NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2025

by | Dec 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2025

Oilers star Leon Draisaitl reaches 1,000 points, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon continues his high-scoring ways, Sharks center Macklin Celebrini moves up in the scoring race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl collected four assists to surpass 1,000 career NHL regular-season points as his Edmonton Oilers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4. Connor McDavid scored two goals and set up two others for the 16-12-6 Oilers. Erik Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the 14-9-9 Penguins, who are winless in their last six games (0-2-4).

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are the only team in NHL history to have five players reach the 1,000-point plateau as Draisaitl joined McDavid, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jari Kurri. Meanwhile, McDavid continues his surge in this season’s scoring race, sitting second with 56 points.

This was the first game between the two clubs since they swapped starting goaltenders last Friday. The Oilers’ Tristan Jarry made 26 saves for the win, while the Penguins’ Stuart Skinner turned aside 17 shots.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied twice and collected an assist in a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Cale Makar, Martin Necas, and Valeri Nichushkin each had two assists, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 34 saves as the league-leading Avalanche (24-2-7) picked up their third straight win. Shane Wright, Jordan Eberle, and Chandler Stephenson replied for the Kraken (12-13-6) as they’ve dropped nine of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all NHL scorers with 28 goals and 58 points. He’s on pace to reach 70 goals. The last players to reach that milestone were Hall of Famers Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny, who each had 76 goals in 1992-93.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had two goals and two assists to lead his club over the Calgary Flames by a score of 6-3. Barclay Goodrow scored twice and had an assist, and winger Tyler Toffoli the 300th regular-season NHL goal for the 17-14-3 Sharks, who’ve won three straight contests. Blake Coleman, Ryan Lomberg, and Nazem Kadri scored for the 13-17-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is third in this season’s scoring race with 51 points. Earlier in the day, the Sharks deemed forward Philipp Kurashev as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

The Minnesota Wild got a 25-save performance from Filip Gustavsson to shut out the Washington Capitals 5-0. Vladimir Tarasenko and Danila Yurov each had three points, and Quinn Hughes collected an assist in his second game with the Wild, who picked up their fifth straight win and improved to 20-9-5. Charlie Lindgren stopped 27 of 32 shots for the 18-11-4 Capitals, who drop to 1-3-2 in their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Marcus Foligno returned to action after being sidelined since Nov. 26 with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie scored twice in a 4-1 win over the Utah Mammoth. David Pastrnak had two assists for the 20-14-0 Bruins, who’ve won five of their last six games. Barrett Hayton replied for the Mammoth, who dropped to 16-16-3 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie sits second among league scorers this season with 24 goals. Before this game, the Bruins placed defenseman Jonathan Aspirot (upper body) on injured reserve, and claimed blueliner Vladislav Kolyachonok off waivers from the Dallas Stars.

The Philadelphia Flyers downed the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Trevor Zegras scored to extend his goal streak to four games, and Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist for the 17-9-6 Flyers, who extended their points streak to five games (2-3-0). Alexandre Texier scored for the Canadiens, who dropped to 17-12-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. They also sent goaltender Sam Montembeault to their AHL affiliate on a two-week conditioning stint. Meanwhile, Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen made his season debut after recovering from triceps surgery in March

Two goals in eight seconds by Auston Matthews and Dakota Joshua late in the third period rallied the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Matthews and William Nylander finished with two points each, and Joseph Woll stopped 23 shots for the 15-12-5 Maple Leafs. Wyatt Kaiser and Jason Dickinson scored for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost three straight games and slipped to 13-14-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov was scratched from this game after being late for practice on Monday.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat netted two goals in the third period as his club nipped the New York Islanders 3-2. Lucas Raymond collected three assists for the Red Wings (19-12-4). Emil Heineman and Scott Mayfield replied for the Islanders (19-12-3) as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Red Wings regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 41 points.

An overtime goal by Adam Fantilli gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Zach Werenski had two goals and an assist as the 14-13-6 Blue Jackets snapped a five-game losing skid. Mikael Granlund and Ryan Poehling each had two points for the Ducks (20-12-2), who have dropped three of their last four games (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 42 points, the Ducks cling to first place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Vancouver Canucks blanked the New York Rangers 3-0. Thatcher Demko kicked out 23 shots for the shutout while Evander Kane, Liam Ohgren, and Conor Garland scored for the 13-17-3 Canucks. The Rangers (16-15-4) have one win in their last six games (1-3-2).

