NHL Rumor Mill – December 4, 2025

by | Dec 4, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 4, 2025

The latest speculation regarding Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, plus the latest on the Maple Leafs in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHERE COULD QUINN HUGHES GO IF HE LEAVES THE CANUCKS?

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma noted the uncertainty over Quinn Hughes’ future with the Vancouver Canucks has led to a growing line of suitors for the 26-year-old superstar defenseman.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hughes has a year remaining on his contract and will be eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1, 2027. If an extension isn’t in the works, Kuzma believes the Canucks could move him for a multiplayer return to get younger and eventually better.

Kuzma thinks any team acquiring Hughes will want assurances he’ll be more than a one-year rental player. He thinks ties to certain teams could determine where the former Norris Trophy winner could land.

The Detroit Red Wings could be an option, given that Hughes spent his formative years in Michigan with the US National Team Development Program and the NCAA Wolverines. Kuzma speculated the Canucks could push for winger Lucas Raymond, rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, rookie center Nate Danielson, and a 2026 first-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: To which Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman will reply, “Well, thanks for the call, and the best of luck in your future endeavors”. Giving up Raymond would blow a big hole in their forward lines. It’s also unlikely he’d give up both Sandin-Pellikka and Danielson.

Kuzma also noted the obvious tug for Hughes to head to New Jersey, where his brothers (Jack and Luke) play for the Devils. There’s also the Philadelphia Flyers, who are coached by former Canucks bench boss Rick Tocchet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The asking price for the Devils would be defenseman Simon Nemec and a first-round pick in 2026 for sure. Center Dawson Mercer and rookie winger Arseny Gritsyuk would also likely be part of it.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco reported a Flyers source claimed the team hasn’t had any conversations with the Canucks about Hughes, but they are interested in him.

Di Marco speculated that winger Tyson Foerster and top prospect Porter Martone could be part of the Canucks’ asking price. He thinks the Flyers would prefer sending a package to Vancouver centered around a defenseman like Jamie Drysdale or Cam York.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks would likely hold firm to their projected offer rather than one centered around Drysdale or York. The Flyers probably won’t get into the bidding for Hughes, based on Di Marco’s comment that they don’t want to gut their roster in a trade.

THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently looked at which members of the Toronto Maple Leafs were most likely to be traded and those who are not.

Of the most likely trade candidates, Dixon listed forwards Nick Robertson, Bobby McMann, and Matias Maccelli as those who might have more value to another team than the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson’s been a fixture in trade rumors since the summer of 2024. He shows flashes of scoring potential, but he remains unable to establish himself as a reliable top-six forward.

McMann had a promising 20-goal performance last season, but has just six in 26 games thus far this season. The Leafs hoped Maccelli might regain the 57-point form of his 2023-24 season, but he has only nine points in 22 games and was a healthy scratch in three of the Leafs’ last four games.

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos suggested the Leafs might be able to draw on their goaltending depth at the trade deadline.

If Anthony Stolarz can establish himself as a 1A or 1B goalie with Joseph Woll once he returns from injury, Kypreos suggested dangling a goalie prospect such as Dennis Hildeby or Artur Akhtyamov as a trade chip. If Hildeby shows he’s ready for a larger role, that could make Stolarz a trade candidate, though they’d have to work around his 16-team no-trade list.

Kypreos believes the Maple Leafs’ biggest need is finding a puck-moving defenseman to take some of the burden off of Morgan Rielly.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2025

by | Dec 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2025

Lopsided victories for the Capitals and Mammoth, an update on Tyler Seguin’s injury, three former NHL stars to be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame, and more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals rookie Ryan Leonard had two goals and two assists in a 7-1 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Alex Ovechkin tallied twice, and Matt Roy collected three assists for the Capitals (17-9-2), who picked up their sixth straight win and sit atop the Eastern Conference with 36 points. Pavol Regenda replied for the Sharks, who slipped to 13-12-3.

Washington Capitals forward Ryan Leonard (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals’ John Carlson and Justin Sourdif missed this game due to injuries, while Nic Dowd returned to action after missing eight games with an injury. Meanwhile, the Sharks sent rookie center Michael Misa to their AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint.

