NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2026

by | Feb 20, 2026 | News, NHL | 2 comments

Check out the latest Olympic Men’s hockey and NHL news in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NEWS

TSN: Canadian center Connor McDavid has a chance to record the most points in one Olympic Men’s hockey tournament during Friday’s semifinal game against Finland. He’s currently tied the record of 11 points set by Finland’s Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

SPORTSNET: Team Canada coach Jon Cooper didn’t rule out Sidney Crosby returning to the lineup in this tournament. The Canadian captain left his team’s quarterfinal game against Czechia with a lower-body injury.

Team Canada center Connor McDavid (TSN)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is expected to have a quick skate Friday morning to see how he feels. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported it’s unlikely that he’ll be suiting up for the game against Finland. If so, his spot will be taken by Nick Suzuki while McDavid will take over as captain in his absence.

Cooper also didn’t rule out sidelined defenseman Josh Morrissey rejoining the club for Friday’s game.

TSN: Canadian center Sam Bennett said he missed Wednesday’s quarterfinal game with an illness. However, he’s ready to go for Friday’s game against Finland.

NHL.COM: Team USA continues to be inspired by the legacy of the late Johnny Gaudreau. His No. 13 Team USA jersey hangs in their dressing room for this tournament, as it did in the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2025 IIHF World Championships.

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky is leading the next generation of hockey talent for Slovakia. Youngsters such as Slafkovsky, St. Louis Blues forward Dalibor Dvorsky, and New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec have starred for the underdog Team Slovakia as they face the United States in the semifinal on Friday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of Dvorsky, he continues to shine in this tournament. The 20-year-old winger has three goals and three assists in four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slovakia’s bronze-medal performance in 2022 was downplayed by critics because there were no NHL players in that Olympic Men’s hockey tournament. They’ve silenced that criticism this year. Win or lose on Friday, they’ve exceeded expectations.

TORONTO STAR: Anton Lundell revealed a bout of norovirus kept him out of Finland’s final preliminary round game. The Florida Panthers winger returned to action on Wednesday to help the Finns advance to the semifinal against Canada on Friday.

NHL NEWS

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said winger Lucas Raymond and defenseman Moritz Seider will rejoin their teammates next week. He told both players to take a few days to rest after Germany and Sweden were eliminated from the Olympic Men’s hockey tournament on Wednesday. “We want them fresh and recovered,” McLellan said.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev has been skating in recent days. However, it remains unclear whether he’ll be returning to their lineup following the Olympic break. The 36-year-old Tanev has been limited to 11 games by injuries this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway admits he returned from a high-ankle sprain in January too soon. He’s now deemed fit to return to action when the Blues resume their schedule on Feb. 26 against the Seattle Kraken.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NEWS: A lower-body injury cost Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen an opportunity to play for Finland in the 2026 Winter Olympics. He’s now returned to practice and hopes to help his club clinch its first playoff berth in 14 years.







2 Comments

  1. Canada just took a 3-2 lead with about 2:00 to go against Finland – disputed goal but eventually allowed after review – whew!

    Reply
    • The U.S. had better be ready for a similar strong effort from Slovakia.

      Reply

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