NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2025
Recaps of Friday’s games, the Kings send Phillip Danault back to the Canadiens, the Kraken trade Mason Marchment to the Blue Jackets, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
RECAPPING FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES
NHL.COM: A hat trick by Kiefer Sherwood powered the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Thatcher Demko made 22 saves, and Filip Hronek collected two assists for the 14-17-3 Canucks. Anders Lee replied for the 19-13-3 Islanders, who have dropped two straight games.
Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Since trading Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild last Friday, the Canucks have won three straight games. Veteran defenseman Tyler Myers played his 1,100th career NHL regular-season game.
Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored twice and collected an assist to lead his club to an 8-3 thrashing of the Anaheim Ducks. Roope Hintz and Thomas Harley each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (24-7-5), who picked up their third straight win. Anaheim goaltender Petr Mrazek replaced starter Lukas Dostal after the latter gave up four goals on seven shots in the first period. The Ducks (20-13-2) have lost four of their last five games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars activated forward Adam Erne from long-term injured reserve. He’d been out since Nov. 14 with a lower-body injury.
Earlier in the day, they announced forward Tyler Seguin underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ACL. He has not been ruled out for the season and will be reevaluated following the Olympic break in February.
The Florida Panthers overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on a shootout goal by Evan Rodrigues. Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, and Sam Bennett each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (19-13-2), who have won seven of their last eight contests. Sebastian Aho scored twice for the 22-9-3 Hurricanes, whose five-game winning streak ended, as did goalie Brandon Bussi’s nine-game win streak.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes remain atop the Eastern Conference standings with 47 points, but it proved to be a costly victory as versatile forward Seth Jarvis is expected to miss some time after crashing into the Panthers’ net during overtime. They also played without forward Jordan Martinook, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
A third-period goal by Parker Kelly proved to be the game-winner for the Colorado Avalanche as they held off the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 3-2. Brent Burns and Martin Necas also scored for the 25-2-7 Avalanche, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 57 points. Morgan Barron and Mark Scheifele replied for the 15-17-2 Jets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have won four in a row and seven of their last eight games. Meanwhile, the struggling Jets have won only three of their last 15 contests.
The New Jersey Devils nipped the Utah Mammoth 2-1. Stefan Noesen broke a 1-1 tie in the third period, and Nico Hischier had two assists for the 20-14-1 Devils. Daniil But scored his first career NHL goal for the 17-17-3 Mammoth.
HEADLINES
LOS ANGELES TIMES/MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Kings traded center Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Danault is returning to the club where he spent five seasons (2016 to 2021) before signing with the Kings as a free agent. The 32-year-old two-way forward is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.5 million. His addition pushed the Canadiens over the salary cap by $1.4 million, but they could demote Owen Beck and Jared Davidson to become cap-compliant. They could also place Alex Newhook on LTIR.
Danault has struggled offensively this season with five points in 30 games. However, he’s a left-shot center whose defensive skills will take pressure off top center Nick Suzuki and help to improve the Canadiens’ defensive game, especially on the penalty kill and in the faceoff circle. He could skate on the third line between Josh Anderson and Alexandre Texier, or he could be reunited with former linemate Brendan Gallagher on their fourth line.
The Kings were reportedly seeking a player in return, and it was rumored their asking price from the Canadiens was Jake Evans. They instead settled for a second-round pick that the Canadiens received from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Patrik Laine trade in August 2024. The Kings could use that pick as a trade chip to pursue another player.
THE SEATTLE TIMES/THE ATHLETIC: The Kraken traded winger Mason Marchment to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a second-round pick in 2027 and a fourth-rounder in 2026.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken acquired Marchment from the Dallas Stars in June, giving up a third-rounder and a fourth-round pick. The gritty 30-year-old winger was used in a top-six role, but he wasn’t a good fit with the Kraken, making him the subject of recent trade speculation. He’s in the final season of a four-year contract with a cap hit of $4.5 million.
Marchment heads to a Blue Jackets club struggling to regain the form that had them challenging for a playoff berth last season. They’re hoping he can regain his 22-goal form and provide a much-needed jolt of physical energy to their lineup.
