NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2026

by | Nov 4, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2026

Check out the latest on Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Red Wings center Dylan Larkin in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports teams are calling Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois about Nikita Kucherov. The 33-year-old superstar winger has indicated he won’t re-sign with the Lightning and has requested a trade, though he intends to keep playing with the club while this situation plays out.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images)

Dreger said BriseBois is standing firm and isn’t interested in trading Kucherov, “at least not just yet.” He wondered if the Lightning GM might change his mind if his team’s performance should decline between now and the March 1 trade deadline.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin listed his most intriguing trade fits (in alphabetical order) for Kucherov.

They include the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read Larkin’s reasons by following the link above. I’d go with Dallas (if they don’t re-sign Jason Robertson) and Utah. I’m not fully dismissing Vegas because they’re always in on everyone, but I doubt they can pull it off unless they’re giving up a significant player with an expensive contract.

Larkin acknowledged recent speculation that Kucherov might be open to a trade to the Montreal Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs, but he didn’t include them on his list. He believes the Canadiens need a center, not a winger. He noted the Maple Leafs are also deep on the wing and desperately need blueline help.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I concur on both counts.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng doesn’t consider Kucherov a sensible trade target for the Sharks, even if he wanted to come to San Jose. He’s not getting acquired for 50 cents on the dollar, and he won’t accept a discount on his next contract. Peng observed that the Sharks “aren’t a player or two away” from a championship, so he’s not worth cashing in future assets to acquire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Excellent point. Save the money and some of those assets to use for depth elsewhere, especially on the blueline.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel considered it unlikely that the Maple Leafs can acquire Kucherov. Nevertheless, he believes they should at least explore the possibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The last thing the Maple Leafs need is an expensive, aging forward, even one as great as Kucherov. Their current roster could reach the playoffs, but they lack the depth for a deep playoff run, especially on the blueline, and acquiring Kucherov won’t fix that.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Detroit Red Wings have informed Dylan Larkin’s camp that they’ve exhausted every option with the 10 teams on the 30-year-old center’s trade list. There isn’t a trade to be found with those clubs that makes sense for the Wings.

The Red Wings would like to go deeper with six to eight clubs outside of Larkin’s list because they believe they can get a better deal with those teams. They include the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, and Montreal Canadiens, but Larkin remains inflexible with this list.

THE SICK PODCAST: James Murphy cited a source wondering if the Bruins could entice the Red Wings by dangling UFA-eligible center Pavel Zacha and perhaps defenseman Mason Lohrei or a first-round pick.

As for the Canadiens, the same sources believe they will not part with top prospect Michael Hage as part of a return for Larkin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings could be on Zacha’s eight-team no-trade list. If not, he could be reluctant to sign with them.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Michael Augello cited Dreger’s appearance last week on the “Hockey Sense” podcast, when he told host Andy Strickland that the Sabres are a “no-go” for Larkin.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2026

by | Nov 4, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2026

The Jets end their winless skid with an historic comeback victory, Connor Hellebuyck wins his home debut with the Devils, Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla battles health issues, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets erased a 4-0 deficit in the final 2:39 of regulation to upset the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on an overtime goal by Dylan Samberg. Kyle Connor scored twice within 27 seconds, including the tying goal, and rookie Tyrel Bauer had a Gordie Howe hat trick, including the goal that sparked the comeback for the Jets (5-8-3), snapping their nine-game winless skid. Cole Caufield tallied twice for the 9-3-3 Canadiens.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets set a league record with the latest four-goal comeback, and they fully deserved it. They were the better team despite being down 4-0, outshooting the Canadiens 47-22, including 19 shots in the second period.

It was an embarrassing defensive collapse by the Habs. “Some of us thought the game was over,” Caufield said. “We had a four-goal lead. There’s no excuse for this. It’s terrible.”

Earlier in the day, the Jets placed center Brad Lambert on waivers to return him to their AHL affiliate.

