NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 15, 2025

by | Oct 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 15, 2025

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reaches another milestone, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk sidelined for weeks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens took their home-opener by downing the Seattle Kraken 5-4 in overtime. Cole Caufield scored twice, including the winning goal, and Ivan Demidov tallied the tying goal late in the third to force the extra period. Jared McCann had a goal and an assist for the Kraken. The Canadiens have won three straight since dropping their season-opener to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens held a video tribute to their late Hall of Famer Ken Dryden, prompting a touching standing ovation from the fans.

Earlier in the day, the Canadiens announced that president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes agreed to contract extensions. The duo has done an impressive job rebuilding the roster by focusing on young talent.

Speaking of young talent, RG. Org’s Marco D’Amico reports that Canadiens prospect Michael Hage is following up an impressive freshman season with the University of Michigan to become a more complete two-way center in his sophomore campaign.

The Habs see the 19-year-old Hage as a future center. For now, he’s focused on playing for Canada at the 2026 World Juniors and helping Michigan win a national championship.

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews had two goals in a 7-4 drubbing of the Nashville Predators, handing the latter their first loss of the season. John Tavares, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson each collected three points for the Leafs while Nick Perbix had a goal and an assist for the Predators.

Anaheim Ducks forward Chris Kreider scored twice, including the winner late in the third period, to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected two assists, moving past Steve Yzerman into ninth place among the all-time assist leaders with 1,065.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner stopped 30 shots to blank the New York Rangers 2-0. Trent Frederic and Adam Henrique were the goal scorers. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin allowed one goal on 21 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers became the first team in NHL history to be shut out in their first three home games of the season.

The Vegas Golden Knights extended their season-opening points streak to four games (2-0-2) by overcoming a 2-0 deficit to double up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Jack Eichel tallied twice while Mitch Marner and Tomas Hertl each had two points. Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill left the game after the first period with a lower-body injury and was still being evaluated after the game. Akira Schmid made 19 saves for the win.

An overtime goal by Jakob Chychrun lifted the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tom Wilson had a goal and two assists for the Capitals as they picked up their third straight victory. Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning.

Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger kicked out 39 shots in a 5-2 victory against the Minnesota Wild. Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists for the Stars, while Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist for the Wild. Stars center Matt Duchene left the game in the third period following a hit by Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton.

The Carolina Hurricanes beat the San Jose Sharks 5-1. Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi made 16 saves in his NHL debut, and Logan Stankoven collected two assists. William Eklund scored for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Hurricanes placed netminder Pyotr Kochetkov on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

TSN: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is expected to miss at least four weeks with a hand/wrist injury suffered during their loss to the Nashville Predators on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk’s absence will be a significant early test for the Senators. Someone must step up and fill the leadership void.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Senators, winger Drake Batherson is expected to make his season debut on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. Batherson missed the first three games of the regular season after suffering an upper-body injury during training camp.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet cited his club’s high penalty minutes and an offseason ankle issue as the reasons behind Matvei Michkov’s reduced ice time thus far. The 20-year-old sophomore winger has yet to score while averaging 15 minutes of ice time per game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov was among the league’s rookie scoring leaders last season. His performance will be a crucial part of the rebuilding Flyers this season.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports revenue projections for this season are strong enough that the players won’t have escrow deducted from their paychecks. They’ll also have escrow money refunded from 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Friedman also said that there’s talk of the salary cap for 2026-27 being higher than the projected $104 million. There could be more clarity on the issue following the Board of Governors meetings in New York this week.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL defenseman Erik Johnson has landed an analyst gig with ESPN. Johnson announced his retirement earlier this month.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 14, 2025

by | Oct 14, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – October 14, 2025

Could the Canucks or Oilers pursue Sabres forward Alex Tuch? Will the Canadiens trade Brendan Gallagher or Jayden Struble? Are the Flames considering adding a backup goaltender? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE CANUCKS OR OILERS PURSUE ALEX TUCH?

SEKERES & PRICE PODCAST: Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek believes the Buffalo Sabres could be an early seller if they have another poor start. He wondered how many players could be asking out by American Thanksgiving (Nov. 27).

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch (NHL Images)

Marek noted that Alex Tuch hasn’t signed a contract extension. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He pointed out that Tuch’s wife is from British Columbia and mused about a possible fit with the Vancouver Canucks, even though he wouldn’t address that club’s need for a second-line center.

The Edmonton Oilers might be another possibility given their cap space after Connor McDavid agreed to accept a discount on a two-year extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tuch has a five-team no-trade list, and one or both teams may be on it. Assuming they’re not, the Canucks and Oilers don’t have a lot of tradeable assets to give up for Tuch. If the Sabres become sellers, they could find better offers from other clubs.

THE LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan was asked if the Canadiens would let Brendan Gallagher finish his contract in Montreal, when it is at the detriment of younger players who deserve to be on the roster.

Cowan doesn’t see Gallagher going anywhere. He pointed out the value the gritty 33-year-old winger continues to have for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gallagher also brings a measure of veteran leadership and gritty two-way play to the up-and-coming Canadiens. His contract expires in 2027, so there’s no need to push him out the door or move him out for cap relief.