Both trades occurred before the annual holiday roster freeze went into effect at 11:59 pm ET on Friday, Dec. 19. The freeze is in place until 12:01 am ET on Sunday, Dec. 28.
LAS VEGAS SUN: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel and defenseman Shea Theodore will not be joining their teammates during their weekend Canadian road trip. Eichel was suffering from an illness, but he’s now day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Theodore was listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, but is now considered week-to-week.
TSN: The Edmonton Oilers placed goaltender Tristan Jarry on injured reserve and called up Connor Ingram from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. They also placed winger Jack Roslovic on LTIR.
DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: On Friday, the Penguins officially announced that the sale of the franchise to the Hoffman Family of Companies had been completed. It was reported earlier this week that the sale would soon be made official. Fenway Sports Group owned the Penguins for the past four years.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Former forward John MacLean will become the fourth member of the Devils’ Ring of Honor. He will be inducted during a pregame ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, when the club hosts the Winnipeg Jets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacLean spent 14 of his 18 NHL seasons with New Jersey from 1983-84 to 1997-98. During his tenure with the Devils, he scored 347 goals and 701 points in 934 regular-season games, and 75 points in 88 playoff contests. He won a Stanley Cup with them in 1995 as a player and another in 2003 as an assistant coach.
John Henry knows how to make money. Almost doubles his money in 4 years.Around 800 million to buy and 1.7-1.8 in the sale!
I don’t know how well Danault will play in Montreal considering his poor numbers in LA but I trust HuGo’s evaluation.
It’s always interesting to follow trades as they play out, in this case the Habs got Patrik Laine and Phil Danault for Jordan Harris.
It will be interesting to see him back home filling a role he was made for, checking, possession, pk, faceoff and at 32y/o far from over..
The money is questionable but as we have seen time and again one player can be the missing piece of the puzzle.
I didn’t understand this transaction rumour any more than you understood the Habs acquiring Texier, HF30.
However, I have been frustrated by the Habs’ poor face-off %, and their PK is 25th. That they get a LH center who can address those issues makes sense to me now. Perhaps he can also calm those chaotic defensive laps that the Habs have.
It does make it interesting as to who goes and who stays once the injured players start coming back. They can’t keep a press box full of them. My early speculation is Veleno, who IMO has played well defensively, but now is redundant. I also think they will keep Engstrom once Guhle is back, so Struble is gone albeit the Habs will miss his physicality.
I’d like to see LHD Jayden Struble traded for Calgary’s RHD Brayden Pachal.
I didn’t see Danault returning to Montreal but I see his value to the team as it’s composed though I’ll repeat the money is questionable.
Tampa has shown that a piece is worth the overpay in years gone by.
The French thing is overblown by a few journalists needing to stir up language bs. Most fans in and out of the arena couldn’t care less.
It’s obviously good to have local guys, it just isn’t the be all end all.
LJ, HF30. I’m not sure how to process this trade. On the one hand, Danault is an immediate upgrade on Beck and Veleno and as you point out LJ will help out defensively. On the other hand, $5.5 million to commit to another player who can’t score is too much. Not to mention the 2nd round pick from Columbus which looks like it may be a top 40 pick. Furthermore , when (if) they become fully healthy, you will have added 4 more forwards to this roster : Danault, Laine, Newhook and Dach which means 4 players have to come out. If you look at Thursday night’s lineup against Chicago, the easy moves are to sit Veleno and return Beck to Laval but which other 2 players are going to sit? IMO Danault is the type of player you add when you think you are going to make a deep playoff run and even if they get some consistent goaltending and their defensemen become better defensively, that isn’t happening this year. Lastly, by adding $5.5 million to next years’ cap, it limits what they can do next year. I would have preferred if they saved their assets/cap space and gone for what they actually need : starting goaltender, defensive defenseman and scoring 2nd line center. This reeks to me as a panic move.
Fair questions Habsman67. We have expensive checkers in Anderson and Gallagher already. And yes, returning players are going to have to be dealt with, either back into the lineup or traded. I have to wonder if Laine gets moved for a song when he is ready to return.
I guess the only other point I see making re Danault is that with the goaltending being amongst in the league (and Montembeault being lit up in his first AHL game), perhaps the thinking is: Fowler is not quite ready for prime time so we better do all we can to an at times porous defensive team.
HF30: re Pachal. I see it from the Habs perspective of getting a RHD, but do the Flames need another LHD? They have 4 already, and Andersson, a RHD, is sure to be moved.
Oops; Poor editing. Should read:
goal tending amongst the worst in the league;
Bruins need to go get Sherwood like yesterday .. they now have the pieces to get him
So do a lot of other teams.
Yesterday, in a post describing the parity that is evolving in the Eastern Conference, I wrote “Aside from Carolina, who currently sit atop the East with 46 points (8-2-0 in their past 10), there simply isn’t another team in the East that you can point to and say “they should be dominating.””
Well, I may have to re-think that when it comes to Florida. Hovering near the bottom of the pack since starting the season without Tkachuk, Barkov and Nosek (33 games missed each), Kulikov (31 games), Gadjovich (23 games) and Schwindt (14 games), the Panthers have quietly gone 7-2-1 over their past 10, including overcoming a 3-0 deficit last night against Carolina to win it 4-3 in a SO, moving up to 7th in the Conference and tied for 2nd in the Atlantic, just 1 point back of each of Detroit, New Jersey and the Islanders, 2 back of Washington, and 7 behind Carolina. When their walking wounded get back, look out!
Also interesting to note is that EVERY team in the Eastern Conference is playing at a .500 pace and up, whereas in the West, 7 teams are below .500. In the East, although 8 teams show a minus in goal differential, with the exception of Columbus (-18) the other 7 are currently in single digits (Pittsburgh and Toronto -3 each, New Jersey -4, NYR -5, Detroit -7, Montreal -8 & Buffalo -9).
Out West, 9 teams sport a minus in that category, 7 of them in double-digits, while Edmonton currently sits even (119gf 119ga): L.A. -2, Winnipeg -3), Chicago -11, San Jose -13, Calgary -14, Vancouver -17, Nashville -22, Seattle -23, St. Louis -37.
Re the Marchment deal … he wold have been a nice veteran addition to the Senators! Ah well ,,,
Could be an interesting day for the Bruins with Van in town … Van looking to move maybe Sherwood and Bruins looking for that additional scoring .. not a game changer by any means but would help
The last time that happened was in 2011 when Tampa, about to play San Jose that night, dealt Dominic Moore to the Sharks. Guys like Mike Cammalleri and Matt Duchene were also involved in unique deals when dealt part-way through a game or plucked off the ice during the pre-game warm-up … but neither to the team they were about to face.
And they have 2 1st round picks in 2026 and 2027.
Just to remind people expecting a trade, there is a trade freeze in place. Happy Holidays!
Anyone wanting Sherwood will have to wait until freeze is over.
Seems like every time Montreal was mentioned in rumors, it was suggested they prefer younger players with upside. Getting a 32 year old having a down year with a 5.5 mil cap hit? Good luck.
You can’t help but wonder if, had his name been Smith, and regardless of the fact he had played for them before, they would have even given him a second look, given the circumstances.
Na. George, the “must speak French” is still necessary for coaches/GMs in Montreal. But the Habs have several players that can speak French. Almost every after the home game interview with a Hab sees the player answer in English, and the crowd still loves it.
And it doesn’t hurt their excitement over Demidov or Hutson …
As for the circumstances, I point my learned friend to my explanation to HF30, above.
Sherwood has a career shooting% of 12 and now at age 30 he has a 22% shooting. It’s real of course for now but he’ll regress to his mean and folks won’t be all excited about him,
Last year Jake Evans was the big story, pk guy putting the puck in the net, many teams interested, sure to get a huge raise, Habs won’t be able to afford him etc etc.
He signed a reasonable contract and came back down to earth.
Sherwood has bounced around 5 teams in 7 years, he’s role player, an NHLer, but there is a limited amount of slots available for that type of players.
Habfan30,people were saying the same thing about Geekie. I hope he continues to prove them wrong. Danault is a good add for you guys. I Don t think he ever wanted to leave Montreal,but he got that big contract in LA.
Chinakhov to VAN
Sherwood to CBJ
Time to play the TML line of reasoning. Sherwood is from Cbus so obviously the only place he wants to go is Cbus.