NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 8, 2025
Recaps of Sunday’s games and injury updates in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 4-1. Alexander Wennberg and John Klingberg each had a goal and an assist, and Alex Nedeljkovic made 28 saves as the Sharks improved to 14-13-3. Jordan Staal replied for the Hurricanes (17-9-2).
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini played his 100th career NHL regular-season game. It was also his 28th multipoint game, sitting seventh among NHL players for the most multipoint games through their first 100 games as teenagers. Wayne Gretzky is the all-time leader with 53 multipoint games.
The Colorado Avalanche held off the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots, including a penalty shot by Trevor Zegras in the third period. Brent Burns, Brock Nelson, and Valeri Nichushkin scored for the Avalanche (21-2-6), who hold first place in the overall standings with 48 points. Sean Couturier and Travis Konency scored for the 15-9-3 Flyers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist as he holds first place in the scoring race with 49 points. Macklin Celebrini is second with 43 points.
Washington Capitals netminder Logan Thompson picked up his 100th career NHL regular-season win by shutting out the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0, sitting eighth on the list of fewest games to reach 100 wins by undrafted goalies (167 games). Jakob Chychrun and Aliaksei Protas were the goal scorers as the Capitals (18-9-3) opened a three-point lead over the Hurricanes for first place in the Eastern Conference with 39 points. Jet Greaves stopped 36 of 37 shots for the 13-10-6 Blue Jackets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Capitals placed forward Ryan Leonard and goalie Charlie Lindgren on injured reserve with upper-body injuries.
The Dallas Stars nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on a shootout goal by Mikko Rantanen. Jamie Benn and Miro Heiskanen scored for the Stars (20-5-5), who collected their seventh win in their last eight games. Connor Dewar and Tommy Novak scored for the Penguins (14-7-6).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Stars center Matt Duchene and defenseman Nils Lundkvist returned to action after being out since mid-October with injuries.
St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn scored twice and picked up an assist to lead his team to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Dylan Holloway had a goal and two assists for the Blues, who improved to 11-12-7. Cole Caufield scored to extend his points streak to 11 games, and Noah Dobson had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (15-10-3).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues winger Jordan Kyrou missed this game with a lower-body injury.
Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe scored his fourth goal in his last three games in a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who improved to 14-12-2. Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders (16-11-3) as their three-game win streak ended.
An overtime goal by Jack Eichel lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the New York Rangers 3-2. Eichel, Mark Stone, and Brett Howden each had two points, and Carter Hart made 21 saves for the Golden Knights (14-6-8) as they picked up their fourth straight win. Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and an assist for the 15-12-3 Rangers.
The Anaheim Ducks crushed the Chicago Blackhawks 7-1. Leo Carlsson tallied twice while Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, Chris Kreider, and Ryan Strome each picked up two points for the Ducks (18-10-1), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 37 points. Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the 12-11-6 Blackhawks, who’ve lost three of their last four contests.
Must be some reservation from the Rangers of letting go of Kreider. His 13 goals in 25 games would put him on top of the NY leading scorers! Great fit for Anaheims very talented but young team!
Many of us may complain now and then about the points system in the NHL and how it affects playoff standings (e.g., Detroit a couple of seasons back) … but thank God it isn’t a replica of the NCAA football “committee: farce. What a colossal joke!
The NHL point system artificially promotes “parity”.
If there were 3 pts for a regulation win, two for OT or SO win and one for OT or SO loss, you would see much more separation between teams in the standings.
Regardless of the how the point system affects the standings, it’s hard (or more probably just incorrect) to call the parity in the league artificial. Teams at the bottom of the bottom of the standings are beating better teams all the time. Even Nashville haha. There are few games where you just know that a Cup contender is going to come in and have an easy night against their competitors. Vastly different than twenty years ago, say.
The point system still makes it closer than it really is. Take TB and Buffalo that are 8 pts apart. Under the 3pt RW system they would be 13 pts apart.
Marco: if the teams at the bottom were beating better teams all the time then they wouldn’t be bottom teams, would they?
Of course the point structure is artificial parity. But it’s not the only parity factor at work.