The Utah Mammoth crushed the Anaheim Ducks 7-0. JJ Peterka led the way with two goals and two assists, Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists, and Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves for the shutout as the Mammoth (13-12-3) snapped a four-game losing skid. The Ducks dropped to 16-10-1, but remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 33 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks’ regular goalie tandem of Lukas Dostal and Petr Mrazek is sidelined by injuries, forcing the club to turn to call-ups Ville Husso and Vyacheslav Buteyets.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger turned in a 30-save shutout to blank the New Jersey Devils 3-0, extending the Stars’ road point streak to 12 games. Miro Heiskanen, Jamie Benn, and Esa Lindell each collected two points, and Roope Hintz picked up an assist for his 400th career NHL regular-season point. The Stars improved to 18-5-5, while the Devils (16-10-1)dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Stars announced that forward Tyler Seguin could miss the remainder of the regular season with an ALC injury in his right knee.

A shootout goal by Cole Caufield lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Caufield also collected an assist in regulation to extend his points streak to nine games, and Jakub Dobes made 29 saves for the Canadiens (14-9-3), ending a two-game losing skid. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist, and Eric Comrie also had 29 saves as the Jets (13-12-1) have lost six of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens honored former defenseman Andrei Markov with a pregame ceremony. Markov played 990 games for the Canadiens in his 16-season NHL career, and has the second-most career assists (453) among their defensemen. He received a standing ovation from Montreal fans that lasted over two minutes.

Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Neal Pionk returned to action after being sidelined for a week with a lower-body injury.

The Philadelphia Flyers scored three first-period goals in less than a minute as they defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Bobby Brink, Travis Konecny, and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist for the 15-8-3 Flyers, who’ve won six of their last eight games. Jason Zucker and Bowen Byram replied for the Sabres, who dropped to 11-12-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin was ejected from this game late in the second period for boarding Flyers forward Trevor Zegras. Flyers defenseman Cam York left the game after the second period for undisclosed reasons.

IN OTHER NEWS…

IIHF.COM: Former NHL forwards Thomas Vanek (Austria), Patrice Bergeron (Canada), and defenseman Niklas Kronwall (Sweden) are among seven players to be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in the Class of 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved honor for Vanek, Bergeron, and Kronwall, who represented their countries in various international tournaments.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said there won’t be any NHL players participating in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics if the arena is not completed in time for the Games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team Canada assistant coach Pete DeBoer raised eyebrows earlier this week when he said that the rink surface would be smaller than those in NHL arenas. It’s been reported that there is no “Plan B” if the arena isn’t ready.

CNBC’s Mike Ozanian reports Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is close to selling a significant stake in the team, which is currently valued at $2 billion. Dundon is in the process of purchasing the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers for over $4 billion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No indication yet how big that share will be, but Dundon is likely to remain the majority owner of the Hurricanes.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 3, 2025

by | Dec 3, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 3, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, a growing number of clubs are interested in Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood, plus the latest on the rumor linking Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry to the Oilers.

CANUCKS WINGER KIEFER SHERWOOD DRAWING INTEREST IN THE TRADE MARKET

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports there is plenty of interest in Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old Vancouver Canucks winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. He has a team-leading 12 goals and carries an affordable $1.5 million cap hit.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images).

LeBrun said the Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, and Dallas Stars were among a long list of clubs to express an interest in Sherwood. The Canucks aren’t rushing into this, as they intend to take their time evaluating the trade market. LeBrun wondered if some of those teams might be willing to sign Sherwood to a contract extension, which would increase his trade value for the Canucks.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon looked at what impact Sherwood could have for the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Flyers could seek a short-term replacement for sidelined winger Tyson Foerster, while the Islanders could do the same for winger Kyle Palmieri. The Bruins need more secondary scoring, and the Lightning could use a little more experience with relative unknowns such as Gage Goncalves, Curtis Douglas, and Dominic James scattered throughout their lineup.

NHL.COM: Dan Rosen believes the Columbus Blue Jackets have a realistic shot at acquiring Sherwood. They’re in the hunt for the playoffs and could benefit from adding his gritty two-way game to their top-nine forwards. He also suggested Sherwood could make sense for the Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline confirmed that the Blue Jackets were among the teams to contact the Canucks about Sherwood, who is a Columbus native. He also doesn’t rule out the Bruins as a suitor, pointing out that Sherwood and Bruins forward Sean Kuraly are long-time friends.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sherwood is the current standout in a thin trade market thus far. It’s understandable why the Canucks are taking their time as they’re hoping his value will improve. However, there is a danger that his performance (especially his offense) could drop off as the season progresses, as well as the risk of injury.

WOULD THE OILERS BE INTERESTED IN PENGUINS GOALIE TRISTAN JARRY?

NHL.COM: Dan Rosen was asked what level of interest the Edmonton Oilers could have in Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry.

Rosen believes the only way the Oilers make a move for Jarry is if they think he’ll backstop them to the Stanley Cup. He pointed out that they don’t know if he’d be worth the risk over the remaining two years of his contract, while they at least know what they have in current starter Stuart Skinner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry can blow hot and cold like Skinner, but the latter has carried them to two straight Stanley Cup Finals. Jarry also has an injury history that would be a concern for the Oilers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2025

by | Dec 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2025

Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt collects his fourth shutout in six starts, Steven Stamkos, Jamie Benn, and David Perron reach notable career milestones, the three stars and the rookie of the month for November are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves for his fourth shutout in his last six games to blank the Edmonton Oilers 1-0. Jonas Brodin scored the only goal as the Wild improved to 15-7-5. Stuart Skinner made 23 saves for the Oilers, who slipped to 11-11-5.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wallstedt became the second-fastest goaltender in NHL history to record five career shutouts, doing so in 15 games. Frankie Brimsek holds the record with nine games.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos scored to reach his 1,200th career NHL regular-season point in a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Juuse Saros stopped 27 shots, and Michael Bunting had a goal and an assist for the Predators (9-13-4). Morgan Frost replied for the 9-15-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is the sixth active player to reach the 1,200-point milestone, joining Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrik Kane, and Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar.

Predators forward Ozzy Wiesblatt scored his first NHL goal. He pointed skyward to honor his late brother Orca Wiesblatt, who died in a car accident in September.

An overtime goal by Vladislav Gavrikov lifted the New York Rangers over the Dallas Stars 3-2. Artemi Panarin had two assists for the Rangers (14-12-2), who have three wins in their last four games. Kyle Capobianco and Mikko Rantanen scored for the 17-5-5 Stars as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dallas captain Jamie Benn played his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game. Meanwhile, Stars winger Tyler Seguin left the game early in the first period after injuring his right leg following a collision with Gavrikov. Earlier in the day, the Stars announced defenseman Lian Bichsel will miss multiple weeks with a lower-body injury suffered in Sunday’s win over the Ottawa Senators.

The Ottawa Senators improved to 13-9-4 with a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Brady Tkachuk and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each had two points for the 13-9-3 Canadiens, who have lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators forward David Perron collected an assist in his 1,200th career regular-season NHL game. Tkachuk’s goal was his first of the season after missing 20 games with an injured thumb.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied twice to lead his club over the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-1. The league-leading Avalanche (19-1-6, 44 points) extended its point streak to 17 games. Linus Karlsson scored for the 10-14-3 Canucks, who have two wins in their last 11 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league with 22 goals and 46 points. Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood left this game in the second period for precautionary reasons with tightness in his back. Meanwhile, teammate Valeri Nichushkin returned to action after missing eight games with a lower-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Boston Bruins 5-4, snapping a four-game losing skid. Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist for the 14-11-2 Red Wings. Hampus Lindholm had three assists, and Alex Steeves tallied two goals for the Bruins (15-13-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins winger David Pastrnak missed his third straight game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to be sidelined for the rest of this week. Meanwhile, winger Viktor Arvidsson returned to action after being out since Nov. 15 with a lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got their third win in their last four games by downing the Florida Panthers 4-1. Troy Stecher and Dakota Joshua each had a goal and an assist, and Joseph Woll turned aside 26 shots for the 12-11-3 Maple Leafs. Sam Reinhart got the only goal for the Panthers (12-12-1), who’ve dropped three straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo will be sidelined longer than expected with a lower-body injury. He’s been out since Nov. 13 and recently suffered a setback in his recovery.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 27 shots to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Bo Horvat and Anthony Duclair scored for the Islanders (14-10-3) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Dominic James scored for the 16-8-2 Lightning, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 34 points.

A shootout goal by Shea Theodore gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Carter Hart made 27 saves in his season debut with the Golden Knights (12-6-8). Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-6 Blackhawks, who have one win in their last seven games.

The Washington Capitals picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. Alex Ovechkin collected two assists for the Capitals (16-9-2). Adrian Kempe scored for the 12-7-7 Kings.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, and Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard are the league’s three stars for November 2025. Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt is the Rookie of the Month for November.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers forward Tyson Foerster will be sidelined for two to three months with an upper-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Mathieu Olivier (upper body) was placed on injured reserve

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The NHL is sending a memo to its 32 teams reminding them about its rule requiring players to wear helmets during warmups. This comes after the Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils violated that rule in recent games. Neither club is expected to be punished beyond a warning.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 2, 2025

by | Dec 2, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 2, 2025

The latest on Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, plus updates on the Canucks and Canadiens in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PANARIN NOT RULING OUT RETURNING TO RUSSIA

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker recently reported that Rangers winger Artemi Panarin did not shoot down recent speculation suggesting he might return to Russia after this season.

Panarin, 34, is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He’s in the final season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $11.6 million.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

“I mean, you never know,” Panarin said when asked about the RG.Org report. “Hard to say right now. It’s a very hard question, to be honest. I can’t comment on the side of life, you never know what’s happening.”

Walker noted that Panarin’s age means the Rangers won’t want to commit to a long-term deal, and Panarin won’t accept a significant pay cut on what would become his last contract. She believes a significant portion of this decision will depend on how the rest of this season unfolds for the Rangers.

If they’re out of a playoff spot by the March 6 trade deadline, general manager Chris Drury could look at Panarin’s value in the trade market. If they remain in contention, Drury will likely retain the playmaking winger for the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panarin’s status will remain a topic of interest in this season’s rumor mill. There’s also no certainty that he’ll return to Russia if he doesn’t sign an extension with the Rangers.

Panarin could become the top player in next summer’s UFA market. He could end up on a short-term deal for roughly the same AAV as his current contract with another club.

THE LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports the Boston Bruins have reportedly shown an interest in Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland and superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes. They’re also among at least eight teams that have kicked tires on UFA-eligible winger Kiefer Sherwood.

Kuzma believes the Philadelphia Flyers could also look into Garland’s availability, citing the latter’s closeness with Flyers coach (and former Canucks bench boss) Rick Tocchet.

Garland’s six-year contract extension begins on July 1, when his AAV will rise to $6 million and he’ll have a full no-movement clause. However, Kuzma believes the biggest hurdle would be the Canucks’ asking price. They want younger, established NHL players in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Canucks were fielding offers for UFA-eligible players and those with less than two years remaining on their contracts. That would rule out Garland, but we can’t dismiss the possibility that he’ll be moved before next July if someone is willing to make a significant offer.

TEAMS CALLING ABOUT CANADIENS DEFENSEMAN KAIDEN GUHLE

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports teams have contacted the Montreal Canadiens about Kaiden Guhle. The oft-injured 23-year-old defenseman is in the first season of a six-year contract with an AAV of $5.5 million, and lacks no-trade protection until 2029-30.

Despite his injury history, Guhle has drawn interest from rival clubs in multiple offseasons. However, the Canadiens aren’t parting with him because of his physicality, mobility, and defensive value.

The Canadiens could move a defenseman for a high-end top-six forward. D’Amico believes Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble, and Adam Engstrom could become trade candidates as their blueline depth grows, pointing out that those three have drawn interest from different clubs. Alexandre Carrier could also become a trade chip once David Reinbacher is ready to move up into the Canadiens’ lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: D’Amico noted that the Canadiens aren’t in a rush to move out any of those defensemen. Nevertheless, he didn’t rule out the possibility of one of them getting traded if they get an offer of a top-six forward.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2025

by | Dec 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2025

Sidney Crosby moves closer to overtaking Mario Lemieux’s franchise points record, Macklin Celebrini reaches another points milestone, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Sidney Crosby tallied two goals to lead his Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Bryan Rust had a goal and two assists for the 13-7-5 Penguins. Tyson Foerster scored for the Flyers (14-8-3) as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 1,716 points, putting him within eight points of overtaking Mario Lemieux’s franchise record of 1,723 points, which is eighth on the NHL’s all-time points list. The 38-year-old Penguins captain has 18 goals, putting him third behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie (20 goals each) among this season’s goal-scoring leaders.

