NHL Rumor Mill – January 8, 2026

by | Jan 8, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 8, 2026

The Rangers are linked to Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood, the Flyers might be willing to move defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and the latest on the Flames and Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RANGERS INTERESTED IN SHERWOOD

THE ATHLETIC: Vincent Z. Mercogliano reports a league source claims the New York Rangers have been pushing hard to acquire winger Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks. The asking price for the 30-year-old winger is believed to be a first-round pick and maybe more.

Sherwood carries an affordable $1.5 million cap hit. He’s in the final season of his contract and eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

However, recent injuries to starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox could dampen the Rangers’ interest in Sherwood. Their focus could shift from buyer to seller, depending on how long Shesterkin and Fox are sidelined.

The Rangers could peddle multiple players if they become sellers, including UFA-eligible winger Artemi Panarin. Contract extension talks with the 34-year-old Panarin haven’t gotten far, and he could be willing to waive his no-movement clause if this season slips out of reach for the Blueshirts.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston confirmed the Rangers’ interest in Sherwood. The Canucks have renewed contract talks with the winger’s camp, but they’re no closer to reaching an agreement.

Johnston believes Canucks management shouldn’t dally or be fooled by the club’s four-game win streak following the Quinn Hughes trade last month. He thinks they should move Sherwood for the best possible return to continue the rebuild that began with the Hughes trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks might be interested in keeping Sherwood, or at least willing to gauge his interest in staying in Vancouver. They’ve received plenty of calls about him, and could be waiting to see if his value rises further before pulling the trigger.

FLYERS COULD ENTERTAIN OFFERS FOR RISTOLAINEN

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco reports a Philadelphia Flyers source told him that Rasmus Ristolainen remains a trade candidate. The 31-year-old defenseman returned from injury last month and has two assists in nine games.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (NHL Images).

The Flyers aren’t actively shopping Ristolainen, but Di Marco indicated that they’re open to the possibility for the right price. A source suggested a return comparable to what the Montreal Canadiens received from the Florida Panthers in the Ben Chiarot trade four years ago would be along the lines of what they’re looking for. The Canadiens got a first-round pick, a fourth-rounder, and a prospect.

A right-shot, all-around defenseman, Ristolainen is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ristolainen won’t be going anywhere if the Flyers remain in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race by the trade deadline, especially if he continues to boost their blueline. It could be a different story if they tumble down the standings between now and March 6.

THE LATEST FLAMES AND OILERS SPECULATION

CALGARY SUN: Kent Wilson believes it’s time for Flames general manager Craig Conroy to decide if he’ll be a buyer or a seller in the trade market. Their last significant trade was on Jan. 30, 2025, when they acquired Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee from the Flyers.

Wilson acknowledged the Flames’ improvement through December, but pointed out that they remain in a transitional phase with a roster that isn’t close to being a Stanley Cup contender.

If Conroy decides to sell, he has two quality trade chips in defenseman Rasmus Andersson and two-way winger Blake Coleman. Andersson is UFA-eligible in July, while Coleman is signed through next season. Wilson noted that the Flames and Andersson have had months to hammer out a contract extension, suggesting that it’s unlikely they’ll get one done by the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy could be waiting to give his players enough time to see if they can play their way into a playoff berth. Had their early-season struggles carried over into December, he might’ve pulled the trigger by now.

Their performance in January could determine which lane Conroy takes. Based on their recent games, he could be leaning toward selling.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Gerry Moddejonge believes forwards Andrew Mangiapane and Trent Frederic could be reaching the end of their tenures with the Oilers.

Both players haven’t met expectations this summer, and were both healthy scratches during the Oilers’ 6-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Moddejonge observed that Mangiapane has been the subject of recent trade rumors. As for Frederic, he thinks his story in Edmonton could end with a contract buyout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mangiapane is signed through next season with an average annual cap hit of $3.6 million and a full no-trade clause for this season. Frederic is in the first season of an eight-year deal with an annual cap hit of $3.85 million and a full no-movement clause.

The Oilers are reportedly working with Mangiapane’s agent to find a suitable trade destination. Given Frederic’s dreadful performance this season, it’s doubtful anyone will be interested in his contract.