Consider the following:
Waiver rules which increase the chance of a player being claimed by other teams. The purpose is to ensure talent laden teams don’t warehouse good players and keep them for themselves.
The limit on the # of players teams can keep on a roster. Purpose same as above.
The maximum length of a contract in itself, and the soon to disappear benefit of the extra year a player’s current team has. Potentially makes players available to teams sooner.
The the eligibility limits around the lottery draft, including exclusions of half the league and a cap on the # of overall # 1 picks a team can have in a certain period. Not unique to the NHL, but still.
The salary cap, perhaps the most obvious artificial parity tool.
This is just off of the top of my head, and I’m sure I have missed some other examples. Artificial parity seems pretty clear to me.
Logan Thompson needs to Canada’s Olympic starter, barring an injury or his game falling off a cliff, which is highly unlikely.
He is having another outstanding season, which is all he has done his entire NHL and even AHL career. His numbers are excellent in the playoffs as well. What more does a guy need to do?
If Binnington can’t get it turned around, I wouldn’t even bring him. Stick tap for the 4 Nations where he played well, including the final, but the guy is struggling big time. Here’s hoping he gets it going, but best get on it.
Kuemper (won a cup and playing well for a couple seasons) as the #2, with Wedgewood as the insurance policy #3.
Get off the nostalgia, if that is what they are thinking, because he was there last time, bring who is playing well now.
I am somewhat confident they will.
That and get the rink finished.
Could not agree more Ray!
Binnington won last night in Montreal, giving up 3 on 26 shots (.885 save %) … not great … but good enough for the win.
That was the 2nd of a back-to-back for both teams, with Hofer stonewalling the Senators in a 2-1 win, stopping 41 of 42 shots (.976 save %). the night before in Ottawa.
The Habs, meanwhile, decided to play Dobes in both games, and while he was solid in the win over the Leafs the night before, stopping 22 of 23 shots (.957 save %), he was far less so last night, giving up 4 on just 18 shots (.778 save %).
Not sure what that decision does for Montembeault’s confidence.
Well it wouldn’t help his confidence George.
Although sometimes tenders need a break from game action when they are working through technical changes.
Kevin Woodly gets into it on sports radio here once a week, and when he starts talking about changes goalies make, from posture to hand position and how it effects their game and movements is pretty crazy. And I thought a golf swing can get out of sync due to small reasons!
Basically what I’m saying is it takes time, and less practice time these days makes it tougher to make changes on the fly. Throwing them into games in the middle of that can make it worse I suppose.
Or they simply thought Dobes gave them a better chance to win the game? Which is the opposite of how most teams handle back to backs. What do I know.
Ray: As I pointed out to George, Montembeault was supposed to start against the Blues but he was sidelined by an illness, forcing them to go with Dobes again.
George, the Canadiens intended to start Montembeault against the Blues on Sunday, but he was sidelined by an illness, so they had no choice but to go with Dobes again and called up Kahkonen to serve as his backup.
Ahh, thanks Lyle – couldn’t see that game in Ottawa last night for some reason – watched the highlights later on YouTube – and did not realize that.
George: I can fault Dobes on none of the goals last night. One came off a bad bounce on the PP, one on a 2 on 1 and 2 on sh&* sloppy play by the Habs in front of the net.
It just wasn’t Montreal’s night. That said, Montembeault is a real problem for the Habs. Would’t be surprised if Kahkonen gets a start in one of the next few games. It’s a surprise the Habs are where they are with two goalies with save % under .900.
Ray Bark,Canada will only need a goalie to play well in one game,against the U.S. They are to talented to lose to the other countries.
Remember Canada losing to the Danes at the Worlds last year, Sr? It wasn’t the Olympic Team Canada but the roster was too good to lose to them.
In a tournament one bad game can cost you.
Wish I was as confident as you Sr! I fall more into the LJ argument, anything can happen in a lose 1 game and you’re out medal round.
The US and Canada have the most talented rosters, but the Swedes and Fins can beat anyone with a hot tender, defend first mentality, and some puck luck.
Heck the Russians are due for a surprise in one of these tournaments. They have some of the best tenders on the planet. I will be a nervous fan, I know that.