NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2026
The Canadiens nip the Senators, the Flyers defeat the Capitals, the Mammoth re-sign Nick Schmaltz, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov had a goal and an assist, and Jacob Fowler made 32 saves for a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, ending the latter’s seven-game points streak. Demidov snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period for the Canadiens (36-18-10), who’ve won three straight and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 82 points. Drake Batherson tallied twice for the 32-23-9 Senators (73 points), who remain five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Juraj Slafkovsky also scored for the Canadiens, setting a franchise record for the most points by a player before the age of 22 (164 points), passing Hall of Famer Henri Richard.
Recalling Fowler from the farm team in Laval and naming him the starter for this game was a surprising move by the Canadiens. It’s a clear sign that the Habs have run out of patience with struggling Samuel Montembeault, who lost his role as starting goalie to Jakub Dobes
Canadiens winger Cole Caufield missed this game with the flu, ending his consecutive games streak at 227.
The Philadelphia Flyers tallied four unanswered goals to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-1. Owen Tippett had a goal and an assist for the 30-23-11 Flyers. Ryan Leonard replied for the 32-27-7 Capitals.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Travis Konecny celebrated his 29th birthday with a goal, marking the second time that he’s done so in his NHL career. He joined Eric Lindros, Ross Lonsberry, Daniel Briere, Rick Tocchet, and Bill Clement among the Flyers to score multiple times on their birthdays.
HEADLINES
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: The Utah Mammoth signed forward Nick Schmaltz to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scratch another notable name from this summer’s depleted list of unrestricted free agents.
Schmaltz, 30, is in the final season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $5.85 million. PuckPedia indicates he’ll earn an AAV of $8 million on his new contract, with full no-movement protection during the first two years, a full no-trade clause for the next two years, a 16-team NTC for two years after that, followed by an eight-team NTC for the final two years.
Schmaltz has consistently been among the Mammoth’s leading scorers. As their first-line center, he’s played a crucial role in turning this rising young team into a playoff contender this season.
Given Schmaltz’s role, the annual average value of his new contract isn’t unreasonable, especially with the projected significant increases of the NHL salary cap in the coming years. However, this deal won’t age well as his performance inevitably declines in the final four years.
Nevertheless, the Mammoth are willing to bank on Schmaltz being productive enough in the first half of this new contract to make it worthwhile if it elevates them into Stanley Cup contenders.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz is on the road to recovery after being accidentally struck in the face by the skate of Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins on Saturday.
Schwartz is sidelined indefinitely and could miss the Kraken’s remaining 19 games of the regular season.
THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Kraken, recently-acquired winger Bobby McMann said Toronto can be a difficult market to play in, especially when the Maple Leafs are struggling as they have this season.
The Kraken acquired the 29-year-old winger from the Maple Leafs before last Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
“Yeah, it can be (difficult). When things aren’t going well, it’s that much harder to play there, I think,” McMann said. “We’re all human, and I think that all NHL players at times get put on a pedestal. Everybody lets things get to them to a certain extent, some more than others.”
McMann said players are already self-critical when things aren’t going well, but it becomes amplified when it comes from the media and fans, especially in a big hockey market like Toronto.
While the loss to the Habs might not have derailed the Senators’ chances at making the playoffs, it sure didn’t help them either.
With 18 games – or 36 potential points left – they likely need to go 10-4-4 to get to the 97 points it’s probably going to take to qualify in the East. And even then it’ll be tight.
And it has to start with back-to-back wins coming up at home against Anaheim and San Jose.
These 4 teams Ottawa is battling with to secure one of the two WC slots all figure to be with a point or 2 of each other when it ends.
In order for the Senators – assuming they CAN go 10-4-4 over their final 18 – to get in, the 2 with the same number of games left – Boston and Columbus – would need to go 7-9-2 and 9-7-2 respectively (both ending with 96 pts), while Detroit and the NYI – each with 17 games or 34 potential points left – would need to go something like 7-8-2 and end with 95 points each.
I ain’t holding my breath.
Hey George, and it doesn’t even matter where the Sens end up regarding the draft… even though we got the 1st round pick back, it cannot be moved from 32nd overall and cannot be traded.
Disappointing season even though the play since Olympics has been pretty great.
Tells ya what. Ottawa ended up playing that card right after all. Would the nhl have given them back a pick if they forfeited it in the previous couple years? Can’t know but I’m not sure they would have. Kept the game of chicken going as long as possible and bettman kinda blinked.
Well, half-assed blinked, anyway. It is the 32nd pick, nor can they use it in a trade plus they’ve been assessed a $1 mil fine.
Better than nothing I suppose … and Andlauer can certainly afford $1 mil.
Funny thing is, while they are “forbidden” from trading the pick itself, they can, then, deal whoever they pick 32nd overall any time thereafter. So, in effect, if some GM sees a player they’d like still available when it comes to Ottawa;s turn, they could conceivably offer some sort of asset IF Staios picked X .. and then dealt X to that team some time later.
Not something that is LIKELY to happen … but the possibility is there.
@George truth. and even if they cannot trade the pick, they can always trade whatever asset it ends up being. or draft well enough to get a gem. worth a million bucks.
Fowler’s biggest contributions to that game came at the beginning when he did his best Bambi impression selling a call that made the game 1-0. And his heroic lucky save at the end when he kept it 3-2.
I’ve never seen a softer group of skilled players. If the Habs don’t have the refs, they won’t last long in the playoffs.
Dark G,that s why they can t trade Xhekaj, ecause he s one of the few physical guys on the team.Also with Utah signing schmaltz does that put them out of the Thomas sweepstakes?
Dark G. What do you mean by “If the Habs don’t have the refs”? Are you suggesting the refs favour the Habs? I’m not sure where they were when Hutson was blatantly cross-checked in the 3rd. It was an entertaining game last night and could have gone either way. The refs had nothing to do with it.
Putting aside the result I thought the game was one of the more entertaining ones I’ve watched, George. Perhaps no consolation but both teams deserved a point.
Yeah, the loss hurt their playoff hopes, but it also showed they are just a forward or two away from making the playoffs, with a projected cap space of nearly 20 million next year. So not all gloom.
The rookie Fowler did what he had to do, LJ. And Ottawa can’t use the excuse of missing Sanderson. The Habs’ top points producer, Caufield, was also unavailable due to the flu.
Which brings up an annual question: do these guys not get the annual flu shot?
George, the flu shot is based on estimates, not the actual dominant virus. I get a yearl vaccination and this year’s flu beat the hell out of me.
So, that damned virus is mutating faster than science can keep up with it!
Flyers winger Travis Konecny celebrated his 29th birthday with a goal, marking the second time that he’s done so in his NHL career.
I told people I was turning 29 on my birthdays well into my 30’s so you can’t blame Travis for doing the same.