NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2026
Brady Tkachuk reaches a scoring milestone in a lopsided win over the Rangers, the Sabres move back into a wildcard berth, the Canadiens re-sign Alexandre Texier, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk scored his 200th career NHL regular-season goal and collected three assists in an 8-4 victory over the New York Rangers. Dylan Cozens and Ridly Greig each had three points for the Senators, who picked up their second straight win and improved to 22-19-5. Gabe Perreault tallied twice for the Rangers (20-22-6) as their winless skid reached five games (0-4-1).
Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin and top defenseman Adam Fox sidelined, the wheels are coming off fast for the Rangers. This was their second lopsided loss in three games, prompting Blueshirts fans to chant for general manager Chris Drury to be fired. Drury recently received a vote of confidence from team owner James Dolan, but that could be tested if the losses keep piling up.
The Buffalo Sabres regained a wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. Team captain Rasmus Dahlin scored two goals while Tage Thompson, Josh Doan, and Ryan McLeod each had two points for the 25-16-4 Sabres, who’ve won four of their last six games. Owen Tippett had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who are winless in their last four contests (0-3-1) and have slipped to 22-15-8.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres center Josh Norris left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Sabres announced forward Josh Dunne will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a mid-body injury.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia goaltender Daniel Vladar left this game after the first period with an undisclosed injury. Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen missed this game with an upper-body injury and is questionable for Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Meanwhile, blueliner Jamie Drysdale was activated off injured reserve and returned to action in this game.
New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier scored twice, including the winning goal in overtime, in a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Jack and Luke Hughes each assisted on both of Hischier’s goals as the Devils improved to 24-21-2. Jared McCann had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (21-15-9).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald met with the media on Wednesday afternoon, taking full responsibility for the club’s struggles this season. However, he pushed back against making wholesale changes to the roster. “You can’t trade your way out of this,” Fitzgerald said. “This has to come from within.”
Nevertheless, trade rumors involving the Devils persist, with the focus on defenseman Dougie Hamilton. I’ll have the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
The Vegas Golden Knights extended their win streak to five games by nipping the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on an overtime goal by captain Mark Stone. Braeden Bowman and Mitch Marner also scored for the Golden Knights (22-11-12), who hold first place in the Pacific Division. Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist for the 19-16-11 Kings.
IN OTHER NEWS…
TSN: The Montreal Canadiens signed winger Alexandre Texier to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $2.5 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Texier signed a $1 million prorated contract with the Canadiens on Nov. 23 after terminating his deal with the St. Louis Blues. He’s been a solid addition for the Habs as a versatile forward throughout their lineup, including his current stint on their top line. After managing one point in eight games with the Blues earlier this season, he has 16 points in 25 games in Montreal.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche activated goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood from injured reserve.
TSN: Winnipeg Jets defensemen Neil Pionk, Haydn Fleury, and Colin Miller are week-to-week with injuries.
NHL.COM: Winger Ivar Stenberg of Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League topped the league’s Central Scouting mid-term rankings of International skaters. Penn State forward Gavin McKenna was the top North American skater.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna was considered the favorite to be the first overall pick in this year’s draft. However, his adjustment period to NCAA action after dominating Junior A last season has some observers suggesting Stenberg could be the top prospect.
As an illustration as to how hard it will be for teams near the bottom in the tightly-packed East to move past 7 or 8 teams in the standings to get within playoff range, the Senators – despite winning back-to-backs 2-1 vs Vancouver and 8-4 vs NYR – remain last in the Atlantic Division and 3rd-last in the Eastern Conference, albeit within 5 points of 5th in both and with a game in hand on some. But it will be a slow, often frustrating process with little margin for error and relapse.
Last night they went into MSG where they built up a 6-0 lead on just 17 shots on a leaky Quick, only to see the lead whittled down in the 3rd thanks – in part – to a combination of an inconsistent Merilainen and sloppy checking, before putting it away with an empty-netter.
With that loss, the Rangers fell to 5-13-4 at home with 14 points out of a possible 44, for a 0.318 pace and worst home record in the league. That is totally puzzling when compared to their road record of 15-9-2 and 32 points out of a possible 52, for a healthy % pace of 0.615 – a difference of 0.297!
Only 2 teams are even close to similar home-away disparities: Vancouver who is an even worse 0.290 at home but only marginally better on the road at 0.481 – a difference of 0.191, and Los Angeles, 0.435 at home but a sparkling 0.630 away, for a difference of 0.195.
Captainobvious, Slick62, NYRangersforlife and other Rangers fans who see them a lot, I’d sure like to hear you thoughts as to the widely separated production! Same with L.A. and Vancouver fans who may be reading this.
above should read “for a 0.318 pace and second-worst home record in the league.”
George O. 1st impression is Shesterkin should get Vezina by default. Increasingly obvious how bad team is without him. Also obvious for fans that put all the blame on last years team and all it’s supposed locker room problems on certain players. Dolan is despised by Knick fans but for the most part has been hands off with Rangers. Coming out recently and giving Drury a vote of confidence shows how disconnected he is. He said he has confidence in Drury creating culture needed to bring a championship? Well, he traded for JT Miller last season which did nothing for team. Didn’t give up much for him, considering Chytil still having trouble staying in lineup. But I was skeptical of his role in Vancouvers locker room issues last year, his age, and his cap hit. Drury got rid of lifelong Ranger, Kreider, and made JT captain. Drury single handily dismantled a team that made 2 ECF in 3 seasons after going through rebuild. They’ve become unwatchable, and he needs to go.
Weird how I misspelled my user name, Slick62, but comment still posts. Lol
That explains some of the malaise, Slick62 … but I was wondering what some theories might be for such a pronounced a disparity between their poor results at home, with home-ice advantages, robust crowds and all that, and their above .600 road record!
It doesn’t make much sense.
If you Google the question “why is there such a disparity between the New York Rangers sparkling road record and their pathetic home record?” – which I just tried – you get a pretty detailed theory.
Inability to score goals is a main cited reason … but that doesn’t seem to be a factor on the road. Either that, or their goaltending has compensated by generally performing better away from MSG. It would be interesting to see their goals for and against comparatives at home and away.
McKenna might very well become this season’s Shayne Wright. Oh well.
Ooof the Rangers look like a defeated hockey team. Blow this thing up. Drury gets a vote of confidence?…from the owner, who most fans of the Rangers think is part of the bigger problem. As a closet Islander fan this all brings me great joy.
who had Josh Norris injured on their bingo card. Essentially the free spot. Unfortunate. I like the kid..but…bad genetics. Likely the shoulder again.
Yeah. You gotta feel for the kid. Hopefully, someone will come up with some sort of gear that is both reasonably comfortable to wear and effective in protecting “trick” shoulders.
Dark G
Ooof is right. Was texting with my son at beginning of game. His exact words to me: “ you might be most loyal fan. I’m not watching”. Well, as I said above, they’re unwatchable! I’ve never felt so disgusted and defeated this early in season. Can only hope Isles and Devils falter.
Drury should start the sell-off and get some great draft position and great picks. Time to kick-start the “retool”.
Panarin should be the first to go, unless he resigns for 4 x $11M or less. Either Schnieder or Borgen should go to alleviate a bloated RD, Schnieder would fetch a top 6 forward and a very good prospect if Borgen is deemed the keeper. Borgen would get a good return, but maybe Schnieds ask on a new contract will be the deciding factor. And then Soucy will get a mid-round pick from someone.
I am so confused by the McKenna suggestions that he may not be 1st overall any longer.
He started as a 17 year old playing against men this year. Not boys. Not the odd over ager or two on each roster but men where the average age is like 21 I think. I would also argue the hockey is also a better caliber.
He sits just outside of top 10 scoring and it seems he is being deployed in all situations incl pk at Penn state.
But tearing up the chl and putting up 130 pts would be a better showing?
Idk. Time will tell.
I concur, 1Oilerfan. If McKenna had stayed in the CHL and was ripping it up in the Western Hockey League, everyone would be singing his praises and still making him the undisputed favorite to go first overall this year. Maybe if he’d led Canada to gold in the WJC like Connor Bedard did, they’d still have him as the odds-on favorite. I think he made the right move by jumping to the NCAA this year where the competition was tougher. It’ll better prepare him for the NHL.
The guys who moved ahead of McKenna are also playing against men 1Oilerfan – Stenberg and Verhoff.
Especially Stenberg who is playing in the SHL against pros. He also played significantly better in the WJC. The kid was dominant in the big games.
McKenna is still a very good player, the other guys have just been better so far. The talk of it being a very good draft year, appears to be true. If he picks it up he could still go #1