NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2026
A big night for Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon ties a franchise record, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane closes in on a league record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard tallied his first career hat trick and collected three assists in his 400th career NHL regular-season game in a 6-5 victory over the Washington Capitals. Connor McDavid tallied twice (including the winner in overtime) and had three assists for the 26-19-8 Oilers. Justin Sourdif and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (25-21-7), who are 1-4-1 in their last six games.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a historic game for Bouchard. He became the fourth defenseman to factor in all of his team’s goals in a six-goal game, joining Bobby Orr, Al MacInnis, and Doug Crossman. He was the fourth blueliner in Oilers history to score a hat trick, joining Paul Coffey, Marc-Andre Bergeron, and Risto Siltanen, and joined Coffey and Kevin Lowe as the only Oilers rearguards to net at least six points in a game.
Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.
The Buffalo Sabres got a 26-save shutout by Alex Lyon to blank the New York Islanders 5-0. Jason Zucker scored two goals for the Sabres (29-17-5), who’ve won three straight games and are 18-3-1 in their last 22 contests. This was the first game in this season that the Islanders (27-19-5) were shut out.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lyon tied the Sabres record of Gerry Desjardins (1976-77) with nine consecutive wins. Earlier in the day, the Sabres made a minor trade, acquiring defenseman Gavin Bayreuther from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for prospect forward Viktor Neuchev.
Islanders center Bo Horvat returned to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury. Head coach Patrick Roy was not pleased with the performance of the line of Mathew Barzal, Anthony Duclair, and team captain Anders Lee, benching them for the entire third period. Isles defenseman Ryan Pulock missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher scored two goals in a 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Lucas Raymond and Marco Kasper each had a goal and an assist, and John Gibson made 26 saves for the 32-16-5 Red Wings, who took over first place in the Atlantic Division with 69 points. Cole Koepke replied for the Jets (20-24-7).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected an assist to move within one point of Mike Modano’s record for the most points among U.S.-born players (1,374). Meanwhile, teammate Simon Edvinsson missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.
A hat trick by Mason Marchment powered the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-5. Marchment finished with four points while Charlie Coyle and Adam Fantilli each had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets (24-20-7), who have won six of their last seven games. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists while Jake Guentzel and Anthony Cirelli each collected three points for the 32-14-4 Lightning as their 15-game points streak ended.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak left this game with an injury.
Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie tallied twice in a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Charlie McAvoy collected three assists for the Bruins (30-20-2), who’ve won eight of their last nine games. Cole Caufield scored all three goals for the 28-17-7 Canadiens, who are 3-4-1 in their last eight games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shaky goaltending and penalty killing were once again the Canadiens’ undoing. They’re sixth overall in goals per game (3.37) and eighth in power-play percentage (23.8), but are 24th in goals against per game (3.29) and 26th in penalty-killing percentage (76.5).
Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand scored twice (including the winning goal) and picked up an assist to beat the Minnesota 4-3 in overtime. Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist for the 27-20-3 Panthers. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy each had a goal and an assist for the 29-14-10 Wild.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand returned to action after missing seven games with an injury. Boldy was back after missing four games with a lower-body injury.
The Los Angeles Kings nipped the St. Louis Blues 5-4 on a shootout goal by Trevor Moore, who also scored in the third period. Alex Laferriere had a goal and an assist for the Kings (21-16-13). Jordan Kyrou scored twice for the Blues, who dropped to 19-24-9 as their winless skid reached four games (0-3-1).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moore had missed 11 games with an upper-body injury.
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi kicked out 35 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Seth Jarvis had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (32-15-5), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 69 points. Tim Stutzle replied for the 23-21-7 Senators, who are 1-2-2 in their last five games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold first overall in the East over the Red Wings because they hold a game in hand. Before the game, the Senators inducted former head coach Jacques Martin into their Ring of Honour.
