewhere even if the Wild could pay him more for longer.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli believes the Columbus Blue Jackets are a club worth watching in this season’s trade market.

Seravalli claims Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell has informed teams that he’s willing to take on contracts that might be viewed as undesirable in exchange for assets. They have plenty of cap space to do so this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli also said Waddell has received offers of players with three to five years remaining on their contracts. However, the Blue Jackets GM isn’t interested in taking on those type of deals. He’s probably more keen on those with one or two years remaining.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio cited Seravalli reporting the Seattle Kraken has received calls about forward Brandon Tanev and Yanni Gourde.

Seravalli said the Kraken has too many forwards and must move someone if everyone stays healthy. Tanev and Gourde are checking-line forwards but don’t contribute much offense, something the Kraken needs as their offensive stats are slipping.

Gourde’s ability to play center or wing makes the Kraken reluctant to move him while Tanev could be a different story.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gourde’s versatility and Stanley Cup experience with the Tampa Bay Lightning would make him more enticing for clubs seeking checking-line depth. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if the Kraken are willing to move either forward at this point.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2024

by | Nov 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2024

Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has a record-setting game, the Hurricanes extend their win streak, Alex Ovechkin continues his march toward the all-time goal record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers became the highest-scoring Danish player in league history as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-4. Ehlers had a goal and an assist to pass Frans Nielsen with 474 career regular-season points. Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov also had a goal and an assist each for the league-leading Jets (11-1-0, 22 points). Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Kyle Connor picked up an assist to extend his franchise-record season-opening points streak to 12 games.

The Lightning also lost center Brayden Point as he left the game midway through the first period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Carolina Hurricanes got two goals from Dmitry Orlov in a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, which extended their win streak to six games. Alex Ovechkin scored to extend his goal streak to four games and Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves as the Capitals’ win streak ended at three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has seven goals in 11 games and 860 for his career. He needs 35 to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 35 shots and Artemi Panarin tallied twice to defeat the New York Islanders 5-2. Mika Zibanejad collected three assists as the Rangers (8-2-1) took over first place from the Capitals in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Isles netminder Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves in a losing cause as his club has dropped five of its last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders iced an injury-ravaged lineup with Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech, Alexander Romanov and Mike Reilly sidelined. Meanwhile, there’s growing speculation the Isles are in the trade market for a defenseman. I’ll have more in today’s Rumors update.

The Boston Bruins picked up their second straight shutout by blanking the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves for the win while Justin Brazeau and Charlie Coyle scored the game’s only goals. Joey Daccord turned aside 31 shots for the Kraken as they lost their third straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eyebrows were raised when Bruins winger David Pastrnak was benched for the third period. Head coach Jim Montgomery refused to explain why he parked his leading scorer in the final frame.

The Bruins honored former NESN broadcaster Jack Edwards in a pregame ceremony. Edwards was the play-by-play man for Bruins games on NESN from 2005 until his retirement at the end of last season.

The Edmonton Oilers won the latest game in the Battle of Alberta with a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists and Zach Hyman snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Oilers won their second straight game. Anthony Mantha and Yegor Sherangovich replied for the Flames, who’ve dropped five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Oilers captain Connor McDavid sidelined by an ankle injury, Draisaitl has stepped up to fill the leadership void. He has three goals and six points in his last two games.

An overtime goal by Matt Boldy lifted the Minnesota Wild to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ryan Hartman also scored and Jared Spurgeon collected two assists as the Wild picked up their third straight victory and seventh in the last eight games. William Nylander scored and Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves for the Leafs as they’ve gone 3-4-2 in their last nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov was held off the score sheet, ending his points streak at seven games.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard collected three assists to lead his team over the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 37 shots and Taylor Hall had two helpers for the Blackhawks. Brock McGinn and Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks, who’ve lost five of their last seven.

IN OTHER NEWS…

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers aren’t suffering a Stanley Cup hangover as they’re off to one of the best starts in franchise history. With a 9-3-1 record, they sit atop the Eastern Conference with 19 points.

THE SCORE: The injury-ravaged Colorado Avalanche are getting a much-needed reinforcement to their forward lines as they activated Artturi Lehkonen off injured reserve on Sunday. He’d been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils winger Nathan Bastian will miss several weeks with a jaw injury during a fight with Calgary Flames forward Ryan Lomberg during their game on Friday.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson is expected to only miss a week after suffering a lower-body injury during Saturday’s 2-0 loss to the Bruins.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Adam Gaudette is making the most of his second chance in the NHL. After spending the last two seasons in the AHL, the 28-year-old forward is tied for second with Tim Stutzle among Senators scorers with six goals in 11 games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2024

by | Nov 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2024

A four-point performance for the Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov in Finland, a hat trick for the Jets’ Nikolaj Ehlers, the three stars and rookie of the month for October are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov had a goal and three assists to lead his club over the Dallas Stars 6-4 in the first of two NHL Global Series games between the two clubs in Tampere, Finland.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