Cowan was also asked if Jayden Struble might be a trade chip to address the Canadiens’ roster needs.

While it’s a possibility, they have already traded away three young defensemen. There’s also the big question mark about David Reinbacher after suffering another injury, and the uncertainty over Mike Matheson’s contract situation. He doesn’t see the Canadiens being in a hurry to peddle Struble.

COULD THE FLAMES SEEK ANOTHER BACKUP GOALIE?

SPORTSNET: During the latest episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman said the Calgary Flames were talking to other teams about a backup goaltender.

They intend to give Devin Cooley a shot at securing the backup role to starter Dustin Wolf. If they do add another netminder, they would have four on one-way contracts. Friedman said the teams the Flames are talking to want an enticement to take on one of those extra goalies in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cooley is expected to get the start for Tuesday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights. It’ll be a big test for the 28-year-old netminder, who has six games of NHL experience.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 14, 2025

by | Oct 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 14, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games and the three stars of the week are revealed in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Florida Panthers 5-2 as captain Sean Couturier led the way with two goals and two assists, giving Rick Tocchet his first win as the Flyers’ head coach. Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers, who suffered their first loss of the season.

Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and defenseman Cale Makar netted his first of the season in a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Tage Thompson replied for the Sabres, who are 0-3 to open the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin wasn’t happy with his performance and that of his teammates. “Better start today, worse ending,” Dahlin said in his postgame interview. “Not good power play. Good PK and goaltending, we just can’t catch a break. We have to get out of this bullshit.”

Meanwhile, the Avalanche sent goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to their AHL affiliate for conditioning. An injury sidelined him throughout training camp.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros stopped 31 shots and Jonathan Marchessault tallied twice to beat the Ottawa Senators 4-1, handing the latter their second straight loss. Ridly Greig scored for the Senators, who lost captain Brady Tkachuk in the third period to an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk was injured on a cross-check by Predators captain Roman Josi in the first period. He tried to play through it, but left with about 10 minutes remaining in the game. Senators coach Travis Green had no update on his captain, saying Tkachuk was still being evaluated.

A late goal by Mason Appleton lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Goalie Cam Talbot kicked out 38 shots while Dylan Larkin and former Leaf James van Riemsdyk also scored for the Wings. Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist for the Leafs, who had rallied to overcome a 2-0 deficit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond suffered an upper-body injury in the second period and didn’t return. There was no update on his condition. Meanwhile, Leafs coach Craig Berube singled out William Nylander’s poor play since the start of the season, while praising rookie Easton Cowan’s energy and physicality in his NHL debut.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got two goals from Anthony Cirelli as they held off the Boston Bruins 4-3, handing the latter their first loss of the season. Jonas Johansson made 30 saves for the Lightning. Pavel Zacha collected two assists for the Bruins.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer tallied twice to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Devils goalie Jake Allen turned aside 23 shots before leaving after the second period with muscle cramps. Timo Meier also scored for the Devils. Kirill Marchekov and Dmitri Voronkov replied for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Devils announced that forward Zack MacEwen will miss a considerable period of time with an injury.

Blue Jackets forward Miles Wood left this game after taking a high stick in the face from Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton. Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson missed this game with an upper-body injury and will be sidelined indefinitely.

Rookie winger Jimmy Snuggerud scored twice for his first NHL multi-goal game as the St. Louis Blues rolled to a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Jordan Binnington made 27 saves and Brayden Schenn had a goal and an assist for the Blues. Kiefer Sherwood scored both goals for the Canucks.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Nino Niederreiter, Tanner Pearson, and Morgan Barron each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders, handing the latter their third straight defeat. Defenseman Logan Stanley also had a goal and an assist for the Jets. Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Emil Heineman scored for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Cole Koepke left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury.

The Minnesota Wild blew a 3-0 lead to the Los Angeles Kings but got a shootout goal from Marco Rossi for a 4-3 win. Jared Spurgeon, Kirill Kaprizov, and Matt Boldy scored in regulation for the Wild, while Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield, and Adam Kempe replied for the Kings.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev scored two goals, and Andre Burakovsky potted the winning goal to defeat the Utah Mammoth 3-1, giving Jeff Blashill his first win as the Blackhawks coach. JJ Peterka scored for the Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Mammoth announced that defenseman Sean Durzi will be sidelined for a month with an upper-body injury suffered on Saturday against the Nashville Predators.

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev, Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto, and Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky are the three stars for the week ending Oct. 12.










Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Lane Hutson

by | Oct 13, 2025

Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Lane Hutson

The Montreal Canadiens announced the signing of defenseman Lane Hutson to an eight-year, $70.8 million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite weeks of speculation, it didn’t take long for the Canadiens to reach an agreement with Hutson. Starting in 2026-27, the 2025 Calder Memorial Trophy winner will earn an average annual value of $8.85 million.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (NHL Images).