Third-period goals by Barrett Hayton and JJ Peterka lifted the Utah Mammoth to a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves, and Mikhail Sergachev collected three assists for the 27-20-5 Mammoth, who picked up their fifth straight win. Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault scored for the Predators (24-23-4).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague missed this game as he’s considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
After seeing the recent success of Brandon Bussi teams should take a hard look at Boston s 2 goalies playing in Providence right now. As an organization Boston has had good success drafting and developing goalies.
In hindsight and retrospect … admittedly two of the most useless of emotions and psychology when reviewing failed decisions or missed opportunities – I still wish Staios and his brain-trust had been more astute when Bussi went on Florida waivers Oct 5, just before the opening of the current season.
Because it occurred before the season began, the waiver order was based on the final 2024-25 standings and in reverse order. Which meant Carolina – who grabbed him – were picking around 23rd, two after Ottawa at the time (a LOT of teams therefore passed on him – some even then with goalie issues of their own).
But in reality – and all fairness – with Merilainen elevated due to a strong back-up performance last season, and no hint of the coming issues to face Ullmark, goaltending was not one of the areas where the team was perceived to need some shoring up.
Boy, has THAT changed. Again last night, in front of a home crowd, the Senators held the decided edge in play throughout, out-shooting the Hurricanes 36 – 19, but could only push 1 past Bussi, while their goalie was giving up 4. It’s been an all too familiar story all season.
As a consequence, this morning they find themselves in the 8th picking order in this year’s draft – well within the lottery (and no 1st round pick) – and just 6 points from the 2nd pick overall, same as the number of points they sit back of the last WC slot. With Vegas dropping by tonight and a ? mark in goal!
And speaking of “astute” and its meaning of “having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one’s advantage”. this fits Tulsky to a “T.”
He had Andersen and Kochetkov penciled in as his goalie tandem, and yet saw the potential of an undrafted goalie who hadn’t even played an NHL game to that point. All he’s done for them is go 19-3-1 with a 2.10gaa and 0.911 save %.
Where would the Senators – and the Habs – be with that sort of back-stop stats?
And clearly Tulsky, when claiming Bussi, wasn’t doing so to try and bury him in their farm system as “depth.” He made his NHL debut early on when filling in for the injured Kochetkov against San Jose on Oct 14, making 16 saves in a 5-1 victory. And hasn’t looked back.
Its very rare that Carolina is out shot and completely dominated in the face off circle the way they were last night.
At 27 years old Bussi is making the best of his first NHL opportunity. He is making $775,000 this year and will be a UFA at the end of the season. He has played 23 NHL games and won 19 of them. Carolina should have signed him to an extension by now.
Detroit has 4 goalie prospects with stellar #’s and projections right now and 2 others that are good as well! I am thinking at least 1 goes for another need rather soon.
Does misery like company George? Slide over. It is a full blown miracle the Habs are where they are with a starting goalie who can’t make a save.
I was so dispirited I turned off the Oilers game only to miss the best part.
LOL. I watched some of that Habs-Bruins game last night, LJ, and I can commiserate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhy2205GpKo
Amazing how Montembeault had played a solid game, then gave up a weak backhand goal to tie the game and a short side PPG which also could have been stopped. A good game gone in 15 seconds.
LJ. I for one hope that this ends the need for a #2 Center as the Habs primary need. Sure a 2nd line center with more experience/talent than Kapanen would be great but unless you can get a timely save the result will be the same. Ruined a great game by Caulfield last night. With Vegas, Colarado, Buffalo and Minnesota coming up, we could be on the outside looking in, in the next 10 days. Hopefully they don’t make any panic moves and save their assets for a starting goalie in the off season.
There are extremely few options, Habsman67. A number of teams have been looking for an upgrade in goal for a while now.
LJ, waiver lists aside (those won’t pop up often), that’s where a GM worth his salt assesses the reports and analysis – not to mention recommendations – from his scouting staff on young goalies in various systems around the league, and makes an offer that would grab the interest of the holding team.
Nothing ventured … nothing gained.