NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2026
The Avalanche are the first club to reach 100 points and clinch a playoff spot this season, the Hurricanes regain sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES
NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche are the first team to reach the 100-point plateau and to clinch a playoff berth after defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists, and Nathan MacKinnon collected three assists for the 45-13-10 Avalanche. Wyatt Kaiser replied for the 26-31-12 Blackhawks.
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 114 points, MacKinnon is tied with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov for second place in the scoring race. Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid leads the pack with 115 points. Blackhawks defenseman Louis Crevier and forward Andrew Mangiapane missed this game with unspecified injuries.
An overtime goal by Alexander Nikishin lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving them sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with 94 points. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis each collected two points for the Hurricanes (44-19-6). John Tavares and William Nylander each scored their 24th goals of the season for the 29-28-13 Maple Leafs.
The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-1. Alex Killorn had a goal and two assists, Ryan Poehling scored and picked up an assist, and Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for the 38-27-4 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 80 points. Dylan Guenther scored his 34th goal of the season for the Mammoth (36-28-6), who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 78 points.
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson made 30 saves in a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Ryan Leonard and Aliaksei Protas scored for the Capitals (35-27-8). Jack Allen turned aside 26 shots, and Jesper Bratt scored for the 35-32-2 Devils.
The Calgary Flames downed the Florida Panthers 4-1. Victor Olofsson scored his first goal with the Flames since being acquired at the trade deadline, and Blake Coleman picked up two assists for the 28-34-7 Flames. A.J. Greer scored for the Panthers (34-32-3) before receiving a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for interference after hitting Flames forward Connor Zary from behind in the third period. Zary left the game with an upper-body injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no postgame update on Zary’s condition. Greer could face supplemental discipline for his actions.
Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola left the game after injuring his left leg. Panthers forwards Anton Lundell and Mackie Samoskevich miss this game with undisclosed injuries. They are considered day-to-day.
Flames forward Ryan Strome didn’t pick up any points in this game, but he’s had a positive effect on the lineup since his acquisition from the Anaheim Ducks before the March 6 trade deadline. The 32-year-old center saw limited playing time with the Ducks, putting up nine points in 33 games. He has five points in eight games with the Flames.
IN OTHER NEWS…
DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks forward Tyler Toffoli is expected to miss some time with a lower-body injury.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers forward Trent Frederic has been sidelined with an unspecified injury. There is no timeline for his return.
CBS SPORTS: Los Angeles Kings forward Joel Armia has been activated from injured reserve.
TSN: The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Victor Mancini to a two-year, $1 million contract extension.
With Colorado the first to reach 100+ points this season, and a potential for upwards of 11 or 12 more, it got me curious as to how many teams have reached 100 points since the advent of the 82-game schedule. So I went back to the 1992-93 season when the longer schedule began – and actually it was 84 games in each of 1992-93 and 1993-94, before settling into 82 games in 1995-96 (1994-95 was a shortened season, as were 2012-13, 2019-20 and 2021-22. while 2004-15 was lost completely).
So, on the basis of 27 full seasons, it works out that 8 is the average number of teams reaching 100 points per season, ranging from a low of 3 to a high of 13.
Here are the totals by season from lowest to highest:
3 in each of 1997-98, 1998-99 and 2001-02;
4 in each of 1993-94, 1995-96 and 1996-97;
7 in each of 1992-93; 1999-00, 2000-01, 2002-03 and 2008-09;
8 in 2010-11;
9 in each of 2016-17, 2018-19 and 2024-25;
10 in each of 2003-04, 2005-06, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2023-24;
11 in each of 2006-07, 2009-10 and 2017-18;
12 in each of 2014-15 and 2022-23;
13 in 2021-22.
In one of the shortened seasons – 2019-20 – when a maximum of 71 games were played by 8 teams and a minimum of 68 by two teams, with the rest playing 69 or 70, Boston (70 gp) was the only team to reach 100 points.
Katy bar the door tonight, I believe the bruins have about dozen games left some tough opposition. I think they’ve got to win at least half or more of those games to make into the wild card. Hagens team is done sign this kid and get him into the lineup.
John Apple, I’d be shocked if we don’t hear that Hagens has signed an ELC to join the Boston line-up sometime today, in fact.
JA,also excited about the Hagens kid but wonder where he is going to play with the success that Rychal had the other night. Who does he replace?
Sr, being a left-shot C I would assume Hagens would initially replace lc C (and 33 y/o) Sean Kuraly as the 4th line C to get some NHL orientation … and then perhaps move up after a few games at least if he’s showing he’s able to handle the pace. Which I think he will – no problem.
George I cannot see Hagens on the 4th or 3rd line I m not jumping the gun on this guy. The kid has to start on the 2nd or 1rst he is that good.
Reichel even over the goal he scored showed something Thurs. and that was speed Hagens is quicker and the bar is far higher on this kid.
Hagens is skilled at the NCAA level but a jump to the NHL is questionable.
He’s an undersized centre who gets pushed around at college level, imagine the pros. It’s a big jump.
Not throwing shade as I question the idea of Michael Hage signing an ELC and joining the Habs.
Not all these college kids are Cellebrini and Hutson
John Apple, as I indicate above, it would be simply preliminary in order to “get a feel” for the NHL pace. And whether it’s the 3rd (where it’s been a revolving door at C) or 4th line, going by what I’ve read and heard (on various panel gatherings) where he’s widely considered a definite top-6 C, some do speculate on a more cautious start in the lineup, even as a wing if not 3rd-line C, before his elevation to a top-line role soon enough.
While Austin Matthews, for example, joined the top line in his first NHL regular-season game, that was at the start of the season after he had a full training camp and exhibition games to get acclimatized. But when such top players join their teams late in a season – especially teams battling for their playoff lives – they are mostly eased in on lower lines or bottom defensive pairings to allow them to adjust to the significantly faster pace, higher physical demands, and more complex systems of the NHL without the immediate pressure of top-line roles to reduce the risk of confidence-shattering mistakes.
Hagens is, in the final analysis, only human. But we’ll soon see which way they choose to go.
I see him on line 1 with pasta and lindholm
Playing in the top 6 down the stretch when you are in a fight for the NHL playoffs is a big ask for a 19 yr old kid who hasn’t played a game of pro hockey in his life.
Easy fellas!
Definitely won’t be at C. My guess is he plays wing in the NHL if they do sign him and want him with the big club.
I know he had a very good year, and he has impressive skills, but were not talking about Celebrini here, give the kid some time. His development is more important than any one of the next dozen games. If you want to reward him with one and give him a taste, maybe against a bottom feeder.
I agree with having him in an offensive role and the bottom six isn’t were he needs to play. Pretty sure they can find one for him in Providence. Even that will take time to adjust to for him.
Heh … Ray. I was still re-wording my post above when yours was appearing. Good to see “great minds think alike” is still alive. LOL
Same with the post from habfan30 at around the same time.
Caution is prudent here. They put him out on a top line at C and the expectations from the mass of fans may turn out to be more than the kid can handle.
Ya, we have high hopes for him but it takes time. And his future team mates, they are trying to win games a crucial time.
They will be trying to help him out, but they know the drill and the coach and organization are accountable to them too.
So, too, does the opposition know the drill, Ray and the more cagey veterans among them will be out to force – and take advantage of – what will assuredly be rookie gaffes. The last thing you want to see is that happen at a crucial time in a game they absolutely need.
I recall Matthews first game in Ottawa when he scored 4 goals … but Toronto lost the game 5-4 in OT when Matthews mad e the rookie mistake of not picking up his check (Kyle Turris) who scored the winner.