NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2025
Maple Leafs center John Tavares reaches a goal-scoring milestone, the Mammoth sign Logan Cooley to a lucrative extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares scored his 500th career NHL regular-season goal in a 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Charlie Coyle and Mathieu Olivier each had four, and Cole Sillinger scored twice and collected an assist for the 6-4-0 Blue Jackets, who’ve won three straight games. Sammy Blais and Nick Robertson each had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 5-5-1.
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tavares is the 49th player in NHL history to reach the 500-goal milestone. Teammate Steven Lorentz left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Logan Cooley signed an eight-year, $80 million contract extension with the Utah Mammoth. The 21-year-old center will earn an average annual value of $10 million starting in 2026-27.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cooley has become one of the Mammoth’s invaluable core players in a short period of time. Chosen third overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, he’s had 44 points as a rookie in 2023-24 and 65 points in his sophomore campaign. He currently leads the Mammoth with eight goals and is second with 12 points in 11 games.
Cooley has played a significant role in the Mammoth’s strong start as they jockey with the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Western Conference. Locking him up for eight years ensures he’ll be with Utah throughout most of his playing prime.
A $10 million AAV is an expensive raise for a rising young star such as Cooley. However, it’ll be worthwhile over the long term if he continues to improve at the same pace as he has since 2023-24.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Zach Hyman’s return to the lineup from offseason wrist surgery has been pushed back a week. The 33-year-old winger was supposed to come off the long-term injury reserve list on Nov. 1. He’s now considered week-to-week.
THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes and teammate Conor Garland didn’t travel with the team to St. Louis on Wednesday. Hughes is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and Garland is out with an undisclosed injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The early-season injuries are mounting for the Canucks. Filip Chytil, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Nils Hoglander, Derek Forbort, Teddy Blueger, and Victor Mancini are also sidelined.
GLOBAL NEWS: Brad Marchand took a leave of absence from the Florida Panthers to return home to Halifax, Nova Scotia, as a guest coach in a tribute game honoring the life of his long-time friend and trainer’s daughter.
Selah Panacci-MacCallum, daughter of JP MacCallum, was 10 years old when she succumbed to cancer last Friday. MacCallum is the owner of the March & Mill Co. Hunters. Marchand was behind the bench with former Halifax Mooseheads’ teammate Andrew Bodnarchuk during Wednesday’s game against the Halifax McDonalds at the Halifax Forum.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Say what you will about Marchand’s on-ice antics against his opponents, but he’s a stand-up guy off the ice. My condolences to the MacCallum family.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes forward William Carrier (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.
DAILY FACEOFF: Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
TSN: Calgary and Edmonton are among the cities bidding to host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. Other bidders are believed to include Montreal, Vancouver, Las Vegas, Tampa Bay, and Dallas.
SPORTSNET: The NBA’s Dallas Mavericks have sued the Dallas Stars for breach of contract, alleging the NHL team is foiling attempts to improve American Airlines Center. The Stars have countersued, seeking to restore normal operations. The two teams have shared the arena since 2001.
Congrats out to Tavares on 500! Good on ya!
Cooley deal a little higher than I thought. Always a bit of a risk to sign young player on a streak , still on ELC; early in the season to a large contract extension. SHOULD be a good contract if he continues like this. BUT, anything could happen. I’d have waited a couple more months and then sign.
Man these standings are weird to look at.
I know the season is young and this won’t hold up but:
Pens, Habs, Mammoth tied for 2nd IN THE LEAGUE
Krakken and Wings second in their respective Divs
Jackets and Blackhawks IN a playoff spot ; while: Lightning, Oilers, Leafs, sit below the cut-off line
As I said; this won’t hold up; but very strange to see.
8787 I know you said it’s early but when you phrase it ‘well below cut off’ it still distorts that for most teams its a matter of 2 or 3 points to jump from a bottom spot to a play off spot. But I get what you are saying.
I just came to say that people need to stop sleeping on the Jackets. They are a good club. They nearly made the playoffs last season with 309 man games lost to injury. 4th most in the NHL.
If they remain healthy I would be very surprised if they dont nab a playoff spot.
Baring big injuries, I’m seeing Columbus, Detroit, and Utah in the playoffs this year.