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings placed goaltender Darcy Kuemper on injured reserve and recalled netminder Pheonix Copley.

The St. Louis Blues claimed winger Jonatan Berggren off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings.

THE TENNESSEAN: Former US college football coach Nick Saban purchased a minority stake in the Nashville Predators.

TORONTO SUN: Former NHL forward Paul Gagne passed away at age 63 after battling cancer. Gagne spent eight seasons 1980-81 to 1989-90) with the Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Islanders. He had 110 goals and 101 assists for 211 points in 390 games.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Veteran TSN broadcaster Michael Whalen passed away earlier this week at age 82. Whalen was TSN’s bureau reporter for Montreal and Quebec from 1986 to 2007.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to the family and friends of Gagne and Whalen.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 16, 2025

by | Dec 16, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 16, 2025

Check out the latest on Penguins defensemen Kris Letang and the Devils’ Dougie Hamilton and Ondrej Palat, plus updates on the Red Wings, Rangers, Senators, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PENGUINS CONCERNED ABOUT KRIS LETANG’S PLAY

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports there is considerable concern among the Pittsburgh Penguins’ organization regarding Kris Letang’s struggles this season. The 38-year-old defenseman has always been plagued by the occasional mental lapse in his game, but his athleticism and stamina often offset that issue. Not anymore.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (NHL Images)

Letang won’t be traded, partly because he’s got a full no-movement clause. There’s also no market for him given his age, a health history that includes two strokes, and his $6.1 million average annual value through 2027-28.

Yohe also pointed out that a buyout is unlikely. Letang was 35 when he signed his current contract, meaning the Penguins won’t receive any cap relief. Retirement is unlikely unless health or another circumstance forces his hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t a trade rumor, but the frustration over the decline in Letang’s play could prompt some Penguins fans to call on the club’s management to peddle him, even if it means retaining half of his cap hit. It’s worthwhile pointing out the reasons why such a move is unlikely.

DEVILS REPORTEDLY ATTEMPTED TO MOVE HAMILTON AND PALAT

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols noted that ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported the Devils attempted to move defenseman Dougie Hamilton and winger Ondrej Palat. According to Weekes, Hamilton and Palat were mentioned in potential trade scenarios involving the Devils.

Hamilton surfaced in trade rumors during the summer when the Devils were reportedly gauging the trade market for the 32-year-old defenseman. He shrugged them off at the time, insisting that he wanted to remain with the Devils. Hamilton is signed through 2027-28 with an AAV of $9 million and a 10-team trade list, along with a no-movement clause that prevents his demotion to the AHL without his permission.

Palat, 34, has the same conditions in his contract. He’s signed through next season with an AAV of $6 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those contracts are sticking points in any attempt to move those two players, as is the decline in their production. Still, Hamilton could garner more interest given his puck-moving abilities.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE DEVILS, RED WINGS, AND RANGERS AFTER MISSING OUT ON QUINN HUGHES?

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon speculated over which players the Devils and the Detroit Red Wings might pursue after failing in their efforts to acquire Quinn Hughes before he was traded to the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

Dixon wondered if the Devils might consider Buffalo Sabres power forward Alex Tuch as a trade target. He believes Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames would be a good fit for the Detroit Red Wings as their second-line center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames ownership insisted that Kadri won’t be traded, so we must assume he’s unavailable. Tuch, however, could become a trade candidate if the Sabres feel they could lose him to free agency next summer.

THE ATHLETIC: Vincent Z. Mercogliano took note of New York Rangers GM Chris Drury’s interest in Quinn Hughes. He thinks Drury could attempt another big swing at a big-name player in the trade market. However, the Rangers GM has depreciated his club’s prospect pool, which makes it difficult to win any bidding wars for notable talent in the trade market.

Mercogliano speculated that Drury may have offered up winger Alexis Lafreniere, defenseman Braden Schneider, and at least one of their two first-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft to the Vancouver Canucks for Hughes.

However, the Canucks sought a young, top-six center, which the Rangers don’t have. Meanwhile, the trade value of Lafreniere and Schneider isn’t what it was a few years ago.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are better-positioned than the Devils and Rangers to land a noteworthy player in the trade market. They have more cap space and plenty of young players and promising prospects to draw on for trade bait if they wish to.

THE LATEST ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators GM Steve Staios continues to scour the trade market for a top-nine forward and a defenseman. He believes Staios has contacted sellers such as the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, and the Nashville Predators.

Many teams remain in the playoff chase, which means the sellers’ asking prices remain high.

The Senators are among the clubs interested in Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood, who carries a $1.5 million cap hit and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. He’s also drawn interest from the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, and Philadelphia Flyers.

Sherwood’s teammate, Conor Garland, isn’t expected to be traded. However, Garrioch claims that if the Canucks were to peddle Garland, he’s a player that Senators head coach Travis Green holds in high regard. However, the 29-year-old’s six-year contract extension kicks in next season, with a $6 million AAV and a full no-movement clause.

Garrioch believes Staios has had conversations with Flames GM Craig Conroy. He thinks Flames winger Blake Coleman could be a good fit with the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The problem in landing Sherwood and Coleman is that a lot of teams are interested in them, meaning the Canucks and Flames will retain them for as long as possible to drive up their value before the March 6 trade deadline. Garland’s new contract is a big stumbling block that could be insurmountable unless the Canucks are willing to retain salary.

REICHEL ON THE TRADE BLOCK AGAIN

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports the Vancouver Canucks are willing to entertain trade offers for Lukas Reichel.

The Canucks acquired Reichel from the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this season. Projected to become a top-six forward when drafted by the Blackhawks, he’s struggled to meet expectations as a scorer.

Kuzma cited Reichel’s poor decision-making, penchant for turnovers, lack of battle, and misfiring on scoring chances as the reasons why he’s been demoted to the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2025

by | Dec 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2025

A notable hat trick by Predators winger Filip Forsberg, the Ducks’ Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba return to New York, the Sabres make a management change, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A hat-trick performance by Filip Forsberg carried the Nashville Predators to a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly each collected two assists for the 13-15-4 Predators, who have won seven of their last 10 games. Dalibor Dvorsky netted both goals for the Blues, who dropped to 12-15-7.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg picked up his 11th career hat trick, tying Markus Naslund for the second-most NHL hat tricks by a Swedish player. Kent Nilsson is the leader with 14.

Before this game, the Blues announced that winger Dylan Holloway would miss at least six weeks with an ankle injury.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored twice, and goalie Lukas Dostal stopped 26 shots to defeat the New York Rangers 4-1. Ryan Poehling had two assists for the Ducks (20-12-1), as they ended a two-game losing skid. Matthew Robertson replied for the Rangers (16-14-4), who have dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first game back in New York for former Rangers Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba, who received ovations from the fans at Madison Square Garden during tribute videos for both players. Both were traded to the Ducks in separate trades last season.

Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad was benched from this game for missing a team meeting.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart tallied two goals in a 5-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for the 17-13-2 Panthers, who’ve won five of their last six contests. Brayden Point had two assists for the Lightning (18-12-3), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning forward Brandon Hagel left this game in the third period after a questionable hit by Panthers defenseman Seth Jones. Earlier in the day, the Lightning announced that defenseman Emil Lilleberg will miss several weeks with an injury, while sidelined goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy could return to the lineup before Christmas.

The Dallas Stars beat the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 4-1. Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist, and Casey DeSmith made 27 saves for the 22-7-5 Stars. Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the Kings (14-9-9), who are 0-1-2 in their last three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a collision with Rantanen.

An overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Tim Stutzle had three assists, and Jake Sanderson scored the tying goal late in the third period for the Senators (15-13-4). Neal Pionk and Logan Stanley replied for the 15-15-2 Jets, who have three wins in their last 10 games.

HEADLINES

TSN: The Buffalo Sabres fired general manager Kevyn Adams, replacing him with Jarmo Kekalainen on a full-time basis.

Adams was in his sixth season as the Sabres’ general manager. He was criticized for mismanaging the team’s assets, his inability to secure a franchise goaltender, and his failure to address a lingering leadership void within the team.

In June, Adams hired Kekalainen as a senior advisor. He spent 10 seasons as general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A recent report in The Athletic indicated the Sabres were internally discussing replacing Adams. During his tenure, the Sabres’ postseason drought stretched to a league-record 14 seasons and counting. His two biggest blunders were trading Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights and Sam Reinhart to the Florida Panthers. Both players flourished with their new teams, becoming Stanley Cup champions.

Adams lacked management experience when he was hired for the job. He did his best, but he had no business being in that role. It was yet another example of the ineptitude of the club’s ownership, which has gone through five general managers, eight head coaches, 28 goaltenders with more than one game played, and seven team captains since 2011.

Kekalainen has considerable management experience. He guided the Blue Jackets through their most successful period in franchise history from 2016 to 2020, reaching the playoffs in four straight seasons. However, things fell apart soon afterward, leading to his firing last year. Whether he fares better than his four predecessors remains to be seen.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, and Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek are the league’s stars for the week ending Dec. 14, 2025.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks placed center Connor Bedard (upper body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 12.

DAILY FACEOFF/DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will miss the next two games with an upper-body injury. The Wings also placed forward Jonatan Berggren on waivers.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner and defenseman Brett Kulak joined the Pittsburgh Penguins’ active roster after resolving their immigration status over the weekend. On Friday, the Oilers traded Skinner and Kulak to the Penguins for goalie Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks placed forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev on injured reserve.

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks agreed to a two-year contract extension with center Max Sasson. He will earn an average annual value of $1 million.

RG.ORG: Prospect winger Gavin McKenna is hoping for redemption at the 2026 World Junior Championship. He was part of Canada’s junior team that failed to medal last season.

McKenna believes his move from the CHL to the NCAA with Penn State University this season has improved his decision-making, defensive play, and physical growth. He thinks those attributes will help his performance in this year’s tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna said his focus is on winning gold, and he’s not looking at this tournament as an opportunity to elevate his status in the 2026 NHL Draft. Nevertheless, he has slipped from the top spot in some recent draft rankings. A strong performance at the WJC could help him regain that placement.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 15, 2025

by | Dec 15, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 15, 2025

Will the Canadiens bring back Phillip Danault? Does Brandon Bussi’s performance for the Hurricanes make Frederik Andersen expendable? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD DANAULT RETURN TO THE CANADIENS?

SPORTS ON PRIME CANADA: NHL insider Frank Seravalli recently said the Montreal Canadiens were among the teams interested in center Phillip Danault of the Los Angeles Kings.

Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault (NHL Images).

The 32-year-old Danault played for the Canadiens from 2016-17 to 2020-21. He signed a five-year contract with the Kings as a free agent in July 2021. The deal has an average annual value of $5.5 million and a 10-team no-trade list.

Seravalli suggested keeping an eye on the Canadiens. He pointed out that he was a valuable player for them in the past, and is having a difficult season with the Kings. Seravalli also believes the two-way center could be moved sooner than we think, possibly before the upcoming NHL holiday roster freeze from Dec. 20 to 27.

TVA SPORTS: Jonathan Bernier stated the Kings have reportedly made Danault available in the trade market. He indicated that NHL sources had informed him that the veteran center was eager to return to Montreal.

Bernier believes adding Danault would improve the Canadiens’ defensive system, their poor penalty killing, and their need for experienced depth at center. He claimed that Danault isn’t getting along with Kings head coach Jim Hiller, suggesting that is the reason behind the center’s struggles this season.

However, Bernier doesn’t think it’s a good idea for the Kings to move Danault while center and team captain Anze Kopitar is playing his final NHL season. He believes the Kings would want a young center in return for Danault.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Friday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported several sources indicated the Kings weren’t inclined to trade Danault without good reason, because it’s so hard to find good centers. Despite Danault’s struggles this season, Friedman noted that he’s a proven playoff performer for the Kings.

Eyebrows were raised on Saturday when Danault was scratched from the Kings’ lineup, but Friedman said it was due to illness.

COULD BUSSI’S STRONG PLAY FOR THE HURRICANES MAKE ANDERSEN A TRADE CANDIDATE?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau suggested that goaltender Brandon Bussi’s strong performance for the Carolina Hurricanes should make veteran netminder Frederik Andersen a trade candidate.

Proteau acknowledged that carrying the trio of Bussi, Andersen, and Pyotr Kochetkov is a luxury most teams don’t have. However, the lack of goalie depth in the trade market could make Andersen a valuable trade chip.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Proteau also pointed out that Andersen’s injury history limited him to just 38 games throughout the previous two seasons. Nevertheless, there could be teams willing to take the risk to provide some experienced short-term depth to their goaltending.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2025

by | Dec 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2025

Quinn Hughes and Zeev Buium debut with their new clubs, the Mammoth stage a three-goal comeback win, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Quinn Hughes scored in his debut game with the Minnesota Wild in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman each had three points for the Wild (19-9-5) as they picked up their fourth straight win. Alex Steeves and Andrew Peeke replied for the 19-14-0 Bruins as their four-game win streak ended.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild acquired Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. He’s not committed to signing a contract extension, but the 26-year-old superstar defenseman said he will be “extremely open-minded” about it before his deal expires in 2027.

