NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2024

by | Nov 14, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2024

A natural hat trick for the Avalanches’ Mikko Rantanen, a milestone game for Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the latest on Mika Zibanejad, Erik Karlsson and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: A natural hat trick by Mikko Rantanen propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Rantanen also picked up an assist to finish the night with four points while teammate Nathan MacKinnon chipped in three assists as the Avs picked up their third straight win. Adrian Kempe tallied twice for the Kings.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s natural hat trick was the third in franchise history. He has 12 goals, joining four others atop the league’s goal-scoring leaderboard. Meanwhile, Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper left this game in the third period with an apparent lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-3 on an overtime goal by John Tavares. William Nylander and Mitch Marner scored in the third period to send the game into the extra frame. Aliaksei Protas had a goal and an assist for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oliver Ekman-Larsson reached a notable milestone as the Leafs defenseman played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game. Jani Hakanpaa played over 15 minutes in his season debut with the Leafs.

Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery wasn’t pleased with his club’s third-period collapse, calling it “just embarrassing”. Meanwhile, newly-acquired Capital Lars Eller didn’t join the team for this game but is expected to be in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Avalanche.

The Detroit Red Wings blew a 2-0 lead but recovered to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Simon Edvinsson scored in overtime while Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist for the Wings. Bryan Rust and Anthony Beauvillier rallied the Penguins to force the extra period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins honored Evgeni Malkin’s 500th career goal in a pregame ceremony. Malkin reached the milestone against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 16th. He joined Washington’s Alex Ovechkin as the second Russian-born player to reach the 500-goal plateau. Penguins forward Blake Lizotte left this game in the second period after being struck in the face by a puck.

Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka made a career-high 49 saves in a 4-1 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Nick Bjugstad tallied twice and Michael Kesselring had two assists for Utah, who killed off a seven-minute Carolina power-play in the third period. Hurricanes forward Martin Necas scored to extend his points streak to 11 games.

The Vegas Golden Knights held off the Anaheim Ducks for a 3-2 victory. Pavel Dorofeyev scored what proved to be the winning goal and Shea Theodore had two assists for the Golden Knights. Lukas Dostal stopped 36 shots for the Ducks.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad is trying not to get buried in negativity as he attempts to play his way out of his early-season slump. He has 11 points in 14 games but has a plus-minus of minus-6 and has only scored twice.

“I will never be able to fully explain what it is when you’re in this situation,” said Zibanejad. “You have the mantras. You have the sayings to yourself. ‘Forget about the mistakes.’ ‘Just next action.’ ‘Next game, next shift.’ It’s harder than it sounds.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad’s position as one of the Rangers’ best players and among their highest-paid comes with intense pressure to perform well. A slump can take a mental toll the longer it goes on, especially when the player starts putting more pressure on themself to overcome the issue.

DAILY FACEOFF: Sweden’s former national team coach Johan Garpenlov doesn’t believe Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson is good enough to play for the country’s 4 Nations Face-Off team in February. He pointed out that Karlsson’s defensive shortcomings could be an issue for Sweden in the tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson’s poor defensive play has been an issue for the Penguins this season. Nevertheless, he was among the first six players chosen for Team Sweden.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm is expected to miss weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during Boston’s 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big setback for Boston’s blueline. They’re already missing Andrew Peeke, who’s out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. His 20:51 of ice time per game is second among Bruins skaters.

TSN: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Forward Tage Thompson (lower body) and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (undisclosed ailment) are day-to-day.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres reclaimed goaltender James Reimer off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders placed defenseman Mike Reilly (upper body) on injured reserve.

TSN: A trial by jury of five former Canadian World Junior players charged with sexual assault is scheduled for Apr. 22, 2025. It is expected to last eight weeks.

Former NHL players Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged earlier this year in connection with an alleged sexual assault in a London, Ontario hotel room in June 2018.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 8, 2024

by | Jun 8, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – June 8, 2024

The Hurricanes are open to trading Jake Guentzel’s rights, the latest on Martin Necas and an update on the Rangers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HURRICANES OPEN TO TRADING GUENTZEL’S RIGHTS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported Friday that the Carolina Hurricanes are open to trading Jake Guentzel’s contract negotiating rights before free agency begins on July 1.

Friedman thinks the asking price could be “a mid-round pick.” He believes there is “tons of interest,” adding that teams must think they can get the 29-year-old winger signed to a long-term extension before July 1.

