NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 23, 2026
Olympic Men’s Hockey wrap-up, and the latest news as the resumption of the regular-season schedule approaches in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
IIHF.COM: Canada’s Connor McDavid was named the most valuable player in the 2026 Olympic Men’s Hockey tournament. McDavid set a single tournament Olympic Men’s record with 13 points.
McDavid was also among the Tournament Directorate’s three best players, along with United States goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and defenseman Quinn Hughes.
Team USA wins gold in the 2026 Olympic Men’s Hockey tournament.
Those three players were also named to the Media All-Star Team, joining Canadian defenseman Cale Makar and forward Macklin Celebrini, and Slovakia forward Juraj Slafkovsky.
TSN: Hellebuyck was praised by his teammates for his outstanding performance in their 2-1 overtime victory over Canada in the gold-medal game.
Matthew Tkachuk considered Hellebuyck’s efforts to be “one of the best goaltending performances of all time.” US head coach Mike Sullivan called Hellebuyck’s efforts “heroic”.
According to Tage Thompson, Hellebuyck “stole the game for us.” Zach Werenski was amazed by the type of saves he made in crucial moments, while Charlie McAvoy compared him to Team USA hero Jim Craig in the 1980 Winter Olympics.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebucyk’s performance in the gold-medal game was comparable to Dominik Hasek backstopping Czechia to victory over Canada and Russia in the 1998 Olympics. He played the game of his life, reminding everyone why he’s the only active three-time Vezina Trophy winner.
DAILY FACEOFF: Quinn Hughes broke the record for the longest points streak by an American in the tournament during the NHL participation era. He finished with eight points in six games.
THE ATHLETIC: Quinn’s brother, Jack, scored the winning goal after having three teeth knocked out from a high stick by Canadian forward Sam Bennett in the third period. Bennett received a double-minor penalty, but Hughes later nullified the Americans’ man advantage by high-sticking Canada’s Bo Horvat.
The Hughes brothers praised team captain Auston Matthews’ performance and leadership in this tournament. The Toronto Maple Leafs star had been dogged by the perception that he cannot win big games when it matters.
“Doesn’t matter what anyone says now, Auston Matthews is a winner,” Jack said, while Quinn added, “That’s what the Toronto media should be talking about. Auston led us to a championship.”
SI.COM: Team USA center Brock Nelson continued his family’s legacy of winning gold in Olympic Men’s hockey. His grandfather, Bill Christian, won gold at the 1960 Squaw Valley Games alongside his great-uncle, Roger Christian. His uncle, Dave Christian, captured gold in the 1980 Lake Placid Games.
DAILY FACEOFF: The American players recognized the late Johnny Gaudreau following their gold-medal win. Matthews, Zach Werenski, and Matthew Tkachuk paraded Gaudreau’s No. 13 USA jersey around the ice. Tkachuk and Dylan Larkin brought Gaudreau’s young children, Noa and Johnny Jr, on the ice to pose with the players for the team photo.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was the most touching moment of this tournament. They never forgot Gaudreau, who would’ve played with them had he and his brother not been killed by an alleged drunk driver in 2024.
TRIBLIVE.COM: Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby sat out the gold medal game with a lower-body injury. He felt that he would’ve been a detriment to Canada’s chances had he played.
“It was about what’s best for our group and what gives us the best chance to win,” he said following the game. “That becomes pretty clear at that point. If I’m not going to go, I’m not (going to) compromise our team, put myself ahead of that.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby wanted to play, but his injury was apparently severe enough to hamper his performance. Knowing he couldn’t play to the best of his ability, he made the unselfish decision to put his team and his country first.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Canadian coach Jon Cooper was no fan of the 3-on-3 overtime format in the tournament. “You take four players off the ice, now hockey’s not hockey anymore. There’s a reason overtime and shootouts are in play, it’s all TV-driven to end games, so it’s not a long time. There’s a reason why (3-on-3) is not in the Stanley Cup Final or playoffs.”