Goaltender Connor Hellebucyk stopped 18 shots for his first home win with the New Jersey Devils as they nipped the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on a shootout goal by Arseny Gritsyuk. Jack Hughes scored two goals and collected an assist for the 10-5-0 Devils. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers (11-2-3), who hold first place in the Western Conference with 25 points and a game in hand over the Minnesota Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nugent-Hopkins surpassed Kevin Lowe to become the Oilers’ leader in regular-season games played with 1,038. Before the game, the Oilers announced that winger Isaac Howard will miss two weeks following a knee-on-knee collision against the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Speaking of the Wild, they extended their points streak to six games (5-0-1) by doubling up the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the Wild (11-3-3). Tyson Foerster and Denver Barkey replied for the Flyers, who dropped to 4-9-4 to sit last in the Eastern Conference with 12 points.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson had a four-point night, including a natural hat trick, as his club held off the Washington Capitals by a score of 6-5. Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists for the 9-5-1 Stars. Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists for the Capitals (8-6-0) as they’ve lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. He will be reevaluated on Wednesday.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle scored twice and collected two assists in a 7-2 romp over the Colorado Avalanche. Cam Talbot stopped 27 shots, and Mathieu Olivier had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets (6-7-0). Cale Makar and Nazem Kadri scored for the 9-6-1 Avalanche as their three-game win streak ended.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a two-goal performance from Brayden Point to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-2. Nikita Kucherov collected two assists for the 9-3-2 Lightning. J.T. Compher had a goal and an assist for the 7-6-3 Red Wings, who sit last in the tightly-packed Atlantic Division with 17 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings goalie John Gibson left this game before the second period with a lower-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier tallied his second straight hat trick as his club hung on for a 5-4 win against the Vancouver Canucks. Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke had a career-high four assists for the Ducks as they improved to 7-7-1. Jake DeBrusk scored twice for the Canucks (3-13-1) as they remain last in the overall standings with seven points.

Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz snapped a 2-2 tie for a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mammoth captain Clayton Keller picked up three assists as his club improved to 10-6-0. Jack Roslovic scored both goals for the 8-7-2 Maple Leafs.

The New York Rangers snapped a four-game losing skid by downing the St. Louis Blues 3-1. Goalie Dylan Garand kicked out 32 shots while Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who improved to 8-7-1. Pius Suter replied for the 7-7-1 Blues.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl scored twice, including the game-winner with 35 seconds left in the third period, for a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tommy Novak had a goal and an assist, while Kaedan Korczak picked up two assists for the Penguins (5-8-2), who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

The Nashville Predators upset the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Roman Josi and Ross Colton each had a goal and an assist, and winger Filip Forsberg had two assists for the 6-4-5 Predators. Jackson Blake scored for the Hurricanes (12-3-2), who remain in first place in the overall standings with 26 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov’s season-opening win streak ended at 10 games.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla has been battling health issues that appear related to hip replacement surgery from several years ago.

“Some neurological issues,” Iginla said. “I’m not entirely sure what it is; it may be metal toxins from reaction to the cobalt hip.”

Iginla, 49, has spent over a year getting tested and consulting with medical professionals as he attempts to get answers about what is happening and how to treat it.

“I need more time to figure it all out, but I’m still hopeful that I will recover fully,” he said. “Things are slowly getting under control, praise be to God.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Iginla with his treatments. Let’s hope a solution is found soon, and he can make a full recovery.

CBS SPORTS: The Chicago Blackhawks placed defenseman Bowen Byram (upper body) on injured reserve.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Boston Bruins forward Matthew Poitras (head) saw a doctor on Tuesday and could travel with the team to Pittsburgh for Thursday’s game against the Penguins. Poitras was injured after being elbowed in the head by Vegas Golden Knights forward Braedan Bowman.

THE SCORE: Sweden, Finland, and Czechia announced they will boycott the 2027 IIHF World Championship if Russia is reinstated. Norway, Latvia, and Denmark also signed up for the boycott.

The IIHF banned Russia from participating in its tournaments following that country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport recently ruled that the federation must reinstate Russian teams, beginning with the World Junior Championship in Canada next month.

DAILY FACEOFF: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in the 2027 World Juniors in Edmonton and Red Deer in December.

“Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal and unjustified horrific war in Ukraine,” Carney said. “As long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada. So, if you’re asking specifically about the World Juniors, the Russians will not be there.”










NHL Rumor Mill – November 3, 2026

by | Nov 3, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – November 3, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at the latest Nikita Kucherov speculation and some scoring winger trade targets for the Blackhawks.

THE LATEST ON NIKITA KUCHEROV

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports “at least 25 teams” have internally discussed the possibility of acquiring Nikita Kucherov if the Tampa Bay Lightning change their minds about not trading him.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images)

Kucherov, 33, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after informing the team last week that he wouldn’t sign an extension and wanted a trade. He has a 10-team trade list for this season, which Kucherov submitted in May or June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I noted in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines, Kucherov told the press yesterday that a lack of communication and respect from Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois led to his decision not to re-sign and to request a trade. BriseBois released a statement on Friday indicating the team wasn’t trading Kucherov.

LeBrun believes Kucherov’s list could change given all that’s occurred since he submitted it earlier this year. As far as he knows, Kucherov doesn’t have a short list of teams yet.

Some teams believe the Lightning could change their minds and shop Kucherov before the March 1 trade deadline. In that case, the question is whether he would agree to sign an extension with his new team to maximize the Lightning’s trade return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun listed several teams and the reasons why they could pursue Kucherov if he becomes available in the trade market. All of them have been previously reported since the story broke about his trade request on Friday and duly noted here in previous posts.

As I’ve said before, it’s all a guessing game until we get definitive info on which teams are on Kucherov’s list. Even then, it won’t matter unless Lightning management reverses its stance against trading him.

TSN: Travis Yost listed several hurdles teams must clear if they hope to trade for Kucherov.

The superstar winger’s $9.5 million cap hit for this season is difficult for most contenders to absorb because they’re pressed against this season’s cap. Another issue is whether to pursue him as a rental player or a sign-and-trade target. The latter comes with risk because he reportedly wants a six-year contract with an average annual value of $20 million.

Yost pointed out that not a single contender can currently take on Kucherov’s contract without money going out or salary retention by the Lightning, though teams like the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes and Utah Mammoth have more cap flexibility than others.

Other clubs must figure out their cap commitments for this season and beyond if they’re looking at a sign-and-trade scenario.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve also mentioned some of those points in my previous posts on this topic. Yes, Kucherov will draw plenty of attention if the Lightning peddle him this season, but making the dollars work (especially beyond this season if he agrees to an extension with his new team) will be difficult.

The Lightning’s asking price will be another big hurdle, especially for teams hoping to make an extension part of the deal. They won’t be interested in a package full of castoffs, and it’s doubtful they’ll want only draft picks and prospects. At least one good young player (likely a forward) must be part of the deal.

DAILY FACEOFF: Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton wonder if Julien BriseBois’ handling of Kucherov’s contract negotiations could cost him his job as Lightning GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning have a history of unhappy breakups with some of their greatest players since the late 2000s.

Kucherov’s situation is mirroring that of former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos through 2023-24. Stamkos never requested a trade, but he was obviously unhappy with the state of his negotiations with BriseBois during that season.

The treatment Stamkos and Kucherov have received suggests a trend by BriseBois that might not sit well with other Lightning players, especially those eligible for new contracts in the near future.

Nevertheless, BriseBois’ job is safe if he’s doing what ownership is instructing him to do.

WHICH SCORING WINGERS COULD THE BLACKHAWKS TARGET?

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope believes Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson could explore a trade to shake up his struggling roster. According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, Davidson seeks a “shoot-first scoring winger with size.”

Pope wondered if Davidson’s trade targets could include Ivan Miroshnichenko of the Washington Capitals, Dmitri Voronkov of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Jake DeBrusk of the Vancouver Canucks, and Owen Tippett of the Philadelphia Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that GM Don Waddell confirmed he’s received interest in Voronkov, but nobody’s made an offer yet. Portzline said the Jackets would want prospects and/or draft picks in return.