If true, that means 3 teams from last year come out.
I’m also giving Anaheim a 50/50 chance to get into a bottom WildCard slot.
Should be some good races all season this year.
Hi 1Oilerfan
I didn’t say “well below cutoff”
Just “sit below cutoff..”
If I had used “well”, yes it certainly would distort the facts
Yes Jackets should not be undersold NOR should Mammoth
8787 apologies…that is what is get for commenting while working haha.
No worries
I’d love to comment while working but my students just might notice the pause in the lectures.
Or? Maybe they wouldn’t! LOL
I will not congratulate the Snake. I hope he continues his fairly unimaginative boring career without acquiring a single meaningful piece of NHL hardware. (so far so bad) I guess the only unfortunate thing he’ll likely accomplish is a call to the HHOF at some point. Vote attempt 3 or 4 of eligibility. Lots of money. Lots of goals. No cup. No ring. No trophies. Don’t let the proverbial NHL door hit you on the way out.
Time to move on, partner, and maybe get a life.
So is Tavares the Snake I assume?
With BCLeaf fan, kinda harsh.
Tavares for me is maybe this generation’s Mike Gartner in a lot of ways.
I know 500g, 1000pts generally secures a ticket to the hall.
But should it?
Should really good players with who are fortunate enough to have longevity be considered locks for the hall simply because they hit certain thresholds?
Never won hardware, never won a cup or even made it to the 3rd round. Tavares never scored 50 goals or 100 pts.
With star players career consistently falling into the 15 to 20 year range maybe its time to re evaluate and better distinguish really good from HOF players.
His career is not over. Relax a little. A cup is won by the team not just one player. He’s been the model of consistency since entering the league. One of the best face off guys in hockey. Is always near the top of the league in puck battle wins. It should be based on the entire body of work not just hardware. I also don’t think he’s a lock for the hall yet either. Let’s see in 5 years.
The easiest pro sports Hall Of Fame to get into is the Hockey Hall Of Fame.
I understand enducting players who have never won a Stanley Cup Like Marcel Dionne, but he won multiple awards. 2 Lady Byngs, 2 Lester B Pearsons, and a Art Ross. But do players like Mats Sundin or Glen Anderson really belong in the Hall Of Fame? Yes they have some great numbers and Glen Anderson won just a few Stanley Cups (6) lol, but neither of them won an individual award.
Multiple individual awards should be one of the main criteria of getting into a sports hall of fame IMO.
If Mats Sundin got into the HOF, Tavares will. Sundin won no cups and only personal award was the Messier.
The criteria by the committee (which seems to be self selecting) is pretty general, and I guess has to be given the subjectivity of evaluating players. There are over 300 players in the hockey hall of fame, a list so long it undercuts the honour of being selected. And it will continue to grow. Hardly an exclusive club.
PS: As a Habs fan I dislike the Leafs. But I’d have been thrilled had Tavares signed with the Habs, both for his skill and character. Through all the years of the Leafs losing streak as their captain in a frenzied market can anyone remember an inapt comment or action? Solid citizen, IMO.
I wouldn’t put Tavares in the same category as Mike Gartner.
Tavares would never be in the same world with Gartner if we are talking speed … LOL
re stats comparisons
Gartner is 8th all time in scoring; played over 1,400 games; is only one of 5 (along with both Hulls, Ciccerelli, Ovi) that have scored 600+ goals AND have more goals than assists
And only 1 of 3 (with Brett Hull and Ovi) that have 700+ goals AND have more goals than assists.
I may or may not (at his retirement from NHL) support a HHoF entry for Tavares.
As at now; I would not put him in the same merit level as Gartner
Outside of Bruins fans I am probably in the minority that I have always been a Brad Marchand fan. Yes he has made some not smart decisions, but who hasn’t in their jobs. He always stood up for himself and answered the bell when needed. He’s usually the first one in to protect his teammates. The best, he has a Mr. Bear! lol
Necas off the market. Good job Avalanche. He came in @ about what I had thought he might. I think I posted I would agree to pay him up to $11.75M . Close. It’s worth it and the Avalanche were fortunate he agreed to that I think. I was concerned they were going to let this linger. So, glad it’s done. Now let’s address the defensive lapses, lol. GO AVS!!!!