The Chicago Blackhawks could be among the interested clubs. Friedman said someone told him they’d like to move their rebuild along.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Nate Brown believes acquiring Guentzel would boost the rebuilding Blackhawks’ anemic scoring. He thinks the contract concern would be over term more than dollars, suggesting a five-year contract wouldn’t be a deal breaker.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks have a projected cap space of $32.3 million for 2024-25 with 15 active roster players under contract. They could easily afford a hefty raise for Guentzel. However, it’s uncertain if he wants to join a rebuilding club. He could prefer skating with a contender.

THE LATEST ON MARTIN NECAS

SPORTSNET: Friedman also provided an update on Martin Necas. He said the Hurricanes are letting people know that they consider the 25-year-old forward a “budding star”, adding that they want “star power” in return. He indicated they’re not seeking a return of middling draft picks and prospects.

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos recently wrote that the Montreal Canadiens were among many clubs calling about Necas. However, he thinks there’s “zero chance” of a trade given the bad blood between the two clubs over the Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer sheet in 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens probably lack the roster assets that the Hurricanes would seek for Necas. I doubt it has anything to do with lingering bad feelings about the Kotkaniemi deal, at least from the Habs point of view.

Everyone directly involved on the Canadiens side is no longer with the club except for team owner Geoff Molson. I don’t see him preventing the current management from dealing with the Hurricanes.

UPDATE ON THE RANGERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports Rangers GM Chris Drury could be ready for a roster shakeup following his club’s elimination from the Eastern Conference Final.

“We’re looking at a lot of different things,” said Drury. “And there’s different ways to get to where we want to go. To me, really, nothing’s off the table.”

Drury didn’t elaborate about his plans but Sears believes he has plenty of options to shake things up. Those could include moving Jacob Trouba, Mika Zibanejad or Chris Kreider after they struggled during the conference final. However, there are stumbling blocks such as their high salaries and no-trade clauses.

If Kreider and Zibanejad return, Drury should focus on finding a permanent right wing for their line. Winger Barclay Goodrow could also be a trade candidate given the Rangers’ need to free up cap space to re-sign defenseman Ryan Lindgren. Goodrow carries a 15-team no-trade clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would be surprising if Zibanejad or Kreider get traded this summer. The same goes for Trouba, whose struggles were largely due to his playing on a broken ankle since March. Goodrow, however, seems a more likely trade candidate despite his modified no-trade clause.

Kaapo Kakko has surfaced in trade rumors following a difficult season. However, Drury defended the young restricted free agent, noting that Alexis Lafreniere was the subject of trade speculation at this time last year but has since enjoyed a breakout performance. He said the club will do everything it can to help Kakko reach his potential.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 5, 2024

by | Jun 5, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – June 5, 2024

The Devils could shop their first-rounder and remain in the market for a goaltender, the latest Martin Necas speculation, plus updates on the Rangers and Ducks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DEVILS WILLING TO PART WITH FIRST-ROUND PICK, STILL SEEK A GOALIE

NHL.COM: Mike G. Morreale reports New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is willing to part with his first-round pick (10th overall) in this year’s draft for the right price. He said he would listen if the offer helped the Devils now and in the foreseeable future.

Fitzgerald also indicated he’s still in the market for a goaltender. However, he also wants to build up his forward lines and defense corps.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports adding a No. 1 goalie tops Fitzgerald’s offseason wish list. The Devils GM admitted there were “a few guys that I’m in on”, but declined to say who they were.

League sources indicate Fitzgerald remains interested in Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames, whom he tried to acquire before the March 8 trade deadline. He’s also looking at Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins.

LeBrun believes Markstrom would waive his no-movement clause for New Jersey but several other teams are also interested in the Flames netminder.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Andrew Fantucchio believes the pieces are in place for a deal between the Bruins and Devils that would send Ullmark to New Jersey. He believes such a trade would make sense for both clubs. The Bruins have no picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft. That could use that 10th overall selection to restock their shallow prospect pool.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fitzgerald would have an easier time landing an experienced starter like Markstrom or Ullmark if he included his first-rounder in his offer. However, he seems to be hoping to use it as a trade chip to address other roster needs.

The Score’s Josh Gold-Smith pointed out Fitzgerald was reportedly interested in Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros. However, LeBrun reported Predators GM Barry Trotz plans to meet with Saros’ agent this week to lay the groundwork for a contract extension.

THE LATEST ON MARTIN NECAS

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Carolina Hurricanes traded Martin Necas by Saturday. He anticipated a flurry of activity this week leading up to the Stanley Cup Final as teams are keen to get their hands on the 25-year-old forward.

Seravalli believes the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Columbus Blue Jackets are at least three of the club interested in Necas.