Miroshnichenko is available, but the youngster has yet to establish himself at the NHL level. DeBrusk has a full no-movement clause and could prefer joining a contender. Pope doubted the Flyers would part with Tippett.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2026

by | Nov 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s games, Nikita Kucherov explains why he’s requested a trade, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins blew a 2-0 lead to the Vegas Golden Knights but won 3-2 on David Pastrnak’s shootout goal. James Hagens and Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins (11-4-1), who lead the Atlantic Division with 23 points. Mark Stone and Trevor Connelly replied for the 9-5-2 Golden Knights.

Boston Bruins forward James Hagens (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hagens currently leads this season’s NHL rookie class with six goals and 12 points. Toronto Maple Leafs winger Gavin McKenna sits second with 11 points, and Connelly is third with 10 points.

Golden Knights forward Braeden Bowman was ejected early in the first period for an elbow to the head of Bruins forward Matthew Poitras, who left the game but returned later in the period sporting a full bubble shield.

Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and defenseman Justin Faulk each had a goal and an assist for a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Carter Mazur scored his first NHL goal for the 7-5-3 Red Wings. Jacob Markstrom stopped 24 shots for the Panthers (8-5-2) as he returned to action after missing five games with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brandsegg-Nygard is the fourth-leading rookie scorer with 10 points.

Colorado Avalanche forwards Jaden Schwartz and Nazem Kadri each scored twice as their club rallied from a 2-0 deficit for a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. T.J. Hughes collected two assists as the Avalanche (9-5-1) extended their win streak to three games. Wyatt Kaiser and Roman Kantserov scored for the Blackhawks (4-10-1), who’ve lost six of their last seven games (1-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. He’s expected to miss the next two games.

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog wasn’t happy with Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov for elbowing Avalanche blueliner Cale Makar in the head during the first period.

Makar wasn’t injured and Levshunov received a minor penalty, but the latter also absorbed some punches from Makar’s teammate Martin Necas. Landeskog pursued Levshunov for the rest of the game and leveled the Blackhawks blueliner with a hip check while he was in midair.

The Calgary Flames nipped the San Jose Sharks 2-1. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves, Adam Klapka scored and added an assist, and William Stromgren tallied his first NHL goal for the 7-8-0 Flames. Sam Dickinson scored for the Sharks (7-8-1).

HEADLINES

TSN: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov spoke with the media on Monday for the first time since his trade request was reported on Friday.

Kucherov, 33, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He said Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois only had two conversations with him about an extension over the past four months.

“I think, it was never about the money for me,” Kucherov said. “It was more poor communication and respect.” He added that BriseBois “made it clear that I’m free to walk on July 1.”

Kucherov informed management that he would not sign an extension and asked to be traded.

“For now, I’m part of this team. I’ll do anything I can to help my teammates win.” Asked if there was any chance he might stay with the Lightning after this season, he replied, “I made my (trade) request.”

BriseBois released a statement on Friday indicating the Lightning “unequivocally” has no intention of trading Kucherov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Over the weekend, it was reported that Lightning management might be hoping for cooler heads to prevail and perhaps allow Kucherov time to change his mind. Based on his comments, that ship has sailed.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper and players like Brandon Hagel aren’t concerned that Kucherov’s situation will be a distraction or that he won’t give his best for the team. Nevertheless, it seems this season is Kucherov’s last in Tampa Bay, and it will end by July 1 unless the Lightning change their minds about not trading him.

Some observers have lumped Kucherov in with other players who made trade requests this year, like Brady Tkachuk, Connor Hellebuyck, and Dylan Larkin. However, Kucherov isn’t seeking a trade while in the middle of his contract because he thinks he can’t win with his current team. He wants out because he feels management hasn’t treated him with respect during their contract extension talks.

I’ll have the latest Kucherov trade speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson, Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry, and Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson are the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 1.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer dedicated a support room at the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center at the Northwell Health Center in Lake Success in honor of his late mother Jennifer Schaefer, who died of breast cancer in 2024.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of the Islanders, they signed free-agent defenseman Ben Hutton to a professional tryout offer.