Cooper made it clear that he wasn’t using the 3-on-3 format as an excuse. He acknowledged everyone knew the rules going into their tournament, and noted his club’s own 3-on-3 overtime win over Czechia in the quarterfinal.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Had Canada won in overtime, American head coach Mike Sullivan might’ve said the same thing. Cooper’s right that it’s TV-driven to finish games within a set period of time, but as he also noted, everyone knew what the format would be. Teams have to be prepared for it.
THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu believes Canada’s gold medal loss will linger, but the country’s hockey future is in good shape. He noted that McDavid, MacKinnon, Makar, and Celebrini will be back for the 2030 Olympics, and Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard and New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer could join them.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those players will also be part of Canada’s roster in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. It wouldn’t be surprising if Beckett Sennecke of the Anaheim Ducks, Wyatt Johnston of the Dallas Stars, Noah Dobson of the Montreal Canadiens, and Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers could be part of Canada’s roster for that tournament.
NHL HEADLINES
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL’s regular-season schedule resumes on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
ROTOWIRE: Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson is expected to miss Wednesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils with a lingering upper-body injury.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen will miss his club’s first two games of their upcoming road trip with an undisclosed minor injury. Center Adam Henrique will return to action after missing the Oilers’ last 15 games.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov and defenseman Tobias Bjornfot returned to practice over the weekend and are expected to be ready when the Panthers’ schedule resumes later this week.
SPORTSNET: Former NHL superstar Jaromir Jagr’s storied hockey career may be coming to a close. The 54-year-old forward last played in the NHL in 2017, but he’s continued his career with his hometown club in Kladno since then. However, he has only appeared in six games this season, with his last game on Dec. 21.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: All good things must come to an end, and that includes Jagr’s remarkable playing career. If this is his final season as a player, he is assured of induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame following the mandatory three-year wait period.
Now we find out which players – if any – suffer “Post-Olympic Blues” – a “widely recognized phenomenon among athletes, often described as an emotional, mental, and physical slump following the intense, high-adrenaline, and focused period of competition.”
And it won’t take long to find out, with 16 teams in action Wednesday. Buffalo @ New Jersey; Philadelphia @ Washington; Toronto @ Tampa; Seattle @ Dallas; Colorado @ Utah; Winnipeg @ Vancouver; Vegas @ Los Angeles; Edmonton @ Anaheim.
And 24 the following day, including the ingredients for more injuries with no less than 8 teams playing back-to-backs: Toronto across State to meet Florida, New Jersey who are in Pittsburgh, Tampa in Raleigh to take on the Hurricanes, Philadelphia in New York to play the Rangers, Seattle visiting St. Louis, Colorado at home against Minnesota, and Edmonton & Los Angeles both playing their second back-to-back in L.A.
The other games on Thursday feature Columbus @ Boston, the NY Islanders in Montreal, Detroit @ Ottawa, Chicago @ Nashville and Calgary @ San Jose.
And no, Slick62, to answer your query from yesterday, no one here is going to “hate” the Americans on the Senators for having the “audacity” to win Gold. That is not how we function, regardless of the idiocy at the political level. Disappointed? Of course. But losing 2-1 to a hot goalie in OT in a game you dominated for the most part, is just part of the way the game is structured.
Now what I expect we’ll see from Tkachuk and Sanderson are concerted efforts to get their team back into a playoff spot and a run at the Cup. Difficult? You bet. Impossible? Not at all. I also fully expect to see Staios make at least one deal leading up to the March 6 deadline … IF the wheels don’t completely fall off in the 4 games leading up to that point: 1 at home against Dedtroit and 3 on the road – Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary.
George. Unfortunately the political nonsense had crept in. The booing last year during US anthem was what inspired the fights in the 4 nations. Personally, I wish they’d go back to not having NHL players. I find it hard rooting for players from some teams. Mainly Brady’s brother. Also, about the let down and politics. FBI director Patel in lockeroom post game chugging beers and putting Trump on speakerphone. He incited team to Whitehoyae Tuesday and state of the union address that evening. How many of these players will make their games in Wednesday.
Small correction. It was Werenski and I believe Larkin that went into the stands and got Johnny hockeys kids, although Tkachuk made sure he was front and center every chance he got.
Slick62, the booing of the anthem had nothing to do with the players/teams, but rather a reaction to what many think (and now being joined by many in the U.S.) are idiotic tariffs designed solely to try and gain some sort of “leverage” in trade.
George. Incited should’ve read invited. And I agree about unnecessary trade war and childish comments lobbed at our northern neighbors. I still prefer USA winning, but it’s not exactly same as beating Russia in ‘80 as much as people try to make it. Will be an interesting week.
If Canada had won would Cooper be a supporter of 3/3 hockey. Canada had the 3 best players in the WORLD on the ice when the U.S. scored.When you watch 5-5 hockey in OT,teams seem to play not to lose. Everyone is afraid to make a mistake and give up the winning goal.3-3 teams play to win and your best players have more space to make plays. Watching the OT I said that the game was as good as over with the Canadian players that started for them! With Mcdavid,Mackinnon,and Makar on the ice I thought Canada would win on that first shift.
One of the three best players in the world didn’t participate due to a lower body injury.
Sr, no, Cooper would not have been a supporter of 3 on 3 hockey if Canada won. Why do you think he wouldn’t be intellectually consistent in that opinion? Do you know him? Everything I have seen from him suggests he would hold that opinion regardless. Because it is an obvious one.
I agree with him, and this isn’t to complain, I get why the Olympics do it and why the NHL does it during the regular season. Kind of have too. They are on a firm schedule. Maybe you could have the hockey final a day sooner which would allow some flexibility, but it is the signature event so I get that too.
The logic for it not being real hockey is clear for the exact reason he stated. You take 40% of the players of the ice and change the game for how you have been playing it for the previous 3 periods/60 minutes. Just a fact.
No different than starting a runner on 2nd in baseball in extras. There is a reason they do it in the regular season and not in the playoffs.
Now imagine they removed the shortstop, 2nd baseman and center fielder for extra innings. Same game?
As Cooper said, Canada won in the semi’s at 3 on 3, can’t complain about it when you win.
It’s hard to score in the playoffs and in these best on best, it’s what makes it exciting. It’s not like it was boring at 5 on 5.
I totally agree, Ray. I mean, what the Hell, if 3 on 3 is so good to watch, why doesn’t the league just change the whole structure and make it 3 on 3 all the time. Reduces payroll and rosters, not to mention making a mockery of individual and team records.
SOG,he is probably 5 now with Celebrini ahead of him!
Cooper’s dislike of 3×3 showed in his coaching gaffe in player and system selection.
3×3 doesn’t count on one player beating 3 plus goalie which is what he has his players do a few times.
Invariably it’s the “qb” hitting the trailer not McDavid or MacKinnon doing it on their own, not surprisingly Colorado and Edmonton are among the leaders in OT losses.
3×3 is a part of hockey and these guys know it, the lack of preparedness and awareness is on Cooper.
Hopefully it’s the end of Armstrong, Cooper and last but not least Binnington being anywhere close to a “Canada” team.
I agree it’s time for new management for the 2028 tournament. There were some older players particularly on D, who should not have been there. New blood will be brought in on the ice and upstairs. But as much as I disagreed with the choice of Binnington in goal he did play pretty well and is not to be blamed for the loss. When a team loses the deciding game in OT, it’s not the fault of roster construction. It’s usually bad bounces, which is what happened.
Totally unfair assessment. Armstrong made a great team, remember that Crosby, Point, Morrissey, and Cierelli were injured. Plain and simple the boys got goalied in the final and if MacKinnon would have found the empty netter, Canada walks away with gold.
I thought Binnington had a solid tournament. He made several huge saves in key moments in the knock out stages.
3 vs 3 is always a crap shoot, and all it takes is a bad bounce and you’re in a 2 v1 or worse. I’m proud of the Team Canada
His feelings about 3×3 is fine. He is allowed. However his timing makes it appear like its sour milk.
He coulda shoulda waited a week.
Habfan30 one player that I was surprised that played very little for Canada was Rhinehart. Was he hurt? I think of him as one of the best goal scorers in the game. I hope this was not a TB vs Fla.issue!
I’m sorry Sr, you comment is nonsense. You don’t know Cooper, in fact no here does, so saying he would be a supporter is something losers say. There isn’t one hockey fan that gets excited for 3on3, shoot outs, etc.
Cooper does make a valid point in that we all knew if something doesn’t get resolved in regulation, it come down to 3-3 or worse, shoot out.
If you know hockey, the one unique trait is that when a team beats another team and has to play that team again the second time round is usually a lot harder and why we have seven game series for stuff that matters and no three on three because let’s face it. it’s not real hockey.
Just curious, because I’m sure you would’ve, if the Americans lost you would probably blame Matthews saying he was the wrong captain wouldn’t you? Gotta love the chirp the Hughes brother said regarding Matthews.
The American team looked great together and overcame a better team. Would have been nice to see that match up as a series. Great hockey from both teams. Fans of both teams should be proud.
Ron Moore,if US lost I would have said the better team won, No excuses or finger pointing accepted in the ultimate team sport. I think Mackinnon might take his comments back after him being involved in 2 of the games biggest plays.
Hockey players live to play best on best! And most fand agree to have that happen, it never is “meaningless”.
However, a significant number will disagree with the rules that the game is played by. I am in agreement with the international rule of no fighting. I would rather watch hockey skill than bullying and brawling.
Now that the meaningless tourney is over we can get back to real hockey. At least all the players who wernt dinged up can.
There will always be fighting in NHL hockey, or at least there should be.
Not talking staged fights, but like in the playoffs, the ones that start “naturally”. Meaning somebody is looking for payback for something cheap or dirty.
It is the fastest game in the world, with boards instead out of bounds, and you get to carry sticks. Sh*t can happen and almost always does, especially when the intensity gets ramped up.
Refs miss stuff all the time, not blaming (most of the time), but just the way it is. It’s great the players can deal with it themselves.
According to insider Jeff Marek on Sunday, legendary goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, a pending unrestricted free agent, is likely to be one of those trade pieces that Panthers GM Bill Zito decides to move.
“The hill is too high to climb (for the Panthers)… I really wonder about the goaltending situation. I really do wonder, if he’s not coming back—and I have not heard anything about an extension for Sergei Bobrovsky—I would not be surprised if the Panthers moved Sergei Bobrovsky.”
AND, if they do that, I would wonder about a team like the San Jose Sharks.
I thought they should have moved Bob last summer. It sure would have improved their cap situation. But a replacement would have had to lined up…….
People should celebrate the hockey played at the Olympics. All the countries that participated were well-represented. It was fun to watch. Another great tournament is only two years away.
Have to agree. Several games were world class events. As for the final sometimes the best team doesn’t win. That is the world of hocjey
A tribute to our great game!
So Crosby’s goal didn’t count 4v4 in 2010? Asking for a friend.
Cooper and Mackinnon are just trash! I get the heat of the moment comments… I just don’t recall the US team crying about 4v4 loss? And certainly don’t remember them discrediting who the better team was.
Perhaps remember where you live , play or coach. Hopefully they both get booed back here in the US.
Imagine Mackinnin, ,McDavid and Makar not being a huge advantage 3×3. Nathan needs to watch Hughes goal and ask himself how Werenski beat him to puck.