Sam Reinhart scored twice and collected an assist and Aaron Ekblad picked up three assists for the Panthers. Esa Lindell had a goal and an assist for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barkov put on a show in his hometown before a sellout crowd of 12,786 fans at Nokia Arena. The second game of the series between the two clubs is Saturday starting at noon EDT.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers tallied a hat trick to lead his club to a 6-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey had a goal and an assist while teammate Kyle Connor collected an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to 11 games. Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins stopped 38 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league-leading Jets are the first team to reach 10 wins this season.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had two goals and an assist to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Wild forward Mats Zuccarello picked up two assists. Victor Hedman had two helpers for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov is the first player to crack this season’s 20-point plateau (21). He also set a franchise record with his seventh straight multi-point game.

The Calgary Flames got a 22-save shutout from Dan Vladar to blank the New Jersey Devils 3-0, snapping a four-game losing skid. Blake Coleman scored two goals and Jonathan Huberdeau netted his fifth of the season. Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom made 29 saves in his first game against his former club since being traded to New Jersey in June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Nathan Bastian left the game in the first period with a jaw injury following a fight with Flames forward Ryan Lomberg.

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin kicked out 40 shots in a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Artemi Panarin scored his seventh of the season and Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Adam Gaudette scored for the Senators, who outshot the Rangers 41-18.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin was the difference-maker in this game as he continues to make the case to become the NHL’s first $12 million per season goaltender.

The New York Islanders ended a three-game losing streak by nipping the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Isles forwards Bo Horvat and Maxim Tsyplakov each had a goal and an assist and Ilya Sorokin turned aside 32 shots for the win. Jason Zucker had a goal and an assist for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders entered this game without forward Mathew Barzal, who returned home after suffering an upper-body injury. Blueliners Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly left this game with upper-body injuries.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, Jets winger Kyle Connor and Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov were the league’s Three Stars for October 2024. Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov was named Rookie of the Month for October.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin skated with the club’s skill coach Toby Petersen and another staff member after the team finished its practice on Friday. Nichushkin can join his teammates in practice once he receives clearance from the league. He’s serving a six-month suspension as part of Phase 3 of the NHL-NHLPA player assistance program and could receive that clearance by mid-November.

THE PROVINCE: Thatcher Demko was on the ice before the Vancouver Canucks’ practice on Friday but continues to make slow progress recovering from a knee injury. Meanwhile, winger Dakota Joseph is close to returning to the lineup after recovering from offseason surgery for testicular cancer.

TSN: Former Ottawa Senators forward Alex Formenton has filed a $20.5 million lawsuit against Newports Sports Management Inc. and his former agent, Wade Arnott, alleging negligence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty. Formenton is among five former NHL players charged with sexual assault related to an alleged incident in London, Ontario, in 2018.

DAILY FACEOFF: NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh announced the formation of the union’s first-ever CTE Advisory Committee.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2024

by | Oct 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2024

Alex Ovechkin continues his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, Penguins fans salute Marc-Andre Fleury in his last game in Pittsburgh, the Red Wings ship Olli Maatta to Utah, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continued to pursue Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, tallying twice in a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Aliaksei Protas has a goal and two assists for the Capitals, who improved their record to 6-2-0. Igor Shesterkin made 41 saves for the Rangers, who were outshot 46-19 by the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery mentioned a little concern in his postgame press conference but didn’t know the extent of the injury.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves as his club beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 in what is likely his final game in Pittsburgh. Frederick Gaudreau scored twice and collected an assist and Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists for the Wild. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had three assists and teammate Rickard Rakell scored two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury began his NHL career in Pittsburgh, playing 13 seasons for the Penguins and helping them win three Stanley Cups. He intends to retire at the end of this season. The fans chanted Fleury’s name following the game as he saluted the crowd to a standing ovation.

Pittsburgh has lost six straight (0-5-1) and sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. They also announced winger Bryan Rust is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks.

The Seattle Kraken thumped the Montreal Canadiens 8-2. Brandon Montour led the way with his first career hat trick and added an assist while Chandler Stephenson had two helpers for the Kraken. Montreal goaltender Sam Montembeault got the hook after giving up five goals on 10 shots. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield sniped his ninth goal, tying New Jersey’s Nico Hischier for the league goal-scoring lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montour and Stephenson came to Seattle as free agents this summer. Their performance against the Canadiens puts them among the Kraken’s leading scorers.

Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle scored two goals and collected two assists as his club crushed the St. Louis Blues 8-1. Brady Tkachuk and Adam Gaudette each scored twice and Linus Ullmark turned aside 26 shots. Blue goalie Joel Hofer was pulled after giving up five goals on 21 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The start of this game was briefly delayed by a power outage at Canadian Tire Centre due to electrical storms in the area. Blues winger Kasperi Kapanen left this game with an upper-body injury in the second period. There was no postgame word regarding his condition. Before the game, the Blues announced forward Alexey Toropchenko agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $1.7 million. 

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson made 23 saves to shut out the Boston Bruins 2-0. Tyler Foerster and Joel Farabee were the goal scorers. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 17 shots for the Bruins (4-5-1) as they slipped into last place in the Atlantic Division.

The San Jose Sharks doubled up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 to pick up their second straight win after starting the season 0-7-2. Jake Walman had a goal and two assists and Vitek Vanecek made 26 saves for Los Tiburones. Akil Thomas and Alex Laferriere replied for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Kevin Fiala was a healthy scratch for missing a team meeting. Meanwhile, the Sharks placed Ty Dellandrea (upper body) on injured reserve. 

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kicked out 40 shots, including 17 in the first period, in a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish each had two points for the Ducks. Mathew Barzal scored for the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

HEADLINES

MLIVE.COM: The Detroit Red Wings traded defenseman Olli Maatta to the Utah Hockey Club in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah needed to add some experienced depth to their injury-battered blueline with Sean Durzi and John Marino out for months recovering from surgeries. The 30-year-old Maatta has averaged over 18 minutes of ice time per game in his 11 NHL seasons and won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers called up forwards Noah Philp and Drake Caggiula from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield as they await word on the severity of Connor McDavid’s leg injury. The Oilers captain was sidelined on Monday after falling awkwardly into the boards during the opening shift against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPORTSNET: The NHL’s department of player safety fined Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin $5,000 for high-sticking Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell.

CALGARY SUN: Flames captain Mikael Backlund is scheduled to play in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game when his club faces Utah HC on Wednesday.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs sent forward Fraser Minten to their AHL affiliate.

RG.ORG: Hockey Hall-of-Famer Sergei Zubov believes Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov and Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov represent the future of Russian Hockey. Zubov praised Michkov’s focus on goal scoring and Demidov’s growth playing alongside veterans like former NHL center Evgeny Kuznetsov.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons ponders the mystery of Alexander Mogilny’s exclusion from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmons isn’t the only person wondering why the HHoF continues to snub Mogilny. The Sun scribe says he’s asked several Hall of Fame voters about it but they’re sworn to secrecy about the selection process.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 28, 2024

by | Oct 28, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 28, 2024

The Maple Leafs and Blackhawks need second-line centers plus the latest on the Wild in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE MAPLE LEAFS TRADE FOR A CENTER?

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel observed the Toronto Maple Leafs lack depth at the center position. Head coach Craig Berube is reluctant to use the 34-year-old John Tavares as the second-line center but his fallback option (Max Domi) isn’t working.

Berube tried William Nylander at center during the preseason. Siegel doesn’t see 20-year-old Fraser Minten as part of the solution when he returns from a high-ankle sprain.

Siegel believes a trade is the only way to address that issue this season. However, a lot of teams need centers, there may be few available, and the Leafs have little trade ammunition.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs could hold things together until the March 7 trade deadline approaches. There should be more trade options by that point. However, it could cost the Leafs a promising prospect or their 2026 first-rounder since they traded away their 2025 pick.

LATEST ON THE BLACKHAWKS

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Brooke LoFurno recently cited The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying the Blackhawks would love to add a second-line center.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

LoFurno indicated that Pagnotta mentioned Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks as a trade target, as he’s been mentioned in rumors since last season. Young centers are a luxury but the Blackhawks have plenty of draft capital to draw on for trade bait.

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson mentioned many times he’d be willing to use draft capital in a trade to address a specific need. LoFurno believes a trade seems likely at some point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LoFurno noted the Blackhawks have 13 picks in the first three rounds of the next three drafts, including two first-rounders in 2025. She thinks Davidson might be willing to part with one of them for the right price.

Zegras was a promising foundation player for the Ducks but his stock has dropped since his injury-shortened 2023-24 campaign. He’s been relegated to the wing this season and has only two points in eight games. The 23-year-old Zegras carries an average annual value of $5.75 million through 2025-26.

Changing teams could help Zegras regain his once-promising offensive form. However, he could be unsuitable for the Blackhawks’ second-line center role.

The same goes for the Leafs.

DO THE WILD NEED A REPLACEMENT FOR SPURGEON?

THE ATHLETIC: A reader recently asked Michael Russo if the Minnesota Wild would place sidelined defenseman Jared Spurgeon on long-term injury reserve. The 34-year-old Wild captain hasn’t played since Oct. 12 because he’s still feeling the effects of last year’s season-ending back and hip surgeries.

Spurgeon doesn’t appear to have suffered a medical setback. The discomfort he felt is believed to be part of the recovery process. They’re allowing him time to let things calm down before he resumes skating.

Russo doesn’t believe the Wild are interested in Toronto’s Timothy Liljegren if they must find a replacement for Spurgeon. Who they pursue will depend on whether GM Bill Guerin believes they’re a right-shot defenseman away from being a legitimate contender.