SPORTSNET: Anaheim Ducks forward A.J. Greer (upper body) was placed on injured reserve after absorbing a high hit from Ottawa Senators forward Dylan Cozens.

OTTAWA SUN: The National Capital Commission revealed new details about a new 16,000-seat arena for the Senators in downtown Ottawa that will open in the “mid-2030s”.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 2, 2026

by | Nov 2, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – November 2, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we have the latest on Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, plus updates on the Canadiens and Flyers.

THE LATEST KUCHEROV SPECULATION

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jim Parsons wondered if the Edmonton Oilers might make a pitch for Nikita Kucherov. The 33-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning winger surprised the hockey world by requesting a trade after contract extension talks fell apart.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images)

Parsons noted the Oilers tried to acquire Kucherov in 2019 by offering up Leon Draisaitl, but the deal fell apart when they asked for Anthony Cirelli to be included. This came after the Lightning were swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets and before Draisaitl emerged as a superstar in his own right.

Ultimately, Parson believes too many obstacles stand in the way, including Kucherov’s $20 million AAV asking price for his next contract, the Lightning’s current unwillingness to trade him, and the Oilers’ limited trade capital.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have a better chance of acquiring center Matt Rempe from the New York Rangers. According to Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli, Oilers GM Stan Bowman is seeking more toughness for his lineup, and head coach Mike Babcock is believed to be an admirer of the big Rangers enforcer. 

ESPN: Kevin Weekes reported sources told him that the Lightning’s first contract offer to Kucherov this year was $13 million AAV. They raised it to $15 million AAV following the Leo Carlsson offer sheet ($18 million AAV) and Cale Makar’s contract extension ($20.4 million AAV)

HOW WILL THE CANADIENS ADDRESS THEIR DEPTH AT CENTER?

TVA SPORTS: Nicolas Cloutier recently suggested how the Montreal Canadiens could acquire Dylan Larkin if the Detroit Red Wings center added them to his trade list.

Cloutier noted the Canadiens had $1.7 million in salary-cap space (now $1.820 million). To make room for Larkin’s $8.7 million average annual value, he proposed an offer of forwards Alex Newhook ($2.9 million), Kirby Dach ($3.6 million), defenseman Adam Engstrom ($896,667), and prospect winger Alexander Zharovsky.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Assuming the Red Wings approve that offer, those combined salaries ($7,396,667) might be enough to take on the remainder of Larkin’s AAV and salary for this season.

Still, Canadiens management could prefer shedding more salary for more cap flexibility. Meanwhile, the Wings could want a better return than Cloutier’s proposal. They’ll likely want top prospect Michael Hage as part of the return, which could be a deal-breaker for the Canadiens.

Anyway, it’s irrelevant if Larkin only wants to be traded to American clubs.

Jean-Charles Lajoie recently examined seven centers who could address the Canadiens’ need for depth at that position.

They include Larkin, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators, Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets, Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders, and Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings. Lajoie also suggested waiting for Hage to join the team after his college season ends.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lajoie prefaced his list by saying some were realistic and others were “dreams”. I’ll let you decide which players fall into those categories. I will say that Byfield would be the player I would pursue if he were available, but the Kings aren’t parting with him given their own lack of depth.

WHICH CENTERS COULD THE FLYERS PURSUE?

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco recently looked at possible trade targets for the Philadelphia Flyers to bolster their depth at center.

Sources told him the Flyers were interested in Dylan Cozens and Ridly Greig of the Ottawa Senators. However, they no longer see Cozens fitting within their top six, and they’re unsure about Greig’s upside.

