NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2026
Recapping Thursday’s preseason action, the Blue Jackets finally sign Adam Fantilli, the Blackhawks sign Oliver Moore to a four-year extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S PRESEASON GAMES
NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks rookie forward Ivar Stenberg tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in a 10-0 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Michael Misa had a goal and three assists, Igor Chernyshov had two goals and an assist, Mason Marchment scored twice, and Alex Nedeljkovic turned in a 21-save shutout.
San Jose Sharks prospect Ivar Stenberg (NHL Images).
The Carolina Hurricanes rallied from a four-goal deficit to defeat the Nashville Predators 6-5. Logan Stankoven scored twice (including the tying goal) and added an assist; Taylor Hall had three assists, and Felix Unger Sorum tallied the winning goal. Justus Annunen turned aside 31 shots for the Predators.
Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel scored in overtime and picked up two assists in a 5-4 win over the Utah Mammoth. Shea Theodore had three assists for the Golden Knights, and Kevin Stenlund had three assists for the Mammoth.
The Seattle Kraken overcame a 3-1 deficit to nip the Calgary Flames 4-3 on a shootout goal by Berkly Catton. Matty Beniers had two assists, and Brandon Montour and Ryker Evans scored in the third period to force overtime and the shootout. Devin Cooley made 23 saves for the Flames.
An overtime goal by Alex DeBrincat lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon and forward Jiri Kulich left this game with injuries.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lyon appeared to injure his left shoulder in the first period. Head coach Lindy Ruff is optimistic that he’s not seriously hurt. Kulich departed in the second period with an undisclosed injury for precautionary reasons.
St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington stopped 17 shots to blank the Chicago Blackhawks 1-0. Calle Rosen scored the only goal as the Blues spoiled Patrick Kane’s first game with the Blackhawks since returning on a two-year contract signed in July.
The Edmonton Oilers got a 25-save performance from goalie Tristan Jarry in a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Isaac Howard had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, while Linus Karlsson replied for the Canucks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oft-injured Canucks forward Filip Chytil left this game in the first period after clipping skates with a referee and crashing into the end boards. Chytil is being evaluated for a shoulder injury.
Philadelphia Flyers netminder Joseph Woll kicked out 28 shots to shut out the Boston Bruins 2-0. Matvei Michkov and Cole Knuble scored for the Flyers. Michael DiPietro made 26 saves for the Bruins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers forward Trevor Zegras received a minor penalty for “improperly wearing his equipment” by tucking his jersey into the back of his pants. Meanwhile, Flyers defenseman Helge Grans left the game with a lower-body injury.
The Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Cole Reinhardt and Kai Schwindt each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers. Jansen Harkins tallied twice for the Lightning.
Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Cam Talbot had a 15-save shutout, and Valeri Nichushkin scored in a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Dmitri Voronkov had two assists for the Blue Jackets. Sergei Murashov stopped 13 shots for the Penguins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Penguins announced that forward Ben Kindel is sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
Meanwhile, winger Andrei Kuzmenko will be taking time away from the team for family reasons after his father was killed in a bear attack while on a fishing trip in southern Siberia. My condolences to Kuzmenko and his family.
New York Rangers forward Will Cuylle had a goal and an assist in regulation and scored the winner in a shootout to defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Nico Daws made 20 saves for the Devils.
HEADLINES
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed center Adam Fantilli to a six-year contract worth an average annual value of $13.75 million.
Fantilli, 21, missed the opening week of training camp as negotiations with Blue Jackets management took longer than anticipated. His new contract puts the Jackets over the $104 million salary cap by $1.204 million. However, the club will become cap-compliant by placing sidelined goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (shoulder) and Isac Lundestrom (Achilles tear) on long-term injury reserve.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ripples from Leo Carlsson’s offer sheet in July continue to be felt throughout the league. Carlsson’s new contract reset the market for young NHL talent. It also caught some teams off-guard, forcing them to pay much more than expected to re-sign their best young players.