Buying out Frederic’s contract when the buyout window opens in June will cost the Oilers over $2 million annually through the first seven years of the buyout, dropping to over $800k annually for the remaining seven years. It won’t be an expensive dent in their salary cap payroll during that time, but it’s still a long time to be carrying dead cap space.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2026

by | Jan 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2026

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini extends his points streak, remembering the late Glenn Hall, the Mammoth will host the 2027 Winter Classic, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini extended his points streak to 12 games by rallying his club to a 4-3 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Celebrini had three points, including the tying goal and assisting on William Eklund’s game-winner for the 22-18-3 Sharks. Alex Turcotte and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist for the Kings (18-14-10).

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is third in the NHL scoring race with 67 points. The Sharks (47 points) hold the first Western Conference wildcard berth, sitting one point out of first place in the Pacific Division. Kings winger Corey Perry missed this game as he’s been granted leave to deal with an illness in his family.

Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 32 saves, and Clayton Keller collected two assists in a 3-1 win against the Ottawa Senators, improving their record to 21-20-3. Ridly Greig replied for the struggling Senators (20-17-5), who have two wins in their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the league announced that the Mammoth will host the 2027 Winter Classic against the Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. A date will be announced at a later time.

The Dallas Stars snapped a six-game winless skid by defeating the Washington Capitals 4-1. Sam Steel had a goal and an assist, and Casey DeSmith stopped 23 shots for the Stars (26-10-8). Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 915th career regular-season goal as his club (22-16-6) has one win in its last four games (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Matt Duchene collected an assist to record his 900th career NHL regular-season point. Before this game, the Capitals announced that winger Aliaksei Protas was placed on injured reserve.

Montreal Canadiens winger Alexandre Texier had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Cole Caufield had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who improved their record to 24-13-6 to sit one point out of first place in the Atlantic Division. Joel Farabee scored for the Flames (18-21-4) as they’ve lost three straight games.

The Chicago Blackhawks picked up their fourth straight win by dropping the St. Louis Blues 7-3. Oliver Moore, Landon Slaggert, Connor Murphy, and Louis Crevier each had a goal and an assist for the 18-18-7 Blackhawks. Blues rookie Otto Stenberg scored his first NHL goal as his club dropped to 17-19-8.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Hall of Fame goaltender Glenn Hall passed away on Wednesday at the age of 94.

Nicknamed “Mr. Goalie,” Hall holds the league record for consecutive games played by a netminder with 502 (552 including playoffs), and was the innovator of the butterfly style of goaltending.

Hall played 906 regular-season games with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues from 1952-53 to 1970-71, winning 407 games with a career 2.50 goals-against average and 84 shutouts. He won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 1960-61, the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1955-56, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1967-68, and the Vezina Trophy in 1962-63, 1966-67, and 1968-69.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall was among the greatest goaltenders in NHL history and a star with the Red Wings, Blackhawks, and Blues. Given the way the position has changed, his consecutive games record for NHL goalies will never be broken. My condolences to his family, friends, and former teammates.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider, and Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle are among the NHL players selected to Germany’s 2026 Men’s Olympic Hockey team. Others include Utah Mammoth forward JJ Peterka, Minnesota Wild forward Nico Sturm, and Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer.

Switzerland’s Men’s Olympic roster will include Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi, New Jersey Devils forwards Nico Hischier and Timo Meier, Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala, Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niedereitter, St. Louis Blues center Pius Suter, San Jose Sharks winger Philipp Kurashev, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman JJ Moser, New Jersey Devils blueliner Jonas Siegenthaler, and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Oliver Bjorkstrand, Ottawa Senators center Lars Eller, Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, and Senators netminder Mads Sogaard were named to Denmark’s Men’s Olympic team.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Adam Henrique was placed on injured reserve and isn’t expected to return until after the Olympic break in February.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets winger Mason Marchment (upper body) was placed on injured reserve and is listed as week-to-week.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Winnipeg Jets placed defenseman Haydn Fleury on injured reserve with a broken nose and bruised back.

CBS SPORTS: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Petr Mrazek (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins forward Rutger McGroarty has been diagnosed with a concussion and is on injured reserve. They also returned defenseman Harrison Brunicke to the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 7, 2026

by | Jan 7, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 7, 2026

Could Igor Shesterkin’s injury force the Rangers to become sellers? What’s the latest on Kiefer Sherwood’s contract talks with the Canucks. What’s going on with the Maple Leafs and Jets? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THE RANGERS BECOME SELLERS?

THE ATHLETIC: Vincent Z. Mercogliano wondered if Igor Shesterkin’s injury could force the New York Rangers into becoming sellers in the trade market. The 30-year-old goaltender injured his left leg during Monday’s game against the Utah Mammoth.

How long Shesterkin is sidelined has yet to be determined. Mecogliano believes there was already a strong case for the Rangers to take advantage of a seller’s market. A lengthy absence of their starting goalie could force them to face reality at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers moved Shesterkin onto their injured reserve list on Tuesday. They will reportedly continue to evaluate the severity of his injury while he’s on IR.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports Rangers general manager Chris Drury won’t waste time shaking up his roster. An NHL source told him that Drury has let it be known that he’s willing to move a big name if he can swing an impact move, preferably a player-for-player swap.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

Artemi Panarin’s status as an unrestricted free agent in July has made the 34-year-old winger the subject of interest in the rumor mill. Murphy’s source wondered if the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, or Detroit Red Wings might be interested.

It’s believed Drury has been gauging interest in forwards Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck. Zibanejad is in the fourth year of an eight-year contract with a full no-movement clause. Trocheck is in the fourth season of a seven-year deal with a 12-team no-trade list.

Struggling young winger Brennan Othmann is also believed to be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drury reportedly attempted to move Zibanejad last season, but he declined to waive his NMC and could do the same again this season. Trocheck’s limited NTC would make him easier to move, while Othmann lacks no-trade protection.

Panarin also has a full NMC. If the Rangers are out of contention heading into March, Drury could approach the playmaking winger about waiving it, but Panarin has complete control of this situation. He might only have one or two acceptable destinations, which would limit the return.

UPDATE ON KIEFER SHERWOOD’S CONTRACT SITUATION

TSN: Chris Johnston wondered what effect Christian Dvorak’s new contract with the Philadelphia Flyers would have on Kiefer Sherwood’s recent discussions with the Vancouver Canucks.

The Flyers signed Dvorak to a five-year extension with an average annual value of $5.15 million. He’s a center while Sherwood is a winger, but they’re around the same age, and the latter has outscored Dvorak this season.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported that the Canucks’ offer to the Sherwood camp is believed to be a four or five-year deal worth an AAV of over $4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That rumor offer from the Canucks is a considerable pay raise over Sherwood’s current $1.5 million AAV. Whether that’s sufficient enticement to keep him out of the open market in July remains to be seen.

LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS AND JETS

TSN: Darren Dreger reports uncertainty over the injury status of Chris Tanev could push the Toronto Maple Leafs into the trade market for a defenseman. However, that market is thin on blueliners, with most of those available being third-pairing rearguards.

Dreger also reports that Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has acknowledged this club’s position at the bottom of the standings, but he isn’t giving up on this season. He’d like to bolster his offense, but there isn’t much available in the trade market. Dreger said it’s uncertain what Cheveldayoff is willing to part with to add a scorer to his roster.

OLYMPIC BREAK MIGHT NOT AFFECT THE TRADE DEADLINE

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports he’s heard that some playoff contenders intend to wait until after the Olympic break in February to make their big moves in the trade market. One reason is that they don’t want to risk acquiring a player who is participating in the Olympics and then gets injured during the tournament. Additionally, most contenders have players who will be attending the Games.

LeBrun believes the moves that could take place before the Olympic break will be smaller to medium moves. However, he acknowledged there could be clubs desperate to save their seasons that could make a big move before then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Olympic break is from Feb. 6 to 24. The annual trade deadline is March 6 at 3 pm ET.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2026

by | Jan 7, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2026

A record-setting performance by Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin, Oilers captain Connor McDavid extends his points streak, the Lightning extend their win streak, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Ilya Sorokin kicked out 44 shots to set the New York Islanders’ record for most shutouts (26) as his club crushed the New Jersey Devils 9-0. Anthony Duclair tallied a hat trick in a career-high five-point performance while Mathew Barzal, Casey Cizikas, and Tony DeAngelo each collected three points for the 24-15-2 Islanders. Jacob Markstrom gave up nine goals on 24 shots for the Devils (22-19-2).

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The struggling Devils’ tumble in the standings has raised concern among the club’s fans. That’s putting pressure on general manager Tom Fitzgerald, who has come up short in his trade attempts thus far.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid extended his points streak to 16 games with a hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists for the Oilers, who improved to 21-16-6. Ryan O’Reilly and Nick Blakenburg replied for the 19-19-4 Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers scratched forwards Andrew Mangiapane and Trent Frederic from this game. Mangiapane has been a frequent healthy scratch since last week, becoming the subject of trade rumors. He and Frederic were signed last summer to bolster the Oilers’ forward depth, but they haven’t panned out thus far. Mangiapane is in the first year of a two-year contract, while Frederic’s is an eight-year deal.

The Tampa Bay Lightning picked up their eighth straight victory by doubling up the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had two assists to extend his points streak to eight games for the 26-13-3 Lightning, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 55 points. Parker Kelly and Brock Nelson were the goal scorers for the league-leading Avalanche (31-4-7, 69 points), who lost consecutive games for the first time since Oct. 26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Avalanche announced that captain Gabriel Landeskog and defenseman Devon Toews are week-to-week with upper-body injuries. Landeskog could miss a few weeks, but it’s too early to rule him out for the Winter Olympics in February.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras scored twice against his former team in a 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Cam York and Nikita Grebenkin each had a goal and an assist for the 22-12-7 Flyers. Cutter Gauthier and Alex Killorn tallied for the Ducks (21-19-3) as they’re winless in seven games (0-6-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was Gauthier’s first goal against the club that drafted him. Flyers winger Matvei Michkov missed this game with an injured foot, while Flyers forward Bobby Brink and defenseman Jamie Drysdale left this game with injuries. As for the Ducks, they placed forward Nikita Nesterenko on waivers before this game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Florida Panthers 4-1. Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist, and Auston Matthews scored his sixth goal in the last three games for the 20-15-7 Maple Leafs to extend their point streak to seven games (5-0-2). Carter Verhaeghe replied for the Panthers (22-17-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Brad Marchand tried to stir the pot before this game, telling reporters it was between the Panthers and Maple Leafs this summer before choosing to stay in Florida. He also trolled Toronto fans, claiming they drove former Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner out of town. Marchand exited in the third period for precautionary reasons following a hit by Leafs forward Bobby McMann.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs, defenseman Brandon Carlo returned to action after being sidelined by a foot injury since Nov. 13.

An overtime goal by Tomas Hertl lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets, leaving the latter winless in 10 games (0-6-4). Mark Stone scored to extend his goal streak to five games for the 18-11-12 Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 48 points. Cole Perfetti, Luke Schenn, and Kyle Connor replied for the 15-21-5 Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury was stretchered from this game with a broken nose in the first period after losing his balance and crashing into the end boards.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini scored to extend his points streak to 11 games in a 5-2 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Alexander Wennberg had a goal and two assists for the Sharks (21-18-3), as they’ve won four of their last five games. Zach Werenski and Sean Monahan scored for the Blue Jackets (18-17-7) as they’ve dropped three of their last four contests (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Monahan returned to action after missing the last four games. Earlier in the day, they signed former Pittsburgh Penguins and Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula after his contract with the Penguins was terminated.

The Buffalo Sabres held off the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 5-3. Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 32 shots for the Sabres (22-15-4), who’ve won 11 of their last 12 games. Brock Boeser had two assists for the Canucks (16-21-5), leaving them winless in their last four games(0-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Jason Zucker returned to the lineup after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman K’Andre Miller tallied twice and picked up an assist in a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Andrei Svechnikov collected four assists for the 26-14-3 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 55 points. Jason Robertson had a goal and two assists, and Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist against his former club, but the Stars (25-10-8) are winless in their last six games (0-3-3).

Seattle Kraken rookie Berkly Catton scored his first two NHL goals as his club defeated the Boston Bruins 7-4. Kaapo Kakko had two goals and an assist for the Kraken (20-14-7), who have won four straight and eight of their last nine contests. David Pastrnak tallied twice for the 22-19-2 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Bruins placed defenseman Hampus Lindholm on injured reserve and activated Henri Jokiharju off IR.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: International Ice Hockey Federation president Luc Tardif remains confident that construction on the main arena for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will be ready in time for the games.