CHEK TV’s DONNIE & DHALI: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was asked about Necas. He doesn’t believe the preferred choice for the winger and the Hurricanes is to trade him.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images).

Friedman noted the discussions between the Hurricanes and Canucks in January regarding a deal that would’ve sent Elias Pettersson to Carolina with Necas as part of the return going to Vancouver. With Pettersson out of the deal after signing an extension, it would be harder for the Canucks to acquire Necas.

According to Friedman, the Hurricanes’ asking price is big, and would involve the Canucks parting with some of their top prospects. He doesn’t believe offering up restricted free-agent defenseman Filip Hronek would get it done.

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson believes the Flames would be interested in Necas. However, there would be concerns about the Hurricanes’ asking price and the cost of re-signing the restricted free agent to a new contract.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers are among half of the teams in the league believed to have contacted the Hurricanes about Necas.

LeBrun isn’t sure Necas is a fit with the Flyers considering the type of “apple-for-apple type trade” the Hurricanes would want.

Earlier this week, LeBrun’s colleague Kevin Kurz examined whether there was a trade fit between the two teams involving Necas. He believes the cost could be too expensive for the Flyers. Kurz thinks a one-for-one swap involving Flyers winger Travis Konecny would fit within the Hurricanes long-term salary cap structure when they’re trying to re-sign Jake Guentzel. He also pointed out the Hurricanes’ biggest need is a proven No. 1 goalie, which the Flyers also need.

TVA SPORTS: Jean-Charles Lajoie noted the recent conjecture linking the Canadiens to Necas. He believes the Habs would have to offer up defenseman Arber Xhekaj plus either the 26th overall pick received from Winnipeg or their own second-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes have a prized trade asset in Necas that many teams are interested in. The question is, which one is willing to overpay to get him? They’ll be paying for potential, banking on Necas blossoming into a reliable scorer when given a full-time top-six role.

Potential trade partners will want assurances that Necas will sign a contract extension to avoid the arbitration process.

The pundits can’t agree on the Hurricanes’ asking price. Friedman said they’ll want at least one top prospect as part of a big return. LeBrun suggests they could prefer a one-for-one swap. Others believe at least a first or a high second-round pick will have to be packaged with a promising young player.

It’s unlikely the Flyers will part with Konecny. Philly Hockey Now’s Jonathan Bailey cited a source claiming the 27-year-old winger will sign a contract extension this summer.

UPDATE ON THE RANGERS

NEW YORK POST: Earlier this week, Larry Brooks suggested the Rangers have gone as far as they can with their current core, calling for tough decisions regarding Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.

Brooks lauded Trouba’s physicality but noted his lack of discipline in this postseason was striking. He pointed out that the Rangers captain’s no-movement clause reverts to a 15-team no-trade list on July 1. The 30-year-old defenseman could become their third-pairing right-side defenseman behind Adam Fox and Braden Schneider.

Kreider’s NMC also reverts to a 15-team NTC on July 1. He has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million. If the Rangers believe they need a dramatic makeover, Kreider will fetch the biggest return.

Zibanejad’s NMC remains in full effect on a contract with six years remaining at $8.5 million annually. Brooks admits approaching him about a trade wouldn’t be a pleasant conversation and doesn’t know how it would affect the team’s dynamics if Zibanejad rejected a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks is merely making suggestions. This doesn’t appear based on anything that he’s heard.

Trouba has a history of undisciplined play but he brings the most physicality to a team that was lacking in that category. His struggles during this postseason were due mostly to a broken ankle. He’s not going anywhere. Neither are Kreider or Zibanejad.

Brooks believes Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko could use a fresh start with another club after struggling through a disappointing performance this season. However, he doesn’t think they’ll part with him for a second or third-round pick. Kakko could be part of a larger deal if one manifests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A Kakko trade seems more likely to happen than any deal involving Trouba, Kreider or Zibanejad. Including the 23-year-old winger in a trade package seems the best route if the Rangers look to upgrade. On his own, Kakko won’t fetch much of a return at this stage of his career.

THE LATEST DUCKS RUMORS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Anaheim Ducks are listening to offers for forward Trevor Zegras and goaltender John Gibson.

LeBrun indicated that Ducks GM Pat Verbeek would comment on the trade chatter about Zegras. However, other sources believe Verbeek could move him for the right deal. LeBrun believes the Canadiens have revisited their interest in the 22-year-old forward but he isn’t convinced this is a path the Habs will aggressively pursue.

As for Gibson, Verbeek acknowledged a market for goalies this summer. LeBrun believes the Ducks GM will continue to monitor calls for the 31-year-old netminder but would be fine keeping him.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2024

by | May 29, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2024

The Panthers defeat the Rangers to tie the Eastern Conference Final at two games apiece, the latest on the Oilers and Stars, the Blue Jackets formally hire Don Waddell as president and GM, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: Sam Reinhart’s power-play goal in overtime lifted the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers, squaring the Eastern Conference Final at two games apiece.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).

The Rangers opened the scoring in the first period on a goal by Vincent Trocheck. However, Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe scored to give the Panthers the lead in the second period. Alexis Lafreniere tied it for the Rangers in the third period.

This series returns to New York for Game 5 on Thursday, May 30 at 8 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like Game 3, the Panthers controlled the play for most of this contest. They outshot the Rangers 40-23, out-attempted them 88-44, and had more high-danger scoring chances (16-6). They also went two-for-six on the power play while the Rangers were one-for-three.

Blueshirts goaltender Igor Shesterkin stole Game 3 for his club. He nearly did it again in Game 4. Meanwhile, his teammates Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider have yet to pick up any points in this series. Zibanejad’s careless pass to Blake Wheeler led to the latter’s penalty that set the stage for Reinhart’s game-winning goal.

Both clubs made changes to their lineups for this contest. The Panthers replaced forwards Nick Cousins and Ryan Lomberg with Kyle Okposo and Steve Lorentz while Wheeler replaced Filip Chytil for the Rangers.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Roope Hintz’s return to the Stars’ lineup in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final provided a big boost to his teammates. Sidelined by an upper-body injury during their last four playoff games, Hintz collected two assists in their 5-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers to take a 2-1 series lead.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has been struggling during this postseason. His plus-minus is a playoff-worst minus-12. Head coach Kris Knoblauch doesn’t put much stock in plus-minus but he believes Nurse can play better.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers need Nurse at his best if they hope to defeat the Stars and advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Meanwhile, Oilers defenseman Troy Stecher’s postseason is over. He will be undergoing surgery soon for an injured ankle.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets officially named Don Waddell as their new general manager and president of hockey operations. Waddell resigned last Friday as GM of the Carolina Hurricanes. He replaced Jarmo Kekalainen, who was fired by the Blue Jackets in February.

Former Blue Jackets president John Davidson will remain with the club in an advisory role. He served as interim GM following Kekalainen’s firing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets hope Waddell will have the same success as he did with the Hurricanes. He played a key role in turning them into one of the NHL’s best clubs. During his tenure, the Hurricanes drafted Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis and Pyotr Kochetkov and brought in Brent Burns, Jake Guentzel, Brady Skjei, Frederik Andersen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Dmitry Orlov through trades and free agency.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken named Dan Bylsma as their new head coach on Tuesday. He’s currently the bench boss of their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. They’re currently playing against the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL playoffs.

Bylsma is considering Jessica Campbell for a role on the Kraken coaching staff. She currently serves as an assistant coach for Bylsma with the Firebirds.

Campbell is a former Canadian women’s professional player and national team member who began her coaching career in 2017. She was an assistant coach for the Nuremberg Ice Tigers of Germany’s top pro men’s league and with the German Men’s National Team in the 2022 IIHF World Championships.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Campbell is also a trailblazer, becoming the first woman on the coaching staff of a men’s national team and the first woman to become a full-time AHL coach. If she joins the Kraken’s staff, she’ll become the first woman to coach in the NHL.

NHL.COM: New York Islanders captain Anders Lee is this season’s winner of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award honors the NHL player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks and assistant coach Mike Yeo have parted ways. Yeo was part of their coaching staff for the past two seasons and was largely responsible for the team’s penalty kill. He was offered a one-year contract extension by the Canucks but he decide to explore other options.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed highly-touted prospect Will Smith to an entry-level contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2023

by | Sep 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2023

Attainable milestones for the upcoming season plus the latest on Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, Rangers center Mika Zibanejad and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: has a complete roundup of Sunday’s preseason action.

THE SCORE: Several NHL players are in line to reach league milestones this season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is within one goal of becoming the first player in league history to tally 300 career power-play goals. He’s also just 15 points away from reaching 1,500 career points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby needs 88 points to tie Phil Esposito for 10th on the all-time points list. Esposito has 1,590 points.

Phil Kessel, the league’s reigning Ironman record holder, is just eight points away from reaching 1,000 career points. That’s assuming the 35-year-old unrestricted free agent finds a new contract with an NHL club. Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares is 25 points away from 1,000.

Twenty players, including Nashville’s Ryan O’Reilly, Minnesota’s Marc-Andre Fleury, Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman, Vegas’ Alex Pietrangelo, Boston’s Brad Marchand and Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson, could reach 1,000 career games.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has yet to suit up for training camp as he deals with an undisclosed injury. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said Vasilevskiy is “wrestling with some things right now physically” and is considered day-to-day.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Mika Zibanejad is listed as day-to-day after leaving scrimmage on Sunday with an upper-body injury.

CAP FRIENDLY: The Seattle Kraken have officially removed winger Andre Burakovsky off injured reserved. He’d been on IR since Feb. 9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken managed to adjust to Burakovsky’s absence as they reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Nevertheless, he helped set the stage for that success with 39 points in 49 games before suffering a torn groin.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk will be evaluated today after leaving Sunday’s preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres. He was struck in the right arm by a shot in the third period, left the game and didn’t return.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Alex Nedeljkovic is hoping a fresh start with the Pittsburgh Penguins will help reset his career after two unsatisfying seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. He was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2020-21 with the Carolina Hurricanes but struggled to replicate that success after getting traded to the Red Wings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2023

by | Mar 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2023

Aleksander Barkov makes franchise history as the Panthers overtake the Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, the three stars of the week are announced plus injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov collected an assist to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer (614 points) in a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists for the Panthers, who improved to 36-27-7 and vaulted over the Pittsburgh Penguins into the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 79 points. Dylan Larkin scored his 26th goal of the season for the 30-30-9 Red Wings.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

The Penguins, meanwhile, slipped to 34-26-10 (78 points) by dropping a 2-1 decision to the Ottawa Senators. Rookie goaltender Dylan Ferguson kicked out 48 shots for his first NHL win in just his second career game since 2017-18. Thomas Chabot and Drake Batherson scored for the 34-31-5 Senators, who sit six points behind the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a tale of two teams going in different directions. The Panthers have been red-hot over the last 10 games (7-2-1) while the Penguins have dropped four straight and are 4-5-1 in their last 10. The Pens’ injury-depleted defense took another hit when Marcus Petterson was placed on long-term injury reserve.

The Senators, meanwhile, kept their playoff hopes alive but their odds of gaining ground on the Panthers are shrinking with the end of the regular season (April 13) just over three weeks away.

Speaking of teams struggling to reach a wild-card spot, the Calgary Flames were thumped 8-2 by the Los Angeles Kings. Adrian Kempe and Carl Gundstrom each tallied twice for the 41-20-10 Kings as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 92 points. Tyler Toffoli and Noah Hanifin replied for the 31-25-15 Flames (77 points) as they remain four points behind the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ sputtering performance in recent weeks is the only reason the Flames remain in striking distance of that final Western wild-card spot. If the Jets can string a few wins together over the next week or two, the flickering Flames’ postseason hopes will be doused.

Turning to the Flames’ Alberta rival, the Edmonton Oilers picked up their fourth straight win by nipping the San Jose Sharks 5-4 on an overtime goal by Darnell Nurse. Mattias Ekholm scored twice, including the game-tying goal late in the third period as the Oilers (40-23-8) sit four points back of the Kings in the Pacific Division with 88 points. Erik Karlsson tallied twice for the 19-37-15 Sharks.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev stopped 27 shots to shut out the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0. Denis Malgin scored twice and collected an assist as the Avalanche picked up their sixth straight win (41-22-6) to sit second in the Central Division with 88 points, one behind the Dallas Stars. The Blackhawks dropped to 24-40-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Georgiev is now tied for the league lead in shutouts with five. The Avalanche played without Cale Makar as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman are the three stars for the week ending March 19.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman John Carlson could be one step closer to returning to action after joining his teammates yesterday wearing a regular practice jersey, indicating he’s cleared for contact.

Carlson, 33, suffered a fractured skull and severed his temporal artery after being struck by a slapshot during a game against the Winnipeg Jets three months ago.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken could open their four-game road trip in Dallas tonight without starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer as he battles a non-COVID-related illness. The Kraken hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 83 points.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is expected to be in the lineup for Tuesday’s games against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s been sidelined since Feb. 25 by a shoulder injury.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner T.J. Brodie is listed as day-to-day after blocking a shot during Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, 46, will be running next month’s Boston Marathon for charity. It will be the first time Chara has run in a marathon.

USCHO.COM: Carson Briere has been charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct after a video emerged showing him pushing a double amputee’s empty wheelchair down a flight of stairs in a bar on March 11. Briere is the son of Philadelphia Flyers assistant general manager Daniel Briere.