Fantilli was coming off his entry-level contract, which should’ve given the Blue Jackets full leverage in their contract negotiations. However, his value as their top center, uncertainty about the future of top defenseman Zach Werenski and scoring winger Kirill Marchenko, and pressure on the club to make the playoffs ensured Fantilli would get a more lucrative deal.
CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks signed forward Oliver Moore to a five-year contract extension worth $4.25 million AAV.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moore had 19 points in 51 games as a rookie last season. His speed, versatility, and two-way skills give him the potential to become a top-six forward with the Blackhawks.
THE SCORE: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman replied to Mark Messier’s criticism of the club hiring Mike Babcock as head coach.
“I think if he really wants to see what’s going on firsthand, he’s more than welcome to come here,” Hyman said. “I think Oilers fans love him. Like I said, there’s a lot of excitement, there’s a lot of positivity here – nothing but good is happening right now. So, to try and spew something negative right now, I think it’s his opinion. Like I said, I have a lot of respect for him, and if he’d like to see what’s going on he’s more than welcome to come down.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll all learn soon enough whether the criticism about Babcock’s hiring was justified.
THE ATHLETIC: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Steven Lorentz on waivers as a potential prelude to signing defenseman Nick Blankenburg, who is in training camp on a professional tryout offer.
OTTAWA SUN: The Senators placed goalie Levi Merilainen on waivers.
NHL.COM: The league and the Winnipeg Jets announced that the statistical history of the club will include the original Jets (1979-80 to 1995-96) and their years as the Atlanta Thrashers (1999-2000 to 2010-11).
Dylan Larkine timeline….I am still trying to figure
this one out from yesterday. Dylan goes to Yzerman
and asks to be traded. Stevie hems and haws and does nothing. Then he is kicked upstairs. Now isn’t
the GM who suceeds him supposed to handle the
trade request? The problem in Detroit was there
was no successor. I will allow Lyle or someone to explain it to me.
It is called incompetence. By delaying Eddy’s and the Cat’s contracts, it is going to cost the over $2-3M more AAV, delaying a Larkin trade will cost them also. And there seems to be no progress even after naming Horcoff interim GM.
Are you replying to me? I recognize the word
incompetence being an Oilers fan.
Passing the buck or dealing with a hot potatoe,
that is Yzerman did by not dealing with
Larkins request. For all I know he called his fellow
GM’s and got no bites. Then he was sent upstairs.
But there is a large void now in Red wings management. A permanent GM!!!
With exception of a couple players I think there will be a lot of players going to their respective places in the ahl and ECHL I’ve seen nothing from Steeves, or any of the others, Gaunce, Sweezey, Biasca, Ivan Ivan, Schmaltz, Duran, Kuraly, Halonen , Reichel, etc. still think Dans has got something but whether he survives depends on how he plays in the next game. Man oh man did Dipietro ever play well last night great back up yo Swayman.
Dan will be sent down regardless of what he does as he does not need waivers. So his time will be next season
“improperly wearing his equipment” – yet another Mickey-mouse rule improperly taken to its extreme by referees. How in Hell does tucking a jersey into the back of the pants rate a 2-minute minor? Get real, NHL.
Yep well in this case it means the bench was warned, the player was warned a second time and he gets the gate the 3rd time. So I guess follow the rules like em or not? Zegras has history for struggles eith authority so it probabky was some of his childish behavior that got under the skin of a zebra who unprofessionally retalliated. Happens. Regardless…consequences to his chosen behavior. The world might be a better place if more consequences were actually enforced….
Rule is dumb but guy breaking it is dumber
John Apple, let’s be honest with yourself. The Bruins are transitioning to a younger team though they Don t want to admit it. They have 10 defensemen and several forwards on NHL contracts and no place for them. I would ride out the storm with Hagens, Minten,KMan,Brunet,Reichel,Dipietro,Aspirot and even Locmelis to name a few. Major decisions need to be made on Zacha and Middlestadt since they are in the last year of their contracts. There only chance at a playoff berth is if Swayman is lights out,Mcavoy stays healthy and Geekie,Peterka and Pasta have big offensive years!