NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 20, 2024
The opening round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs begins today, the latest on the Coyotes’ move to Utah, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines
PLAYOFF NOTES
NHL.COM: The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin today with the New York Islanders facing off against the Carolina Hurricanes (5 pm ET) in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series. At 8 pm ET, the Toronto Maple Leafs meet the Boston Bruins to start their series.
NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson returns to action after missing the final three games of the regular season with an upper-body injury. However, forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
TSN: Maple Leafs forwards William Nylander and Bobby McMann were absent from Friday’s practice. Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said Nylander (undisclosed) and McMann (lower-body injury) are “possibilities” for Game 1 against the Bruins.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keefe also said Leafs general manager Brad Treliving told him there will be no daily injury updates during the playoffs.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will return to action in Game 1 of his club’s first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He missed the last six games of the Panthers’ regular-season schedule. The two clubs face off on Sunday at 12:30 PM ET.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche backup goaltender Pavel Francouz officially announced his retirement on Friday. The 33-year-old missed the entire season following surgery on his adductors last summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Francouz was with the Avalanche for six seasons but injuries limited him to just four seasons on the ice. He played 73 regular-season games with 64 games saved, finishing with a record of 44-21-6, a 2.49 goals-against average, .919 save percentage and four shutouts. He saw action in 13 playoff games with a record of 8-4 with a 3.01 GAA, .899 SP and two shutouts. Francouz helped the Avalanche win the 2022 Stanley Cup.
IN OTHER NEWS…
NHL.COM: Utah franchise owner Ryan Smith announced about 22,700 deposits have been made for season tickets during Friday’s press conference at Delta Center in Salt Lake City announcing the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league was thrilled with the demand for season tickets for the Utah franchise.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Bettman also had to sit through what Remy Mastey described as a bizarre press conference with Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo, who attempted to explain his plans to bring an NHL expansion team back to Arizona within the next five years.
Meruelo appeared nervous and unprepared for the press conference. At one point, he said he didn’t like the media as an explanation for why he hasn’t spoken publicly about the Coyotes over the past year. Bettman sometimes clarified Meruelo’s remarks, jumping in occasionally to answer questions directed at the Coyotes owner.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meruelo has five years to construct a state-of-the-art NHL arena to receive an expansion franchise. He must win an auction on June 27 (which he mistakenly said was June 29 during the press conference) for a parcel of land near Scottsdale where he intends to build this arena.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas revealed defenseman Kris Letang was dealing with multiple injuries, one of which could be serious enough to require surgery. Forward Matt Nieto and defenseman John Ludvig also suffered injuries that could require surgery in the offseason.
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale could also go under the knife after saying he played injured through most of this season.
DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Flyers, Ryan Johansen’s playing career could be over. The 31-year-old center played 63 games this season with the Colorado Avalanche until traded to the Flyers on March 6. He’s been sidelined with an undisclosed ailment. Flyers GM Daniel Briere doesn’t expect him to be back, saying Johansen doesn’t think he can play hockey.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johansen’s situation has been shrouded in mystery. That’s prompted speculation that he doesn’t want to play under Flyers head coach John Tortorella due to their contentious relationship during their days with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Johansen hasn’t spoken publicly about the situation. It was obvious that his play had declined this season. Neither he nor the Avalanche mentioned an injury before the trade. It appears the Avs weren’t aware of his condition.
Johansen has one year left on his contract. If medically unfit to play, the Flyers could place him on long-term injury reserve at the start of next season.
STARTRIBUNE: Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber said he played the final two months of the regular season with fractured ribs. The 21-year-old blueliner is considered a candidate to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Faber finished the season sitting sixth among all NHL skaters in ice time per game (24:58), blocked the second-most shots among the Wild (150), quarterbacked their power play and finished tied for second among rookie scorers with 47 points.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman said he’d like to sign Shayne Gostisbehere to a new contract. The 31-year-old puckmoving defenseman had 56 points with the Wings this season. Yzerman called him “a valuable player for how we’re set up on the back end.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are Gostisbehere’s fourth NHL team since 2020-21. It appears “The Ghost Bear” might be settling down for a spell in Motown.
TSN: Interim Ottawa Senators head coach Jacques Martin is moving to an advisor role with the club.
SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Senators, general manager Steve Staios said he doesn’t expect to buy out any of his players this summer.
SPORTSNET: Former NHL star Jaromir Jagr became the oldest professional hockey player on Thursday when he skated for his club Kladno at age 52 years and 63 days. Gordie Howe was the previous record holder when he finished his NHL career in 1980 with the Hartford Whalers.
One of my picks yesterday was based on some flawed analysis of the various factors I mentioned, so I’m correcting it here
Toronto over Boston in 6.
The others stand.
Did not get my picks in yesterday. Will put them in now tough year this year.