The seating capacity is set at 11,800, which is smaller than expected. Construction on parts of the arena might not be fully finished on time, but the playing surface, practice facilities, and dressing rooms will be ready.

TSN: Speaking of the Winter Olympics, the Czech Republic named 12 NHL players to their Men’s Hockey Team. They include goaltenders Lukas Dostal of the Anaheim Ducks, Karel Vejmelka of the Utah Mammoth, and Daniel Vladar of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Forwards include David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha of the Boston Bruins, Martin Necas of the Colorado Avalanche, Tomas Hertl of the Vegas Golden Knights, Ondrej Palat of the New Jersey Devils, Radek Faksa of the Dallas Stars, and sidelined Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil. Defensemen included Radko Gudas of the Ducks and Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks.

Latvia’s roster will feature goaltenders Elvis Merzlikins of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Arturs Silovs of the Pittsburgh Penguins, forwards Rodrigo Abols of the Philadelphia Flyers, Zemgus Girgensons of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Teddy Blueger of the Vancouver Canucks, and defenseman Uvis Balinskis of the Florida Panthers.

Montreal Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier will be part of France’s Men’s Olympic hockey roster.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (lower body) is headed to injured reserve, and defenseman Adam Fox (lower body) was placed on long-term injury reserve.

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings forwards Anze Kopitar (lower body) and Joel Armia (upper body) are listed as day-to-day.

DAILY FACEOFF: Calgary Flames forward John Beecher is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 6, 2026

by | Jan 6, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 6, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, the latest on Canucks forwards Kiefer Sherwood and Jake DeBrusk, plus an update on the trade rumors swirling about Oilers winger Andrew Mangiapane.

THE LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma and Patrick Johnston are skeptical that the Vancouver Canucks will re-sign Kiefer Sherwood.

Both pundits took note of Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s report on Saturday about the Canucks making another contract offer to the Sherwood camp. The 30-year-old winger is on pace for a career-best season. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images).

Kuzma stated the prospect of the Canucks re-signing Sherwood is “highly unlikely,” claiming there’s not much appetite on their part to triple his $1.5 million salary. He also suggested that Sherwood could fetch a good return for the rebuilding Canucks, pointing to the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins as possible suitors.

Johnson didn’t rule out the possibility of the Canucks re-signing Sherwood. However, he doesn’t consider it likely after checking with his sources. Like Kuzma, he believes Sherwood will have more value to the Canucks as a trade chip.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks set in motion their rebuilding plans when they traded Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild last month. That made it all but certain that Sherwood will be moved before the March 6 trade deadline.

SPORTSNET: Michael Amato believes a playoff contender should attempt to acquire Jake DeBrusk from the Canucks.

DeBrusk is struggling in his second season in Vancouver, but the 29-year-old winger’s playoff experience would make him a good middle-six option for a contender seeking scoring depth. He also carries a reasonable annual average value of $5.5 million over the next five seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrusk has a full no-movement clause until 2027, but he might waive it for an opportunity to go to a contender. He hasn’t surfaced in the rumor mill yet, but the Canucks might be willing to listen to offers, especially if it involves young NHL players or high draft picks.

NO DEAL YET FOR ANDREW MANGIAPANE

EDMONTON JOURNAL: NHL insider Frank Seravalli told Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer that he felt the Oilers aren’t close to getting a trade done for Andrew Mangiapane.

Seravalli believes the Oilers have been in contact with a couple of teams. He thinks the second year of Mangiapane’s contract is a detriment, but they’re trying to work through that.

Mangiapane carries an AAV of $3.6 million on a two-year contract. He also has a full no-trade clause this season, but is reportedly willing to waive it to join a club where he’ll get more playing time.

Seravalli felt the Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey Devils are two clubs that need scoring depth. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said Saturday that the Anaheim Ducks had been poking around a bit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Journal’s David Staples believes it could take several weeks to get a trade worked out for Mangiapane. He wondered if there could be a swap with the Ducks for center Ryan Strome if the Ducks were willing to retain half of his $5 million cap hit through 2026-27.