Di Marco indicated that the Flyers could have varying degrees of interest in Chicago Blackhawks forwards Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore. They like Nazar’s upside, but the Blackhawks don’t seem to be in the market to move him. They’re skeptical about whether Moore can be a long-term, top-six center.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2026

by | Nov 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2026

Another milestone for Oilers captain Connor McDavid, a franchise record for Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, the Kraken trade Shane Wright to the Predators, the stars of the month for October, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to 15 games as he led his club over the New York Rangers 4-1. Evan Bouchard had a goal and two assists, and journeyman goalie Matt Tomkins made 27 saves as the Oilers (11-2-2) hold first place in the Western Conference with 24 points. Pavel Dorofeyev replied for the 7-7-1 Rangers, who have dropped four straight games.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was another milestone for McDavid this season, becoming the fastest player in league history to reach 30 assists (15 games) in a season. Oilers forward Isaac Howard missed this game with a knee injury suffered against the New York Islanders on Saturday, but he might not be out for long.

Rangers defenseman Sean Durzi missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov turned in a 26-save shutout in a 7-0 drubbing of the Winnipeg Jets. Logan Stankoven had a goal and two assists, and Sean Walker tallied twice for the league-leading Hurricanes (12-2-2, 24 points). After a 4-1-1 start, the Jets are winless in their last nine games (0-7-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kochetkov set a franchise record with his 10th consecutive win. He’s also the third goalie in league history to open the season with 10 straight victories.

Jets head coach Scott Arniel could be feeling the heat, but he claims he’s not worried about his job security. Nevertheless, their free-fall in the standings could prompt management to shake things up if this situation doesn’t improve, and most general managers usually opt for a coaching change as the first step.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored a goal for his 500th NHL regular-season point in a 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals. He’s the fourth-fastest active player to reach that milestone. Joel Eriksson Ek and Bobby Brink each had two assists for the 10-3-3 Wild, who hold first place in the Central Division with 23 points. Justin Sourdif replied for the Capitals (8-5-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Capitals placed defenseman Dylan McIlrath on waivers for the purpose of reassigning him to their AHL affiliate in Hershey.

The Anaheim Ducks overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Cutter Gauthier had a hat trick while Leo Carlsson and Judd Caulfield each had three points for the 6-7-1 Ducks. Claude Giroux and Jake Sanderson each had two points for the Senators (9-6-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goalie Jonas Johansson was a mess in his fourth start, with a save percentage of .846 and a goals-against average of 4.60 during that stretch. Starter Linus Ullmark has missed six games with a lower-body injury, but could return for Wednesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist in his return to the lineup in a 6-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Jamie Drysdale collected three assists while Noah Cates also had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (4-8-4). Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist for the 9-6-0 Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sloppy defensive play and shaky goaltending from Karel Vejmelka are an ongoing concern for the Mammoth this season. Vejmelka’s .881 save percentage is the worst of his career, giving up two or more goals in all but two of his 11 starts.

Before the game, the Mammoth placed defenseman John Marino (upper body) on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: McDavid, Kaprizov, and Kochetkov are the league’s three stars for October 2026.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler is the rookie of the month. He’s the first Canadiens goalie to receive the honor since Carey Price in March 2008.

THE SEATTLE TIMES/THE TENNESSEAN: The Seattle Kraken traded center Shane Wright to the Nashville Predators in exchange for center Matthew Wood.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a swap of two players chosen in the first round of the NHL Draft. Wright was selected fourth overall in the 2022 draft, and Wood was chosen with the 15th overall pick in 2023.

Wright was projected as the top prospect in his draft class. However, his stock tumbled leading up to the first round, and the Montreal Canadiens chose Juraj Slafkovsky first overall. He was the subject of trade rumors since last season.

The Kraken were criticized for how they handled Wright’s development. He had a promising 44-point rookie campaign in 2024-25, but was relegated to checking-line duty after Lane Lambert took over as head coach in 2025.

Predators general manager Chris MacFarland believes Wright will “add to the pace of the lineup.” The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty indicated that Wood’s skating and speed were “always a drawback”, but his size and shooting ability often made up for it.

Wood’s size (6’4”, 200 pounds) and shooting ability could help the Kraken’s offense, but he’s not the scoring star they’re seeking. He had 17 goals and 30 points as a rookie last season, but only a goal and two assists in 14 games this season. The move to Seattle might help him regain his scoring touch.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock is out two-to-four weeks with an upper-body injury.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov $5,000 for roughing (sucker-punching) Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic.