NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 12, 2026
The Hurricanes are a game away from winning the Stanley Cup, Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov wins the Hart Trophy, Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse requests a trade, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes are one win away from winning the Stanley Cup after holding off the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series.
Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov (NHL Images)
Andrei Svechnikov scored two power-play goals, Sebastian Aho tallied the game-winner, Nikolaj Ehlers had three assists, Jordan Staal scored to extend his goal streak to five games, and Brandon Bussi made 23 saves for the Hurricanes.
Pavel Dorofeyev scored both goals for the Golden Knights.
The series returns to Las Vegas for Game 6 on Sunday.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the Hurricanes’ best game of this series, and the Golden Knights’ worst.
The Hurricanes struggled in the second period of the previous four games in this series, but they dominated the frame in this contest with Svechnikov and Aho scoring big goals.
Svechnikov and Aho were under scrutiny entering this game over their lack of production in this series. With the pressure on, they silenced their critics and delivered for their club.
Staal is having a Stanley Cup Final for the ages. He leads all scorers in this series with six goals, becoming the first player since Jean Beliveau in 1956 to score five goals in the first five Stanley Cup Final games. Maurice Richard (1951) and Cyclone Taylor (1918) are the only other players to do it.
The Golden Knights’ penalty kill was their undoing in this game. They also lost two-way center William Karlsson in the second period with an injured left arm that could sideline him for the remainder of this series.
Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella remains confident that his club will bounce back in Game 6. He guaranteed that his club will send this series back to Raleigh for Game 7.
NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is the 2025-26 winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player to his team. It’s the second time he’s taken home the Hart, doing so in 2018-19. He finished second among NHL scorers this season with 130 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The voting was close for the Hart this year, with Kucherov garnering 1,436 votes while Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had 1,426 votes. Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was third with 1,297 votes.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman and Mark Spector report sources say that Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has requested a trade.
Nurse, 31, is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $9.25 million. He also has a full no-movement clause. He’s reportedly submitted a list of three to five preferred destinations to Oilers management.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nurse has been a whipping boy for Oilers fans and some Edmonton pundits because his performance never reached the standard expected of a defenseman with his expensive contract. He’s not a bad player, but he’s overpaid for what he brings to the game.
Those factors could make it difficult for the Oilers to find a suitable trade partner for Nurse. It also raises the question of whether this is the beginning of the end of this version of the Oilers, which struggled to make the playoffs this season and was upset in the first round by the Anaheim Ducks.
I’ll have more about Nurse’s trade request in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche president and acting general manager Joe Sakic still believes his club remains a Stanley Cup contender despite being swept from the Western Conference Final by the Vegas Golden Knights.
Sakic pointed to the Avalanche’s strong regular-season performance, winning the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time in franchise history. He also indicated that head coach Jared Bednar will return behind the bench, and hinted at the possibility of a contract extension.
Superstar defenseman Cale Makar is eligible to sign a contract extension on July 1. Sakic said the 27-year-old blueliner “is going to finish his career” with Colorado. He said he’s confident that a new contract will be worked out at some point.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sakic’s belief that his team’s season was derailed by “one bad week” isn’t sitting well with Troy Renck of The Denver Post. He thinks that Bednar’s system is no longer effective in the postseason, adding that the roster is getting older and must get younger and tougher.
TORONTO STAR: Former NHL forward Joe Pavelski acknowledged that he’s in the running to become head coach of the Maple Leafs. He’s made it to the short list of candidates despite never coaching at the pro level. Former New York Islanders bench boss Patrick Roy is also believed to be on that list.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: Former Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin has joined the Kraken as vice president and assistant GM.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens must find a new head coach for their AHL affiliate in Laval, as Pascal Vincent will serve as an assistant coach with the Kraken.
I think the canes will wrap it up Game 6. Looks like they’ve finally figured out Vegas. Here’s a question with the permission of other teams gm and management can teams like the bruins talk to impending free agents and players on other clubs who simply want out of current teams.
John Apple, here’s your answer from a Web search:
“No, the NHL strictly forbids teams from speaking with players under contract—including impending free agents—even with permission from the other team’s General Manager, as doing so is considered illegal tampering.
If an NHL team like the Bruins wants to speak directly with an impending free agent who is still under contract with another club, the only legal way to do so is to first trade for the player’s negotiating rights.
Violating this rule by speaking to players before they are allowed to test the open market is taken very seriously by the league. Tampering can result in massive fines, the forfeiture of draft picks, and suspensions for team executives.”
Now, while that is pretty explicit, you do have to wonder when, literally minutes after the opening of the so-called “UFA Frenzy” they’re announcing the signings of multiple-year and somewhat convoluted deals … such as when Chara was signed by Boston out of Ottawa. And that’s just one example of many over the years.
So it’s pretty safe to assume that somebody was talking to SOMEONE well in advance and without having attained negotiation rights. Certainly, in the Chara signing, no such arrangement was made with Ottawa.
Vegas losing Karlsson is huge-plays in every situation+has been Marner’s center most of the playoffs. Also seems like Eichel is nursing something himself
Goaltending has been the difference in this series. Not counting empty-netters, Carolina has potted 20 while Vegas has scored 18 … so pretty even there over 5 games. But Hart, who has played in all 5, has faced an average of 26 shots per game, allowing 4 goals in each.
Andersen, who started the first 3 and was pulled in the 3rd game after giving up 4 goals on just 16 shots in 2 periods, faced a total of 65 Vegas shots, giving up 12 goals. Bussi played the 3rd period in that game, which went into double OT, and gave up the winning goal after facing 19 shots. In total, he has faced 65 shots in roughly 3 full games, and has allowed 6 goals.
With the way Andersen played in knocking off Ottawa, Philadelphia and Montreal in short order, Brind’Amour, of course, had to go with the veteran, but you have to wonder if this might have been over by now had Bussi started right from the get-go.
Speaking of goalies:
Fla has reportedly asked Winny if Hellebuyck was up for trade.
Oh Toronto. Please Please Please hire Patrick Roy as your coach. His attitude and complete donkey demeanor works with kids in junior but is wildly ineffective with other “adults” in the NHL. Strike 3 incoming for this guy I hope. It only took Gretzky one coaching job to realise you can be a superstar hall of fame player and horrendous coach at the same time.
I agree with the Denver guy. Careful Colorado, it’s a win now league. Every year, a bit more wear and tear. Interesting I started to wonder if all the Avalanche players were from the same family with M-NMC at the end of their names.
but…curiously of the few without a no move…..Cale Makar. Would anyone here do Makar for McDavid? I could see Edmonton potentially entertaining the idea….what else goes to Edmonton? Probably not much. The bigger reason this wouldn’t happen is that they’re both in the west. If this fails for one team and is wildly successful for the other….it’s an ugly trade.
I’m just musing over coffee on a friday. I don’t think it would ever happen.
Rangers are light on the left side of their d-corp after the failed K’Andre Miller trade. I’m sure they’ll be in the mix to trade for Nurse.
Nurse for 50% sure