Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 7, 2025

by | Dec 7, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 7, 2025

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: the Devils reportedly spoke to the Canucks about Quinn Hughes, and the Oilers could be interested in Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New Jersey Devils are looking around to see what’s in the trade market.

Friedman believes they had a conversation with the Vancouver Canucks about Quinn Hughes soon after the Canucks informed the rest of the league that they’re open for business. He doesn’t believe that anything is imminent or how far those discussions went, but thinks that there was a conversation about where things stand and where they might be going.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hughes’ contract expires at the end of next season. The 26-year-old defenseman has been the subject of conjecture suggesting he could be reunited with his brothers, Jack and Luke, who both play for the Devils.

Hughes was asked about the report following the Canucks’ win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. He said that he wasn’t part of a call involving Canucks president Jim Rutherford and Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald, but stated that he was aware that things like that might happen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils may have been conducting due diligence regarding Hughes, such as asking the Canucks to keep them in mind if they decide to trade the superstar blueliner. He’s reportedly not among the players the Canucks are willing to move before the March 6 trade deadline, focusing more on those who are eligible to become unrestricted free agents next July.

Nevertheless, this is only going to stoke speculation that Hughes will be traded if he remains noncommittal about signing a contract extension next summer. He lacks no-trade protection, giving the Canucks a broad field of potential trade partners.

The move could take place during the summer, when teams have more cap space and a willingness to make blockbuster deals. However, as we saw with Mikko Rantanen last season, we can’t dismiss the possibility of a major move occurring before the March trade deadline.

Two of their trade targets also include Nashville Predators forwards Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly. Stamkos, 35, has a full no-movement clause. The 34-year-old O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but Friedman said the veteran center has been promised verbally by Predators management that he will have a say.

The Devils are pressed against the salary cap. Friedman believes any move they make will have to be a dollar-in, dollar-out situation, meaning they must move salary in any deal they make. He also has nothing from the New Jersey side about what it would take to get Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes is a superstar, and that means parting with multiple assets. The Canucks will likely want a multiplayer return, including promising blueliner Simon Nemec, at least one of their top prospects, and a couple of draft picks (including a first-rounder).

They won’t have to part with as much for aging stars like Stamkos or O’Reilly. Nevertheless, it will mean moving a salaried player as part of the return. And no, that doesn’t mean Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, or Luke Hughes would be moved. Dougie Hamilton surfaced during the summer in the rumor mill, but he has a 10-team trade list and insists he wants to stay in New Jersey.

Friedman believes there is legitimate interest by the Edmonton Oilers in Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. However, it would be extremely complicated and might not be possible.

Jarry is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $5.375 million. However, the Penguins will not retain salary, and the Oilers are cap-strapped and would have to shed salary. It would not be a Jarry for Stuart Skinner situation, as they’d prefer to pair Jarry with Skinner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That sounds like a move that might have to happen during the offseason, when the Oilers will have more cap room to work with. However, by that point, the situation could change. Jarry could struggle again, or a better goalie might become available.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2025

by | Dec 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2025

Nathan MacKinnon ties the Avalanche goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, including the winner in overtime, as the Colorado Avalanche nipped the New York Rangers 3-2. Martin Necas collected three assists as the league-leading Avalanche (46 points) became the first team to reach the 20-win plateau (20-2-6). Igor Shesterkin kicked out 39 shots while Conor Sheary and Artemi Panarin replied for the 15-13-3 Rangers.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league with 24 goals and 48 points. He also reached 391 career NHL regular-season goals, tying Joe Sakic for the most goals in Avalanche history. Sakic remains the overall franchise leader (Avalanche and Quebec Nordiques) with 625.

The Florida Panthers overcame 4-1 and 6-4 deficits to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-6 on an overtime goal by Sam Bennett, who also collected three assists. Brad Marchand also had a goal and three assists, and Carter Verhaeghe tallied twice and picked up an assist for the Panthers, who snapped a four-game losing skid and improved to 13-12-2. Dmitri Voronkov, Miles Wood, Cole Sillinger, and Isac Lundestrom each had a goal and an assist for the 13-9-6 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen returned to action after being sidelined since Nov. 15 from burns to his lower body suffered when his propane grill malfunctioned and exploded while he was cooking.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin turned in a 32-save shutout to blank the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0. Calum Ritchie and Casey Cizikas were the goal scorers for the 16-10-3 Islanders. Jonas Johansson stopped 17 of 18 shots for the Lightning (16-10-2), who have lost three straight but remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning captain Victor Hedman returned to action after missing the last 12 games with an undisclosed injury. Starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and winger Nikita Kucherov missed this game and are day-to-day with undisclosed injuries.

