Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Kings and Predators reveal their Quarter-Century Teams, the Blues and Brandon Saad mutually agree to terminate his contract, the Kraken put Philipp Grubauer on waivers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (NHL Images).
RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S NHL GAMES
NHL.COM: The New Jersey Devils got two-point performances from Jack and Luke Hughes in a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jack and Luke each had a goal and an assist while Jake Allen made 24 saves for the shutout as the Devils sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. Flyers winger Owen Tippett left the game with an undisclosed injury following an open-ice hit by Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon. With 52 points, the Flyers sit three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils captain Nico Hischier missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson will replace sidelined Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom on Team Sweden in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes collected two assists as his club defeated the Nashville Predators 3-1. Thatcher Demko stopped 31 shots and rookie forward Linus Karlsson tallied his first NHL goal for the Canucks (56 points) as they sit one point ahead of the Calgary Flames in the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Tommy Novak replied for the Predators as they’ve dropped two straight games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks forward Dakota Joshua returned to action after missing 11 games with an injured leg.
An overtime goal by Sidney Crosby lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club. Alex Nedeljkovic turned aside 27 shots as the Penguins (50 points) are five points behind the Lightning in the Eastern wild-card race. Mikhail Sergachev and Michael Carcone scored for Utah, who are six points behind the Canucks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Utah Hockey Club has narrowed its prospective team names to three choices: the current name, the Utah Mammoth, and the Utah Wasatch. Fans will vote during Utah’s next four home games.
Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky kicked out 29 shots to blank the Los Angeles Kings 3-0. Matthew Tkachuk scored and picked up two assists as the Panthers vaulted over the Toronto Maple Leafs into first place in the Atlantic Division with 63 points. Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty made his season debut after being sidelined by a broken ankle since preseason. The Kings are third in the Pacific Division with 58 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doughty’s return to the Kings lineup resulted in young defenseman Brandt Clarke being a healthy scratch.
Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Minnesota Wild. Filip Gustavsson made 32 saves and Jared Spurgeon netted what proved to be the winning goal for the Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 64 points. William Nylander tallied for the Leafs (62 points) as their losing skid extended to three games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs winger Max Pacioretty was activated off injured reserve for this game. Winger Matthews Knies went on IR with an upper-body injury but could return to action on Saturday.
HEADLINES
The Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators unveiled their Quarter-Century Teams on Wednesday.
Forwards Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter, defensemen Drew Doughty and Alec Martinez, and goaltender Jonathan Quick made up the Kings’ First Team. The Second Team comprised forwards Justin Williams, Adrian Kempe and Zigmund Palffy, defensemen Mattias Norstrom and Lubomir Visnovsky, and goalie Felix Potvin.
The Predators’ First Team featured goaltender Pekka Rinnie, defensemen Roman Josi and Shea Weber, and forwards Filip Forsberg, Paul Kariya and Mike Fisher. The Second Team comprised forwards David Legwand, Ryan Johansen and Steve Sullivan, defensemen Mattias Ekholm and Kimmo Timonen, and goalie Juuse Saros.
STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues and winger Brandon Saad agreed to terminate his contract once he clears unconditional waivers today. Saad had a year remaining on his deal with an average annual value of $4.5 million. He had cleared waivers and was slated to be assigned to the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saad will become an unrestricted free agent, enabling him to sign with another team. I’ll have more about him and the Blues in today’s Rumor Mill update.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken placed goaltender Philipp Grubauer on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $5.9 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates the Kraken doesn’t have to send down Grubauer but gives them the option. Given his contract, he’s unlikely to be claimed by another NHL team. This also raises questions about his future with the team, including a potential contract buyout in June.
Grubauer was the Kraken’s starter when he signed his contract in 2021 but Joey Daccord outplayed him for the job last season. He’s struggled this season with a 3.83 goals-against average and an. 866 save percentage.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle is sidelined indefinitely following surgery to repair a lacerated quadriceps muscle.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guhle is the Canadiens’ best shutdown defenseman so his absence is a big blow to the blueline in their quest for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. They’ve recalled Jayden Struble from his conditioning stint in Laval.
TSN: Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins is out for six to eight weeks with a knee injury.
CALGARY SUN: Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek was assigned to his club’s AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint as he works his way back from a fractured cheekbone.
NESN: The Boston Bruins are talking with former captain Zdeno Chara about returning to the club as a front-office consultant.
RG.ORG: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was surprised by Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer suggesting his club play some regular-season games in Quebec City.
He made those remarks during a recent press conference announcing his team will play two preseason games there in September.
Andlauer also said he believes Quebec City deserves an NHL franchise but acknowledged that’s not his decision.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andlauer will likely get a gentle reminder from the commissioner’s office about speaking out of turn regarding potential NHL expansion destinations.