Meanwhile, Foerster exited the game in the second period after injuring his right shoulder. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini collected three assists in a 6-3 win against the Utah Mammoth. Tyler Toffoli had two goals and two assists, and Will Smith scored twice and picked up an assist as the Sharks improved to 13-11-3 on the season. Lawson Crouse netted two goals for the Mammoth (12-12-3), who dropped their fourth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is the second player to reach the 40-point plateau this season. The 19-year-old Sharks center is the third-fastest teenager in NHL history to reach 40 points in a season, doing so in 27 games. Wayne Gretzky did it in 24 games in 1980-81, and Sidney Crosby did it in 26 games in 2006-07.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Leo Carlsson and Pavel Mintyukov each had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (16-9-1), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 33 points. Jordan Kyrou replied for the 9-11-1 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke collected an assist to become the first rookie to reach 20 points this season. He also extended his points streak to eight games, tying Paul Kariya’s franchise rookie record.

Blues starting goaltender Jordan Binnington was pulled halfway through the first period after giving up two goals on five shots. Earlier in the day, the Blues announced that rookie winger Jimmy Snuggerud will undergo wrist surgery and will be reevaluated in six weeks, while forward Alexey Toropchenko is week-to-week after suffering burns to his legs in a home accident.

Buffalo Sabres center Josh Norris tallied twice and picked up an assist in his return to action in a 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Norris had missed 24 games with a lower-body injury. Zach Benson and Josh Doan each had two assists as the Sabres improved to 11-11-4. Kyle Connor scored for the slumping Jets (13-12-0), who have dropped five of their last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss prompted a players-only meeting by the Jets following this game. Their recent struggles coincide with the absence of Connor Hellebuyck. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner is currently sidelined after undergoing knee surgery on Nov. 22. He’s expected to be sidelined until late December.

The Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a four-game losing skid with a four-goal rally to defeat the New Jersey Devils 5-3. Charlie Coyle had a goal and two assists, Sean Monahan scored twice, and Elvis Merzlikins stopped 30 shots for the 12-9-5 Blue Jackets. Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt each had two points for the Devils (16-9-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon played in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game, but had to leave this contest after he was injured in a tussle with Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov. Devils blueliner Jonas Siegenthaler was ejected following a fight with Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli for not having the fight strap on his jersey secured.

Meanwhile, Monahan left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. He’s been playing through some nagging injuries and might need to sit for a stretch.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, and Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson are the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 30, 2025.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said defenseman Brandon Carlo suffered a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury. Carlo has returned to Toronto for further assessment. His last game was on Nov. 13 against the Los Angeles Kings.

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Mason Appleton will miss Tuesday’s game against the Boston Bruins with an undisclosed injury.

RG.ORG: Former Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov is looking forward to his tribute night in Montreal on Tuesday. Markov played all 990 of his NHL regular-season games with the Canadiens over 16 seasons, and remains popular among Montreal fans.

TSN: Veteran forward Robby Fabbri signed a professional tryout offer with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. The 29-year-old Fabbri has appeared in 442 NHL games over the past nine seasons.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Dallas Stars had their 1999 throwback third jersey launch last week. It reportedly became the most successful one-day jersey sale in NHL history, though details have yet to be released.

SPORTSNET: Team Canada assistant coach Pete DeBoer said the ice surface for the Olympic arena currently under construction outside Milan, Italy, could be three or four feet smaller than a standard NHL arena.

Arenas under IIHF rules tend to have larger ice surfaces than the NHL. DeBoer doesn’t understand how the Milan arena could end up with a smaller surface.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As reported earlier in the week, there is no “Plan B” if the Milan arena’s construction isn’t completed in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics in February. The construction delays and the push to completion likely account for the smaller ice surface.