A shootout goal by Alexandre Texier lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cole Caufield scored to extend his points streak to 10 games for the Canadiens (15-9-3). Dennis Hildeby made 33 saves, and Scott Laughton scored for the 13-11-4 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Maple Leafs placed starting goalie Joseph Woll (lower body) on injured reserve.

St. Louis Blues netminder Joel Hofer turned aside 41 shots, and Jake Neighbours scored twice to beat the Ottawa Senators by a score of 2-1. Fabian Zetterlund replied for the Senators (13-11-4), who have dropped four of their last five games. The Blues now sit at 10-12-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues winger Jordan Kyrou left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, the Senators played without center Shane Pinto, who suffered a lower-body injury during Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers. Pinto will be sidelined for at least two weeks.

Vancouver Canucks center Aatu Raty had his first multipoint NHL game with two goals and an assist in a 4-2 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Rookie defenseman Tom Wallinder scored his first NHL goal, and goalie Nikita Tolopilo stopped 28 shots for the Canucks (11-15-3) as they ended a four-game losing skid. Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello each had a goal and an assist, and goalie Jesper Wallstedt suffered his first regulation loss of the season for the Wild (15-9-5), who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks center Elias Pettersson left the warmup for this game with an upper-body injury.

The Calgary Flames blanked the Utah Mammoth 2-0. Dustin Wolf made 27 saves for the shutout while Yegor Sharangovich and Connor Zary scored for the 11-15-4 Flames, who are 6-2-1 in their last nine games. Vitek Vanecek stopped 21 of 22 shots for the 14-13-3 Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth center Logan Cooley was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Jackson Blake and Nikolaj Ehlers each had three points in a 6-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Goalie Brandon Bussi made 19 saves for his sixth straight win for the 17-8-2 Hurricanes. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who dropped to 10-14-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi returned to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie scored for the 10th time in nine games in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 29 shots as the Bruins improved to 17-13-0. Timo Meier replied for the Devils (16-12-1), who have lost five straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie sits second among NHL skaters this season with 22 goals.

A four-goal first period carried the Edmonton Oilers over the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 6-2. Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Connor McDavid each had two points for the 13-11-5 Oilers. Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Koepke replied for the Jets (14-13-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid has been rising in the points race lately, sitting second to the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon with 42 points.

A late goal by Patrick Kane gave the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. John Gibson made 24 saves for the win as the Red Wings improved to 15-11-3. Adam Larsson had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-6 Kraken, who have lost five straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is closing in on the 500-goal milestone with 497.

The Los Angeles Kings thumped the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0. Darcy Kuemper turned in a 23-save shutout, and Brandt Clarke scored two goals for the 13-8-7 Kings. Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight made 26 saves as his club dropped to 12-10-6.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars placed forward Tyler Seguin (ACL) on long-term injury reserve and put defenseman Lian Bichsel on injured reserve following surgery on his left leg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For now, the Stars will get just over $3.8 million in cap relief by placing Seguin on LTIR. If it’s determined that he’ll miss the rest of the season (including the playoffs), he’ll be moved to season-ending LTIR, enabling them to exceed the salary cap by the remainder of his $9.8 million cap hit.

Meanwhile, Bichsel is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

ESPN.COM: Former Stars owner Tom Hicks died on Saturday at age 79. He owned the club from 1995 to 2011, during which they won the Stanley Cup in 1999 and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2000.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hicks’ family and the Stars organization.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 6, 2025

by | Dec 6, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 6, 2025

Could the Devils attempt to acquire Predators winger Steven Stamkos? Were the Canucks scouting Canadiens forward Zach Bolduc? What’s the latest on Alex Formenton? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols weighed in on a recent rumor suggesting the Devils may be interested in Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos.