That’s below the $9 million and $10 million recently bandied about by several pundits. It’s also below the $9 million AAV that Luke Hughes agreed to with the New Jersey Devils, and Jackson LaCombe will start receiving next season with the Anaheim Ducks.

Hughes and LaCombe were predicted to set the market for Hutson, but Canadiens management convinced Hutson to accept a slightly lower AAV.

It can be argued that the circumstances behind the Hughes and LaCombe signings were different than those facing Hutson. The Devils were desperate to get Hughes signed after contract discussions dragged through training camp and preseason. Meanwhile, the Ducks wanted to avoid facing possible salary arbitration with LaCombe next summer.

However, Hutson would’ve faced the same situation as Hughes next year, when he was to become an RFA lacking arbitration rights and ineligible to receive an offer sheet from a rival club. He could’ve played the waiting game through next summer and sought a higher AAV than Hughes and LaCombe, especially if his performance exceeded that of his rookie year.

As with Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky before him, Hutson bought into management’s long-term vision, accepting less than market value on a long-term contract. It’s another indication of the culture the Canadiens are trying to build, one that could lead to a Stanley Cup in the near future.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 13, 2025

by | Oct 13, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – October 13, 2025

The latest on the Oilers’ goaltending and a suggested trade target for the Golden Knights in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer and TSN’s Ryan Rishaug suggesting it’s now or never for Stuart Skinner to establish himself as a reliable starting goaltender. If he can’t, there will be changes.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (NHL Images).

Rishaug told Stauffer that the Oilers intend to let it ride for a little while with Skinner as their starting netminder. However, the 26-year-old goalie is on the clock to prove himself.

The Oilers recently acquired Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth, who is currently with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, getting up to speed after missing training camp and the preseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staples observes that the Oilers’ “Plan B” will be Ingram if Skinner struggles to nail down the starter’s job. The trade market for goalies is thin right now, but it might improve a little over the course of the season if the Oilers feel they must seek a “Plan C” option before the March trade deadline.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes that, if the Oilers don’t win the Stanley Cup this season, they can go out and sign Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. He pointed out that they’ll have the money and cap space to do it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmons is assuming that the Panthers won’t re-sign Bobrovsky and that he’ll want to play for the Oilers if he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. Don’t rule out the Panthers finding a way to keep Bobrovsky in the fold.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Case Keefer suggested Rasmus Andersson as a potential trade target this season for the Golden Knights. The 28-year-old Calgary Flames defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Andersson has stood out above the rest in offseason trade rumors. It’s expected he’ll be traded before the March 6 trade deadline. The Golden Knights are reportedly his destination of choice.

Keefer noted that Mitch Marner was linked to the Golden Knights last season before he ultimately landed in Vegas. “Andersson might be even trickier financially, but it’s hard to rule anything out.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are pressed for cap space for this season, having placed defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injury reserve. They’ll have to shed salary if they intend to take on the remainder of Andersson’s cap hit for this season by the trade deadline. The same goes for next summer if they want to sign him as a UFA.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2025

by | Oct 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2025

The Capitals shut out the Rangers, injury updates on the Penguins’ Kris Letang, the Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm, and the Blue Jackets’ Eric Gudbranson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren made 35 saves to blank the New York Rangers 1-0. Anthony Beauvillier scored the only goal as the Capitals have won two of their first three games of the season. Jonathan Quick stopped 20 shots for the Rangers, who’ve won two of their first four contests.

Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Rangers placed defenseman Carson Soucy (upper body) on injured reserve. He suffered the injury during Saturday’s 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s loss to the Rangers.

NESN: Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (lower-body injury) is unlikely to play in Monday’s matinee against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s listed as day-to-day but could return later in the week.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson is being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

NHL.COM: Utah Mammoth defenseman Ian Cole was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL department of player safety for a dangerous trip against Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks blueliner Tyler Myers was fined $2,500.00 for slashing Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid on Saturday.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan will make his NHL debut on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cowan, 20, was chosen in the first round (28th overall) by the Maple Leafs in the 2023 NHL Draft. He’s considered their top prospect.

TSN: The Florida Panthers signed forward Jonah Gadjovich to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates the 27-year-old Gadjovich will receive an average annual value of $905K.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (upper-body injury) will return to the lineup for Monday’s game against the Predators.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets blueliner Haydn Fleury is day-to-day with a bruised knee.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reports San Jose Sharks owner Hasso Plattner recently raised eyebrows with some pointed comments about previous moves made by his club.

Plattner admitted that letting long-time Sharks forward Joe Pavelski depart to the Dallas Stars as a free agent was a mistake. He said acquiring defenseman Erik Karlsson may have been great in theory but not in practice, admitting he’d been a good player but not a team-friendly one.

The Sharks owner also admitted the long-term contracts for Karlsson, Tomas Hertl, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic put off a necessary rebuild, and that he backed current general manager Mike Grier’s work in building up the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hindsight in 20-20 and those regrets won’t change history. What matters now for the Sharks is that Grier’s rebuilding efforts continue to have Plattner’s support. The Sharks GM completed the teardown two years ago and has done a good job building up the roster with good young players and veteran acquisitions.