Boston in 6
Rangers in 5
Tampa in 7 Should be a must watch
Carolina in 4
Dallas in 7 same must watch
Jets in 7
Oilers in 6
Preds in 7
Not confident in many of these
Well, George, if the Leafs have a chance to close it out at home, we’ve been down that road before.
Maybe this is the year they actually finish the job.
Leafs – Bruins aside, this has to be the best two weeks of the season. So many great matchups and every team with a clean slate.
Can’t wait !
Interesting that both the Bs and Leafs have only played 16 times over the course of their 100+ years of existence with the Leafs winning the first 8 in a row and the Bs winning the next 8 in a row.
4th time in 8 years. Lots of changes for both squads during that time. Where one is strong, the other is weak. Should be a good series with Montgomery being able to get more out of his flawed team might be the difference…regardless, let’s go! Let’s get this rolling!
Was in Kladno to catch the game live… Jagr actually looks better this year than when I saw him last year.
Boston in 5
Rangers in 5
Panthers in 6
Carolina in 5
Dallas in 6
Colorado in 7
Predators in 6
Zimmer you left one out? Based on your 7 picks you’re taking LA?
Not much Love being given to LA, I think the series will be a close one.
With Kopitar and Danault at center they will help slowdown McDavid and Draisaitl. Important for LA to stay out of the box.
LA does not stand a chance!!!! Oil in 4/5
Hoo boy.
Hi,
Yes LA… in… hmmm… 6
Botox……….
Alex Meruelo is an interesting character in that he’s a pretty successful businessman in a number of different fields..
Considering that he owns a few TV stations and a few Radio stations it seems odd that he doesn’t like talking to media.
It’s unfortunate that he and Coyote fans won’t see the fruit of his ownership as he has assembled a pretty good young team with a boatload of draft picks in his hands.
The Utah Franchise will be very competitive very soon and be SC hunting.
Just because he “owns”media companies doesn’t mean he’s ever been an anchor or a DJ… probably came from a sales position or GM (like most media owners)….I was a DJ and Program Director for a guy in Austin, years ago. Very smart man, could never talk in front of people.
i’m surprised but shouldn’t be, i expect to see 4 games today to open up the Stanley Cup playoffs. No west coast game tonight.
Saving grace, hopefully the streaming app works and I don’t have to listen to Chris Cuthbert and Craig Simpson. These guys are homer when there doing a National game between Toronto and any other Canadian team.
If i’m going to listen to a homer it might as well be Jack Edwards at least he won’t make me angry, most times.
You’re so right…Simpson makes a good game almost unwatchable…
At least that means the Jets are playing at 6 on Sunday instead of 9 on Monday. Going to hockey games that start at 9PM is rough.
Seriously, good lord, what is with the decision making at sportsnet? Cuthbert and Simpson are absolutely insufferable, but most of the people on air for the network now are just about as bad. I hope the bruins win just to give one more round to Edwards… his brand of over-the-top I can tolerate for some reason. Also, some Canadian network needs to bring Englom back… I’m tired of watching bolts games just because I grew up during the espn 90s and miss that dude.
It was reported that the Coyotes simply left behind Shane Doan’s retirement banner when they moved from their old arena to theirb last arena. What a pathetic clown show.
Brock, i read that. Kind of a sad story, your banner is raised to the rafter, only to be left behind and then returned as no one wants it.
My picks
– for the West.
Winnipeg over Colorado in 6;
Vancouver over Nashville in 4;
Edmonton over LA in 5
Boston & Toronto, i still dont know🙈 its 50-50
crap shot.. both teams have issue’s i think it go’s down to game 7❗️
My picks – for the East.
NYR over Washington in 4.
Carolina over NYI in 5.
Florida over Tampa in 7.
Dallas over Vegas in 6
The Cup Final i have to say the Oilers and… Dallas Or Florida
WOW….‼️
Thats just Crazy The New Utah franchise owner Ryan Smith announced about 22,700 deposits have been made for season tickets during Friday’s press conference at Delta Center in Salt Lake City Utah franchise owner Ryan Smith announced about 22,700 deposits have been made for season tickets during Friday’s press conference at Delta Center in Salt Lake City 👌
They have only just under 15,000 Seats at the Delta Centre, Im sure they will Save 2,000 to 3,000 seats to sell monthly to the fan base.
I see a New Big 20,000 Seat Arena to be built in SLC Soon……
Congrats
Big new arena definitely happening because the state government set aside $1 billion for a new arena for the Olympics/NHL/NBA. Getting the NHL team pushes the timeline up so Smith doesn’t have to wait as long for his brand new arena. I think this was a big part of his aggressive timeline and the inflated price tag for the team. No government in Arizona was ponying up cash for an arena, let alone this much.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2024/02/21/first-lawmakers-want-900k-taxes/#:~:text=%7C%20Feb.,Hockey%20League%20arena%20in%20downtown.
Brock
Thats Great to see Hockey is Thriving down in Salt Lake City, and Not like that Circus of a Gong show they had in AZ for the past 15 years….⁉️