I proposed the same thing last week, but that was spitballing on my part. If it were that simple, it would’ve been done by now.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

by | Jan 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, injury updates, contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Utah Mammoth’s 3-2 win over the New York Rangers was overshadowed by a lower-body injury suffered by Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin with seven minutes remaining in the first period. Following the game, head coach Mike Sullivan said the former Vezina Trophy winner was undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi scored in overtime for the 20-20-3 Mammoth, who got regulation goals from Dylan Guenther and Michael Carcone. Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck tallied for the 20-18-6 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing Shesterkin for a significant period of time could be devastating for the Rangers’ efforts to secure a playoff berth. Following the game, the Mammoth traded defenseman Juuso Valimaki to the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations.

The Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Minnesota Wild 4-2. Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves while Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who improved to 18-14-9. Jared Spurgeon had a goal and an assist for the 25-11-8 Wild, as their six-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Kings as captain Anze Kopitar left the game with a lower-body injury and winger Joel Armia departed with an upper-body injury. After the game, it was reported that Kopitar left the dressing room without any apparent limp. There was no update on Armia’s status.

Washington Capitals rookie winger Justin Sourdif tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Sourdif also collected two assists to finish the night with five points, while Alex Ovechkin scored twice and Connor McMichael picked up four assists for the 22-15-6 Capitals. Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Jacob Trouba, and Beckett Sennecke replied for the Ducks (21-18-3) as their winless skid reached six games (0-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger Tom Wilson missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, the Ducks have two wins in their last dozen games. They’ve tumbled from first place to fifth in the Pacific Division, leaving them clinging to the final Western Conference wildcard berth.

The Seattle Kraken got a 41-save performance from goaltender Philipp Grubauer to defeat the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-1. Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist for the 19-14-7 Kraken, who extended their points streak to eight games (7-0-1). Adam Klapka scored for the Flames (18-20-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle played in his 1,100th career NHL regular-season game. Speaking of the Flames, prospect defenseman Zayne Parekh set a record for most points by a Canadian blueliner in a World Junior Championship tournament, finishing with 13 as Canada took home the bronze medal in the 2026 WJC.

A three-goal first period powered the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. John Gibson made 35 saves while James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists for the 25-15-4 Red Wings, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Tim Stutzle collected two assists to extend his point streak to 13 games for the Senators (20-16-5).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews were the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 4, 2026.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn will miss the start of the club’s six-game road trip due to facial injuries suffered during the third period of Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

SPORTSNET/TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was placed on injured reserve. Defenseman Jake McCabe will be sidelined for a week with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The Panthers hope he’ll return to action before the Olympic break in February.

BOSTON.COM: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm will miss some time due to an undisclosed injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman John Klingberg on injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed Christian Dvorak to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.15 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dvorak has played a key role in the rebuilding Flyers improvement this season. The 29-year-old two-way center has nine goals and 25 points in 39 games, putting him on track for a career-best 18 goals and 50 points.

Dvorak might not be able to maintain that level of production throughout this new contract. Nevertheless, the Flyers see him as a key part of their future. He’s currently on a one-year, $5.4 million contract. With the salary cap rising significantly over the next two seasons, his new cap hit won’t take a significant chunk out of the Flyers’ cap payroll.

TSN: The St. Louis Blues signed forward Alexey Toropchenko to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $2.5 million.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed defenseman Egor Zamula on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zamula could sign with another NHL club once his contract is officially terminated on Tuesday.

TSN: Defenseman Jack Johnson officially retired as an NHL player, joining the Vancouver Canucks as a pro scout.

In 19 NHL seasons (2006-07 to 2024-25), Johnson had 342 points in 1,128 regular-season games with the Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks. He also had 21 points in 57 playoff games and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

NHL.COM: Former player, coach, and general manager Bob Pulford died on Monday at age 89.

Pulford spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings from 1956-57 to 1971-72. He spent 14 of those seasons with the Leafs, winning four Stanley Cups. He had 281 goals and 643 points in 1,079 regular-season games, and 51 points in 89 playoff games. In 1991, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Following his playing career, Pulford went on to spend five seasons coaching the Kings, winning the Jack Adams Award in 1974-75. He went on to spend five years coaching the Chicago Blackhawks and served as their general manager during four different periods between 1977 and 2005.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Pulford’s family, friends, former teammates, and colleagues.