NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2024

by | Aug 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2024

More details on why the Flyers terminated Ryan Johansen’s contract, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki on how the addition of Patrik Laine should help his club, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman shed more light on why the Philadelphia Flyers terminated Ryan Johansen’s contract last week citing a material breach.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Johansen (NHL Images).

“I don’t like to question injuries, especially since anyone who’s played 905 games (like Johansen) is guaranteed to have legitimate ones. I’m told the key will be everyone navigating how he went from not missing games and practices in Colorado to how he was unable to play for either Philadelphia or AHL Lehigh Valley. The timing is a little weird, which probably has something to do with video of Johansen dancing at his wedding. Again, I wouldn’t try to handicap this, except for saying the NHL and NHLPA hate risking precedent from an arbitrator, so a settlement is always the preference without an air-tight case.”

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey noted Johansen played in 63 games with the Colorado Avalanche last season before getting traded to the Flyers on March 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers reportedly attempted to send Johansen to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley following the trade. He informed them of his injury which prevented that move and kept him sidelined for the rest of the season.

Johansen’s agent vowed to fight his client’s contract termination. He claims the 32-year-old forward has a “severe hockey injury” scheduled for surgery, adding his client worked “in good faith” with the Flyers, its medical staff, and authorized third-party physicians.

THE ATHLETIC: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki believes adding Patrik Laine will improve his team’s roster this season. The Canadiens acquired the 26-year-old winger last week from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“I think we can beat anybody,” said Suzuki last Thursday. “I thought last year we competed against really good teams all the time.” The 25-year-old Canadiens captain believes adding Laine and a healthy Kirby Dach makes their forward unit “look pretty scary.”

Suzuki contacted Laine following the trade, telling the winger he’d be a “great addition.” He added that Laine is excited about joining the Canadiens and ready to go.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A motivated Laine and the return of Dach should bolster the Canadiens offense which relied heavily on the top line of Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky for the bulk of its production last season. If both players stay healthy they’ll provide the Habs with much-needed scoring depth.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Canadiens, a local restaurant chain created a burger honoring Arber Xhekaj called “The Sheriff”, taken from the defenseman’s nickname. Xhekaj appeared in the promotion holding the burger, but the restaurant had to edit the picture to make the blueliner’s huge hands appear smaller so as not to dwarf the product.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: A torn hamstring will sidelined Jaromir Jagr for six weeks, forcing him to miss the start of Rytiri Kladno’s season in the Czech Extraliga. The 52-year-old former NHL star and future Hall-of-Famer owns the club and had hoped to play in every game for them this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jagr’s spent the past seven seasons playing for Kladno since ending his 24-year NHL career midway through the 2017-18 season.

TSN: The American Hockey League last week announced it has mandated cut-resistant gear for all its players and on-ice officials.

The decision was made after former AHL and NHL player Adam Johnson died when his throat was cut by a skate during a game in England’s Elite Ice Hockey League.

The Canadian Hockey League instituted a similar policy last November. USA Hockey implemented a policy that dictates all players 18 years and younger to wear neck protection in all games and practices.

The NHL does not yet have a similar policy but numerous players started wearing neck guards following the incident.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 31, 2024

by | Jul 31, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 31, 2024

Eric Staal retires as a Hurricane, the Rangers avoid arbitration with Ryan Lindgren, the Canadiens re-sign two defensemen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: The Carolina Hurricanes announced Tuesday that Eric Staal signed a one-day contract to retire with the team that drafted him second overall in the 2003 NHL Draft. They will also retire his No. 12 later thishttps://www.tsn.ca/nhl/carolina-hurricanes-to-retire-eric-staal-s-no-12-1.2155886 season.

Former Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal (NHL.com).

Staal spent 12 of his 18 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes, sitting second among their franchise leaders with 332 goals and 453 assists for 775 points, and third in games played with 909. He led all playoff scorers in 2006 with 28 points in 25 games during the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run.

Traded to the New York Rangers in 2016, Staal also played for the Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers. From 2003-04 to 2022-23, he scored 455 goals and 608 assists for 1,063 points in 1,365 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staal is the Hurricanes’ all-time leading scorer since the franchise relocated from Hartford. He appeared in six All-Star Games and was a Second Team All-Star in 2005-06. His most productive seasons were with the Hurricanes from 2005-06 to 2011-12 where he enjoyed seven straight 70-plus point seasons, including a career-high 100 points in ’05-’06. He also won a Gold Medal as a member of Canada’s 2010 Men’s Olympic hockey team.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers avoided salary arbitration with Ryan Lindgren, signing the 26-year-old defenseman to a one-year, $4.5 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindgren plays the shutdown role alongside Adam Fox on their top defense pairing. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He and the Rangers can begin contract extension talks in January but that could depend on his performance and the club’s by that point.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens signed restricted free-agent defensemen Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron to two-year contracts. Xhekaj’s is worth $2.6 million ($1.3 million average annual value) and Barron’s is $2.3 million ($1.15 million AAV).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Xhekaj, 23, thrilled Canadiens fans with his physical style and offensive contributions from the blueline. However, he’s also undergone surgeries on both shoulders over the past two seasons. Xhekaj said he won’t change his style but intends to play smarter and take fewer penalties.

The 22-year-old Barron split the past two seasons between the Canadiens and their AHL affiliate in Laval. He’s a puck-moving blueliner who has struggled to find consistency at the NHL level but is still young enough to develop his game.

TSN: The New Jersey Devils signed goaltender Nico Daws to a two-year, $1.6 million contract with an AAV of $812,500 at the NHL level. The first season is a two-way deal and the second year is one-way.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daws, 23, showed some promise as a call-up behind a porous Devils defense corps last season. He’ll be their third-string netminder behind Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen this season but could become Markstrom’s backup during the second year of his contract.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed goaltender Dustin Wolf to a two-year, $1.7 million contract with an AAV of $850K at the NHL level. It’s a two-way deal for 2024-25 and one-way for 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wolf is expected to challenge for the starter’s job with the rebuilding Flames this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

by | Apr 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

Alex Ovechkin sets a scoring record, Auston Matthews reaches another goal milestone, hat trick performances by Nathan MacKinnon, Steven Stamkos and Juraj Slafkovsky, and the Predators clinch a playoff berth. The details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin set an NHL scoring record in a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to reach the 30-goal plateau 18 times. The Capitals improved to 37-30-11 and regained the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Patrick Kane scored his 20th of the season for the Red Wings, who slipped to 38-32-8 to sit one point back of the Capitals.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin had a slow start to this season with just nine goals in 44 games before the All-Star Break. He’s had 21 goals in his last 31 games. Red Wings forward Andrew Copp suffered a broken cheekbone after being struck by a high stick by Capitals winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel. No penalty was called on the play.

Auston Matthews is the only active NHL player to score 66 goals in a season as his Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice and collected an assist for the Leafs (46-23-9) as they sit ninth in the overall standings with 101 points. Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (37-37-5) as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is also the first player in the salary-cap era to exceed 65 goals. With four games remaining in the regular season, he has time to become the first player in 31 years to reach 70 goals. Meanwhile, Devils star Jack Hughes missed this game and will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. It’s been that kind of season for the Devils as they struggled through a disappointing follow-up to last season’s promising performance.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied a hat trick to reach the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Cale Makar and Jonathan Drouin each had three points for the 49-24-6 Avalanche as they sit sixth overall with 104 points. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the 37-32-9 Wild, who were officially eliminated from the playoff race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 137 points, MacKinnon sits two back of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. With 51 goals, he’s the fourth player to reach 50 this season.

Speaking of hat tricks, Steven Stamkos scored three goals to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Kucherov picked up three assists to lead the scoring race with 139 points for the Lightning (44-27-7), who hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 95 points. Kirill Marchenko scored both goals for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 39 goals, Stamkos is poised to reach the 40-goal plateau for the seventh time. The Lightning extended their points streak to six games and are 11-2-1 in their last 14 contests.

Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky potted his first career NHL hat trick in a 9-3 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak each scored two goals for the Canadiens. Owen Tippett and Erik Johnson collected two points each for the Flyers, who slipped to 36-32-11 (83 points) and sit two points out of the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canadiens announced defenseman Arber Xhekaj will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder. He had similar surgery last season on his right shoulder. Meanwhile, the Flyers are winless in their last eight games (0-6-2), leaving head coach John Tortorella somberly observing his club has reached “rock bottom.” They overachieved for most of this season but are running out of gas as the schedule winds down.

The Nashville Predators dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets but picked up a point to clinch a playoff berth. Kyle Connor scored the game-winner and Connor Hellebucyk kicked out 45 shots for the Jets (48-24-6), as they sit in eighth place in the overall standings with 102 points. Predators captain Roman Josi collected assists on goals by Spencer Stastney and Ryan O’Reilly as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force the extra frame. With a record of 45-29-5, the Predators hold the first Western Conference wildcard with 95 points.

A three-goal first period powered the New York Islanders to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson picked up two points each and Semyon Varlamov made 32 saves for the 36-27-15 Islanders, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 87 points. Chris Kreider had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (53-22-4) as they hold first place in the overall standings with 110 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette was furious following the game over a pair of what he deemed “vicious hits” on forwards Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck. The hit on Zibanejad appeared to be accidental but the one on Trocheck was deliberately hit from behind by Dobson. Both players escaped injury but Zibanejad was shaken up after the collision with Adam Pelech.

The Dallas Stars moved to within one point of the league-leading Rangers by nipping the Buffalo Sabres 3-2, eliminating the latter from postseason contention. Jake Oettinger made 19 saves for his eighth straight win while Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Joe Pavelski scored for the 50-20-9 Stars. Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch replied for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres set the NHL record for the longest playoff drought. Buffalo is a great hockey town but their fans continue to be disappointed by years of mismanagement and bad coaching.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov tallied a lacrosse-style goal and collected an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Teuvo Teravainen, Jake Guentzel and Seth Jarvis also scored for the 50-22-7 Hurricanes (107 points), who moved ahead of the Bruins into third place in the overall standings. Charlie McAvoy replied for the 46-18-15 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the third straight season the Hurricanes have reached the 50-win mark.

The Florida Panthers blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0. Anthony Stolarz made 25 saves for the shutout. Anton Lundell and Nick Cousins were the goal scorers as the Panthers improved to 49-24-6 and sit seventh overall with 104 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators will finish the schedule on a high note in terms of attendance. Despite another disappointing season, they enjoyed the fourth-highest change in attendance (5.9 percent). They’ve played to 95 percent capacity, averaging 17,536.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 36 shots in a 3-1 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Frank Vatrano, Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras were the goal scorers. Akil Thomas netted the only goal for the 41-26-11 Kings (93 points) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division.

The Seattle Kraken blanked the Arizona Coyotes 5-0. Philipp Grubauer made 39 saves while Matty Beniers and Oliver Bjorkstrand each picked up two assists. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes announced defenseman Travis Dermott will miss the remainder of the season with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Andrei Kuzmenko gave the Calgary Flames a 3-2 decision over the San Jose Sharks. Kuzmenko and Nazem Kadri each had two points for the Flames. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 37 shots for the Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The club recalled forward Dylan Holloway as McDavid will decide if he’ll play on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. His injury is not the same one that forced him to miss two games earlier this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is one assist away from becoming the fourth player in NHL history to reach that plateau. Nevertheless, the priority for the Oilers is to ensure their captain is healthy for the upcoming playoffs. They have six games left in the regular season.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Justin Faulk could miss the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2024

by | Jan 24, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2024

Jakob Chychrun denies that he wants out of Ottawa plus the latest speculation on the Oilers’ Philip Broberg, the Kings’ Arthur Kaliyev and the Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj in the NHL Rumor Mill.

CHYCHRUN SAYS HE DOESN’T WANT TO BE TRADED

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes reports Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun dismissed the recent trade rumors about him as “ridiculous,” saying he doesn’t believe it’s based on anything.

Chychrun was acquired last season from the Arizona Coyotes and there’s talk the Senators could shop him before the March 8 trade deadline. He understands there’s a possibility he could be moved given the club’s position in the standings and management’s need to shake things up.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

Nevertheless, he denied speculation that he wanted out of Ottawa. “I’m loving every moment here,” he said, noting the family ties he has to the city and the region. “I feel at home here. I bought a house and it’s five minutes from my sister and 10 minutes from my grandpa.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli speculates Chychrun could be a trade candidate based on the Senators having two left-side defensemen Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson under long-term contracts worth $8 million annually. Chychrun, meanwhile, has one year remaining on his deal.

Seravalli doubts the Senators will invest a total of $24 million on just the left side of their blueline. Management needs to determine which players are part of their core going forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Senators move Chychrun it’ll be because of the reasons listed by Seravalli. If it’s up to the defenseman he’d like to stay on a long-term contract but that’s not going to happen unless they move out Chabot or Sanderson and that’s not happening.

Bear in mind that the Senators aren’t under pressure to move Chychrun before the March trade deadline. Given his current contract, they can wait until the offseason if they don’t find any suitable offers now.

LATEST ON BROBERG AND KALIYEV

TSN: Darren Dreger is keeping an eye on Edmonton Oilers defenseman Philip Broberg and Los Angeles Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev.

Broberg was assigned to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield in early December, where he’s been playing well. Dreger said that teams continue to call Edmonton general manager Ken Holland about the 22-year-old blueliner.

Kaliyev, meanwhile, has been a healthy scratch from several games with the Kings. That’s drawn some attention around the league. Dreger said the Kings aren’t ready to move the 22-year-old winger just yet but something has to change.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers could listen to offers for Broberg but I think they’d prefer to hang onto him. There’s not as much urgency right now for them to address roster issues given their recent signing of Corey Perry as well as their rise up the standings thanks to their 14-game win streak.

Dreger noted the Kings are waiting for Viktor Arvidsson’s return from injury next month to provide a boost to their offense. Maybe that’s what they’re waiting for regarding Kaliyev’s status. Perhaps they also need to sort out the club’s direction under head coach Todd McLellan before making any roster changes.

MORE SPECULATION ABOUT XHEKAJ

TVA SPORTS: Jean-Charles Lajoie noted the return of fan-favorite Arber Xhekaj to the Montreal Canadiens lineup after he spent several weeks with their AHL affiliate in Laval.

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes recently said he has no plans to trade Xhekaj or employ him as a fourth-line winger. However, Lajoie isn’t convinced that the big blueliner remains part of management’s long-term plans for the club.

Lajoie wouldn’t be surprised if Xhekaj was involved in a trade between now and the NHL Draft in June. He pointed out that Hughes moved another popular defenseman at the 2022 draft by shipping out Alexander Romanov in a three-team deal that fetched center Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the Canadiens’ depth in promising young defensemen it’s expected that Hughes could bundle one of them in a trade to bring in some established offensive help. Moving Xhekaj in a package deal would be an unpopular move among the Habs faithful unless the return is a scoring star.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 23, 2024

by | Jan 23, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 23, 2024

Could the Sabres trade Casey Mittelstadt? What’s the latest on the Predators? Are the Flyers interested in Arber Xhekaj? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

IS MITTELSTADT THE ODD MAN OUT IN BUFFALO?

ESPN: Kevin Weekes recently looked at several players who could become available by the March 8 trade deadline. One of them was Casey Mittelstadt, who could become the odd man out among the Buffalo Sabres’ young forwards.

Weekes praised Mittelstadt’s performance in filling in for sidelined winger Jeff Skinner. However, they’ve yet to sign him to a long-term extension as they’ve done with their other young players. He said Mittelstadt is drawing a lot of attention.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski reports Mittelstadt was surprised to hear his name mentioned on NHL Network as a trade candidate. Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has not approached the 25-year-old forward or his agent yet about a contract extension.

Buffalo Sabres forward Casey Mittelstadt (NHL Images).

Mittelstadt has consistently been the Sabres’ most consistent player. He’s a versatile two-way player who can skate at center or on the wing among their top-six forwards.

Lysowski believes it could cost the Sabres $5.87 million annually (or 6.7 percent of their salary cap) on a five-year deal to sign Mittelstadt. They lack a proven internal replacement if they choose not to re-sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Contenders seeking a player with Mittelstadt’s skills could be inquiring about his availability. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who’s also a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility in 2025.

I doubt that Adams is shopping Mittelstadt and likely intends on signing him this summer. He could be tempted by a significant trade offer but I don’t think he’ll get one leading up to the trade deadline. That sort of thing seems more likely in the offseason depending on how contract discussions go following this season.

LATEST ON THE PREDATORS

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Michael Gallagher recently provided updates on several Predators who have reportedly become trade targets.

He noted that some observers still believe there’s an outside chance the Predators could move Juuse Saros despite general manager Barry Trotz’s stated intent to re-sign him. The Predators’ asking price could be outrageous but Gallagher believes that’s the point. He thinks Trotz has set the bar ridiculously high that no reasonable GM would agree to pay it.

One Predators goalie who could be available is backup Kevin Lankinen. Gallagher believes several teams could be interested in him. If they do move Lankinen, it could be closer to the March 8 trade deadline to allow promising Yaroslav Askarov more playing time with their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee before calling him up as Lankinen’s replacement.

Defenseman Tyson Barrie has been sidelined for nearly a month with an upper-body injury. That’s affected his trade value, which wasn’t that high to begin with. Most teams with an interest in Barrie lack the cap space to acquire him right now. He’s still expected to be moved by the March 8 trade deadline but this could drag on for a few weeks.

Earlier this season it was believed the Predators could move one or both of Alexandre Carrier and Dante Fabbro. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reported they could now be inclined to retain both players. Fabbro’s been playing recently on their top defense pairing with Roman Josi.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators could be unwilling to shake things up too much while they’re jockeying for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. I don’t see Saros, Carrier or Fabbro getting shopped. Barrie will likely be a trade deadline move.

CANADIENS GETTING CALLS ABOUT XHEKAJ

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the Canadiens may have received some calls about defenseman Arber Xhekaj. However, the Habs aren’t moving the 22-year-old blueliner, who was recently recalled from their AHL affiliate in Laval.

Friedman said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Philadelphia Flyers were among the teams expressing interest in Xhekaj.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens GM Kent Hughes recently said that Xhekaj was spending time in Laval to work on his defensive game. He also stated that he wanted the big blueliner to be part of their long-range plans.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2024

by | Jan 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2024

The Canucks and Bruins extend their leads in their respective conference, the Oilers announced the signing of Corey Perry, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The league-leading Vancouver Canucks picked up their eighth win in their last nine games with a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Thatcher Demko made 31 saves for his fifth shutout of the season while Pius Suter and Quinn Hughes were the goal scorers for the Canucks (32-11-4) as they sit atop the Western Conference with 68 points. Petr Mrazek stopped 27 shots for the 14-31-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno returned to action after being sidelined since Jan. 5 by a fractured finger. Chicago head coach Luke Richardson told reporters that there hasn’t been a change in the 6-8 week recovery period for rookie Connor Bedard (fractured jaw), who’s been sidelined since undergoing surgery on Jan. 8. Meanwhile, the Canucks announced defenseman Carson Soucy will be sidelined for five to six weeks with an injured hand.

Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle had a goal and an assist while Jeremy Swayman turned aside 20 shots to down the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. The Bruins extended their win streak to five games and are 6-0-3 in their last nine contests. With a record of 29-8-9, they’re first in the Eastern Conference and one point back of the Canucks in the overall standings. Vladislav Namestnikov scored for the Jets (30-11-4) as they sit second in the Western Conference with 64 points.

New Jersey Devils winger Tyler Toffoli (NHL Images).

New Jersey Devils forward Tyler Toffoli completed a hat trick in overtime to lift his club to a 6-5 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Curtis Lazar tallied twice for the 24-18-3 Devils (51 points), who moved within two points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and collected an assist for the Golden Knights (27-14-6) as they overcame a 3-1 deficit and at one point led 5-3. With 60 points, they’re second in the Pacific Division.

The Florida Panthers snapped a four-game losing skid by defeating the Nashville Predators 4-1. Sam Reinhart tallied his 34th goal of the season while Sam Bennett collected three assists for the Panthers (28-14-4) as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 60 points. Juuse Saros stopped 34 shots for the 25-21-1 Predators, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury while defenseman Gustav Forsling missed this match for family reasons.

Arizona Coyotes winger Jason Zucker had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Connor Ingram made 25 saves for the 23-19-3 Coyotes (49 points) as they moved to within two points of the Predators. Lars Eller and Sidney Crosby replied for the 21-17-6 Penguins (48 points) as they remain five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Down 3-2 in the third period, the Penguins pulled their goalie for an extra attacker on a delayed penalty. Kris Letang dropped a pass to teammate Evgeni Malkin but the latter inadvertently redirected the puck into his own net. As for the Coyotes, defenseman Matt Dumba left the game with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, they announced that blueliner Troy Stecher will be out for four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Fabian Zetterlund lifted the San Jose Sharks over the Los Angeles Kings 4-3. Zetterlund also scored in regulation while Kaapo Kahkonen kicked out 44 shots for the 12-31-4 Sharks. Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala each had two points for the 22-13-9 Kings (53 points), who hold the first Western wild-card spot but have just two wins in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro left this game in the second period after taking a spill into the boards. There was no update regarding his status following this match.

HEADLINES

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers yesterday officially announced they signed Corey Perry to a one-year, prorated contract. The deal carries a base salary of $775K with performance bonuses totaling $325K. To make room for Perry, the Oilers placed forward Adam Erne on waivers to send him to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perry practiced with the Oilers for the first time yesterday. He’s expected to make his debut in their lineup on Saturday against the Predators.

During his introductory press conference, Perry said he took full responsibility for the incident that led to his contract termination by the Chicago Blackhawks in November. He also said that he received help from counselors regarding mental health and other issues, thanking them along with his family and friends for their support.

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 21.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck and Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor have been added to the 2024 NHL All-Star roster. They replace Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, who are sidelined by injuries.

NEW YORK POST: Sidelined Rangers forward Filip Chytil is returning to New York after spending the last three weeks in his native Czechia recovering from a suspected concussion. There is no timetable for when he’ll return to the lineup or resume practicing with his teammates.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Islanders removed goaltender Semyon Varlamov from injured reserve. He has been sidelined for nearly three weeks with a lower-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins was fined $2,864.58 for cross-checking Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev on Sunday.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens recalled defenseman Arber Xhekaj from their AHL affiliate in Laval, loaned blueliner Justin Barron to Laval and placed center Mitchell Stephens on waivers.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers have sent rookie forward Bobby Brink to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. He’d been a healthy scratch in four of the Flyers’ last six games and saw his ice time reduced in his last five contests.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron shot down another rumor suggesting he was training for a possible comeback in February. “No, it’s not happening,”, he said. “I’m not making a comeback, not trying to make a comeback.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This rumor started because Bergeron has been skating in the Boston area in a weekly gathering of friends and former NHL players. As he said back in August, he’s at peace with his decision to retire and is getting on with his life.

Perhaps one day Bergeron will return to the NHL in management, coaching or scouting. His playing days, however, are over. He’s 38 and has nothing left to prove or gain following a 19-year career as one of the greatest players in Bruins history, retiring while still at the top of his game.