Nichols noted that the Devils were among the few suitors for Stamkos when he went to free agency in July 2024. While his production has declined with the Predators, it could improve playing with the Devils, where he’d have playmakers such as Jesper Bratt and a healthy Jack Hughes to set him up.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

Nevertheless, a Stamkos trade would be a risky move. He’s 35, with two years remaining on his contract, which carries an average annual value of $8 million. A potential trade would require the Predators to retain some salary, which means increasing the compensation going to Nashville.

Nichols wondered if a prospect such as Seamus Casey and two second-round draft picks would be enough to land Stamkos.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils have been struggling to score lately, partly because Hughes is sidelined with an injured hand. Once he returns, they could still seek a reliable scorer.

Stamkos probably isn’t the only one they’re considering, assuming he’s willing to waive his no-movement clause to go to New Jersey. Management will likely remain patient and see what other options emerge in the trade market as more teams fall by the wayside in the playoff chase.

TVA SPORTS: CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal claimed the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild are two teams with an interest in Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old Vancouver Canucks winger is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July, and the two sides aren’t any closer to a contract extension.

The Canucks recently scouted the Canadiens during their game against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. They’re interested in getting a young player in exchange for Sherwood, and Dhaliwal wondered if they might target someone like Canadiens winger Zack Bolduc.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are interested in adding to their forward line, preferably a second-line center. However, giving up the 22-year-old Bolduc (who was acquired from the St. Louis Blues last summer) for the 30-year-old Sherwood goes against the Habs’ habit of bringing in players in their twenties with term remaining on their contracts.

The Canadiens probably prefer to offer up a draft pick or prospect for Sherwood. If the asking price is Bolduc, they might look elsewhere for help at forward.

TSN: Darren Dreger believes Alex Formenton could become an offer-sheet candidate next summer.

The 26-year-old Ottawa Senators forward is a restricted free agent who is now ineligible to play in the NHL this season because he wasn’t signed by the Dec. 1 deadline for an RFA contract.

In September, Senators general manager Steve Staios said Formenton would not be returning to the club, as both sides believed it was best for him to have a fresh start elsewhere. Staios attempted to trade Formenton this fall, but couldn’t find any takers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2025

by | Dec 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2025

Stars winger Mikko Rantanen reaches a scoring milestone, Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke takes over the lead in the rookie scoring race, the Kings aren’t considering a coach change, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists as the Dallas Stars defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-1, extending their points streak to nine games. Wyatt Johnston collected two assists as the Stars have won six of their last seven games, improving to 19-5-5. Collin Graf replied for the 13-13-3 Sharks.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen recorded his 200th career regular-season multipoint game. He’s the fourth Finnish player in NHL history to do so, joining Jari Kurri (385), Teemu Selanne (382), and Aleksander Barkov (209).

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Washington Capitals 4-3 on a shootout goal by Mason McTavish, snapping the latter’s six-game winning streak. Beckett Sennecke and Ross Johnston each had a goal and an assist as the Ducks (17-10-1) remain perched atop the Pacific Division with 35 points. Logan Thompson made 35 saves for the Capitals (17-9-3), who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 37 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sennecke took over the lead in the NHL rookie scoring race with 22 points. His teammate, Mikael Granlund, returned to action following a 10-game absence with a lower-body injury.

Capitals rookie Ryan Leonard left this game in the first period following a high hit by Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba, who was initially assessed a five-minute major penalty but that was overturned upon review.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid made 24 saves to shut out the New Jersey Devils 3-0. Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl, and Ivan Barbashev were the goal scorers, while Jack Eichel picked up two assists for the 13-6-8 Golden Knights, who picked up their third straight victory. Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves for the Devils, who have lost four straight and dropped to 16-11-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. They also placed center William Karlsson (lower body) on long-term injury reserve.

The Winnipeg Jets got a goal and an assist from Kyle Connor in a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Connor extended his goal streak to four games, Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Koepke also had a goal and an assist each, and Eric Comrie made 34 saves for the 14-12-1 Jets. Jason Zucker scored for the Sabres, who dropped to 11-13-4.

Utah Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka stopped 31 shots as his club beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Mikhail Sergachev and Kevin Stenlund each had a goal and an assist for the 14-12-3 Mammoth. Arshdeep Bains scored for the Canucks (10-15-3) as their losing skid extended for four games.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Pierre LeBrun contacted Los Angeles Kings general manager Ken Holland regarding rumors that head coach Jim Hiller might be replaced. Holland said there was “zero truth” to the speculation, which arose because the Kings are mired in an extended slump.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have won twice in their last eight games (2-3-3). They are 29th in scoring, averaging 2.56 goals per game.

THE ATHLETIC: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said he’s dropped almost 20 pounds since suffering a fractured jaw when he was struck in the face on Nov. 15 by a slapshot by Montreal Canadiens blueliner Noah Dobson.

McAvoy underwent surgery and is on a liquid diet during his recovery. It will take six weeks from the date of his surgery until his jaw is healed. He cannot eat solid food until then. Head coach Marco Sturm said they won’t rush McAvoy back into the lineup, preferring to wait until he’s fully recovered physically and mentally.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No date has been set yet for McAvoy’s return, but it wouldn’t be surprising if it is sometime in early January.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Shane Pinto (lower-body injury) will miss Saturday’s game with the St. Louis Blues. It remains unknown as to how much longer he’ll be out of the lineup.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predators placed forward Ozzy Wiesblatt and defenseman Justin Barron on injured reserve with upper-body injuries.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 5, 2025

by | Dec 5, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 5, 2025

Are the Devils interested in Predators forward Steven Stamkos? Could the Stars pursue Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood or Flames forward Blake Coleman? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

STEVEN STAMKOS LINKED TO THE DEVILS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the New Jersey Devils are believed to have internally discussed Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos, among several other trade targets.

Stamkos, 35, is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $8 million and a full no-movement clause. LeBrun doubts that he’s going anywhere this season, but indicated that the Predators “would definitely listen to calls on him.”

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

The Devils were among the suitors for Stamkos when he was an unrestricted free agent in 2024. LeBrun suggests this is something to keep an eye on as we get closer to the March 6 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Stamkos’ production since 2023-24 likely means the Devils won’t have to put together a significant offer to pry him away from the Predators, assuming he’ll waive his NMC.

Cap space will be a sticking point. The Devils have a projected $3.6 million in trade deadline cap room. Even if they convince the Predators to retain salary (which will raise their asking price), they still must free up more cap space to acquire Stamkos.

HOW WILL THE STARS REPLACE TYLER SEGUIN?

TSN: Chris Johnston believes the recent injury to Tyler Seguin could turn the Dallas Stars into more aggressive buyers by the trade deadline.

Seguin suffered what could be a season-ending knee injury earlier this week. The Stars currently have just over $3 million in cap space, but that’s with sidelined forwards Matt Duchene and Adam Erne and defenseman Nils Lundkvist on long-term injury reserve (LTIR)

If Seguin is out for the season (including the playoffs), he’ll go on season-ending long-term injury reserve (SELTIR). That would enable the Stars to spend up to the entirety of his $9.85 million cap hit to exceed the cap to another player.

On the other hand, if Seguin is expected to return later in the regular season or during the playoffs, the LTIR benefit is limited to last season’s average league salary, which was just over $3.8 million.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos goes into greater detail regarding the changes to the LTIR policy and how it would affect the Stars’ efforts to replace Seguin.

If Seguin’s gone for the season, she speculates the Stars could trade for a forward with an expensive cap hit to replace him on the roster. If he is to return later this season, the Stars will have to be more conservative in their efforts to add to their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston noted that the Stars were reportedly among the clubs interested in Vancouver Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood. His $1.5 million cap hit would make him a very affordable trade option.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports the Stars and the Toronto Maple Leafs are showing a strong interest in Blake Coleman. The 32-year-old Calgary Flames winger is signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $4.9 million and a 10-team no-trade list.

Murphy claimed the Utah Mammoth, Minnesota Wild, and Carolina Hurricanes have also been linked to Coleman. He believes the Flames winger could be a cost-effective option who could move earlier than more expensive teammates such as Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Seguin goes on SELTIR, the Stars will be in a better position to pursue Coleman than the cap-strapped Leafs. The Mammoth, Hurricanes, and Wild would be in an even better cap position and could have more tradeable assets to work with.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

by | Dec 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

Four-point performances for Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Drasaitl, the Islanders snap the Avalanche’s 17-game point streak, Rangers winger Artemi Panarin reaches a scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each collected four points as the Edmonton Oilers thumped the Seattle Kraken 9-4. McDavid had a hat trick and collected an assist, while Draisaitl had a goal and three assists as the Oilers improved to 12-11-5. Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko picked up two assists as his club dropped its fourth straight game, slipping to 11-8-6.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Mason Marchment missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day.

The New York Islanders ended the league-leading Colorado Avalanche’s 17-game points streak with a 6-3 victory. Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 35 shots for the 15-10-3 Islanders. Martin Necas netted a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (19-2-6), who suffered their first regulation loss since Oct. 25, when they fell 5-1 to the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders honored Avalanche center Brock Nelson with a tribute video in his first game back as a visitor. He spent 12 seasons with the Isles from 2013-14 to 2024-25, scoring 310 goals and 294 assists for 604 points in 901 games before being traded to the Avs last March. Nelson collected an assist in this game.

Meanwhile, Islanders winger Jonathan Drouin was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist to reach 900 career NHL regular-season points as his club doubled up the Ottawa Senators by a score of 4-2. J.T. Miller had three assists, and Mika Zibanejad scored to extend his points streak to five games as the Rangers improved to 15-12-2. Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson each had two points for the 13-10-4 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Shane Pinto left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and will be reevaluated on Friday. Before the game, the Senators indicated that defenseman Thomas Chabot will be out for another 10 days with an upper-body injury, while blueliner Artem Zub (lower body) and forward Lars Eller (undisclosed) are day-to-day.

Evgeni Malkin scored two goals (including the game-winner) and picked up an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Rookie winger Ville Koivunen tallied his first career NHL goal for the Penguins (14-7-5). Brandon Hagel potted two goals for the 16-9-2 Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Islanders.

Before the game, the Lightning announced the signing of Ryan McDonagh to a three-year contract extension. Beginning in 2026-27, the 36-year-old defenseman will earn an average annual value of $4.1 million.

Meanwhile, Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports a source has dismissed rumors that the sale of the Penguins by Fenway Sports Group to the Hoffman Family of Companies had fallen through. According to Kingerski’s source, the transaction remains in process, but has been held up due to “complications” on external details.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McCann scored twice in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who picked up their third straight win and improved to 13-11-3. Seth Jarvis tallied for the Hurricanes (16-8-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll left this game after the second period with a lower-body injury. The severity of the injury remains unclear.

The Nashville Predators got an overtime goal from Steven Stamkos in a 2-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Ryan O’Reilly tied the game in the third period for the 10-13-4 Predators, who’ve won four of their last five games. Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers, as the struggling Stanley Cup champions have lost four straight, falling to 12-13-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos scored with the Panthers’ net knocked off its moorings. However, the goal was allowed based on rule 63.7, which states that a goal can be awarded on a dislodged net if there’s an imminent scoring chance for the attacking team.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored for the third straight game as his club held off the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 2-1. Wyatt Kaiser’s first of the season held up as the game winner for the Blackhawks (12-9-6). Trevor Moore replied for the 12-8-7 Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty returned to action for the first time since being sidelined with an injured left foot in mid-November.

The Columbus Blue Jackets clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-5 on a shootout goal by Kirill Marchenko. Adam Fantilli scored two goals (including the tying goal late in the third period), while Sean Monahan and Zach Werenski each had three assists for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 13-9-5. Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane each had a goal and an assist for the 14-12-2 Red Wings, who’ve lost five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchenko returned to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha had two goals in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Morgan Geekie and Elias Lindholm each had three points, and Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the 16-13-0 Bruins. Pavel Buchnevich and Pius Suter replied for the Blues, who dropped to 9-12-7.

The Calgary Flames tallied three unanswered third-period goals to upset the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves, while Matt Coronato and Rasmus Andersson each had a goal and an assist for the 10-15-4 Flames. Yakov Trenin replied for the 15-8-5 Wild.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE GAZETTE: The Winnipeg Jets will host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 NHL Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.

DAILY FACEOFF: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

San Jose Sharks winger Jeff Skinner returns to action on Friday against the Dallas Stars. He’s been sidelined for 10 games with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said rookie winger Justin Sourdif will miss “a little bit of time” with a lower-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: The criminal case against former NHL player Ryan Kesler is headed to trial in Michigan. Kesler is charged with two misdemeanour counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree. He has pleaded not guilty.