Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Blue Jackets claim Dante Fabbro off waivers, an injury update from the Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks got a 44-save shutout performance from goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to blank the New Jersey Devils 1-0. Nico Sturm got the only goal when his backhand pass from behind the net deflected off the skate of former Shark Timo Meier. Devils netminder Jake Allen stopped 26 shots.
San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Jake Walman missed his second-straight game with an upper-body injury. The Sharks also made Will Smith a healthy scratch for the fourth time this season. The 19-year-old rookie center has two goals and an assist in 12 games.
Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson kicked out 38 shots in his season debut as his team doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Leo Carlsson scored the game-winner in the third period as the Ducks snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). Yegor Chinakhov and Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets as their winless streak reached five games (0-4-1).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: An emergency appendectomy forced Gibson from the lineup at the start of the season.
An overtime goal by Philipp Kurashev lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-1 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Jason Dickinson opened the scoring for the Blackhawks but the Wild tied it on a goal by Matt Boldy. Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek made 32 saves for the win.
IN OTHER NEWS…
THE TENNESSEAN/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets claimed defenseman Dante Fabbro off waivers from the Nashville Predators on Sunday. Fabbro, 26, was a first-round pick of the Predators in 2016. He has 72 points in 315 games.
Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell released a statement explaining the move. “Dante Fabbro is a puck-moving defenseman who can play in all situations, and adds mobility and depth to our backend.”
Fabbro carries a salary-cap hit of $2.5 million and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fabbro will join the Blue Jackets in Seattle for their game against the Kraken on Tuesday. He struggled to establish himself as a top-four defenseman in Nashville but will get plenty of playing time with the rebuilding Blue Jackets. A solid performance in Columbus could also make him a valuable rental asset by the March 7 trade deadline.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins announced forward Cody Glass has been diagnosed with a concussion. There is no timeline for his return.
They also announced forward Kevin Hayes will be sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks called up top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki. The 20-year-old winger was chosen 15th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ recent trade of winger Daniel Sprong to the Kraken was seen as setting the table for Lekkerimaki’s call-up.
RG.ORG: Jim Biringer cites an NHL executive who said goaltender interference will be among the topics of discussion during an upcoming one-day meeting of NHL general managers.
The GMs seek a better understanding of the current standard and clarification of how goalie interference is ruled. “Guys usually ask; we just want to know the rule to tell our video coaches what to expect,” said the executive. “Everyone’s human. There are mistakes. We would just like clarification on the rule.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been plenty of questions and criticism regarding goalie interference this season. The most notable came from Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Last week, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner publicly expressed frustration over the lack of clarity and consistency. As a member of the NHL competition committee, Hellebuyck had sought clarification of the rule but now feels he may have to pass that role on to a young netminder.
THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Tim Graham examines why former NHL star Alexander Mogilny has yet to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Graham believes Mogilny should be in the Hall but seeks clues for his exclusion from the media coverage the winger received during his career. He also examined remarks about Mogilny in the autobiographies of former teammates Martin Brodeur and Mats Sundin regarding his eccentricities.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I recommend reading Graham’s piece if you have a subscription. I agree that Mogilny belongs in the Hall but Graham provides compelling reasons why the gifted winger has been passed over.