Meanwhile, Kaprizov reached the 20-goal plateau for the sixth consecutive season. Bruins winger Viktor Arvidsson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Zeev Buium had a goal and an assist in his first game with the 12-17-3 Canucks. Luke Hughes scored for the Devils (18-14-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buium, Marco Rossi, and Liam Ohgren were part of the return the Canucks received from the Wild in exchange for Hughes. All three played in this game.

Earlier in the day, the Canucks placed center Elias Pettersson on injured reserve and activated Rossi off IR. They also sent winger Lukas Reichel to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford after he cleared waivers.

An overtime goal by Dylan Guenther completed a 5-4 comeback by the Utah Mammoth over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Mammoth overcame a 3-0 deficit in the third period and took a 4-3 lead before the Penguins’ Justin Brazeau tied it to force overtime. Michael Carcone tallied twice for the Mammoth, who improved to 16-15-3. Brazeau had two goals and Ben Kindel had a goal and two assists for the Penguins (14-8-9), as their winless streak extended to 0-1-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second game in as many days that the Penguins blew a big lead, having fallen 6-5 in overtime to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Penguins rookie goalie Sergei Murashov gave up five goals on 37 shots.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov tallied in the shootout to lift the Carolina Hurricanes over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Hurricanes rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi made 24 saves to extend his win streak to nine games, giving him 11 in 12 games this season. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist as the 16-9-6 Flyers extended their winless skid to 0-0-3, while the Hurricanes (21-9-2) have won four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 44 points. Their blueline got a boost with the return of Jaccob Slavin, who missed 29 games with a lower-body injury.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 27-save performance from Jakub Dobes for a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson each collected two assists for the Canadiens, who improved to 17-11-4. Zach Hyman scored for the 15-12-6 Oilers.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson extended his goal streak to four games as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots for the Sabres, who have won three straight games and improved to 14-14-4. Chandler Stephenson scored for the 12-12-6 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Mason Marchment missed this game with the flu.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway suffered a lower-body injury during practice on Sunday.

ESPN.COM: The NHL Board of Governors would like to have more games in which both home and road teams wear solid-colored jerseys.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

by | Dec 14, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

The ongoing fallout from the Quinn Hughes trade in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said it was around the time of the American Thanksgiving weekend last month that Quinn Hughes informed the Vancouver Canucks that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension next summer.

Friedman claimed that several teams were deterred or concerned that Hughes wouldn’t commit to a long-term extension at this time. However, the Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils weren’t bothered by it.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

The Devils felt they were in a better position because Hughes’ brothers, Jack and Luke, were on their roster. However, they couldn’t free up sufficient salary-cap space to make the deal happen.

Friedman believes the Wild’s offer (Center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick) was the best one, adding there was no way the Canucks would’ve received a better deal.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers were among six clubs confirmed to have made legitimate offers for Hughes. The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes also showed some interest.

The Philadelphia Flyers also considered Hughes, but didn’t want to part with the assets the Canucks were seeking. LeBrun also believes the Washington Capitals weren’t that involved because they didn’t want to move the kind of pieces it would’ve taken to get the deal done.

Hughes’ agent, Pat Brisson, said he and his client weren’t able to guarantee to any of the interested clubs whether he would sign with them or not. At some point, Hughes will decide if he likes Minnesota enough to sign an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One thing that works to the Wild’s advantage is they’re the only club that can offer him an eight-year, front-loaded extension. However, Hughes will have to decide before Sept. 15, 2026. After that, the maximum term for re-signing players is reduced to seven years as per the updated collective bargaining agreement.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted his players struggled to tune out the Quinn Hughes trade speculation swirling around their team.

Ever since Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last weekend that the Devils contacted the Canucks about Hughes, multiple names surfaced as trade candidates. Defenseman Simon Nemec and center Dawson Mercer were mentioned as potential trade chips that could have gone to Vancouver as part of a package offer.

Nichols believes those players can rest easy for now, but noted that Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald continues to work the phones in search of a trade to help his struggling team.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh believes the Devils’ biggest area of need is forward. He claimed Fitzgerald has inquired about Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly. However, struggling clubs like the Predators are setting high asking prices. Fitzgerald faces overpaying to keep the team afloat, or try to ride this out and hope the prices drop.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-battered Devils will get some help as their sidelined players return to action. Whether they will get back in time to prevent the club from sliding further out of contention remains to be seen.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reported the Canucks liked Washington prospect Cole Hutson when the two sides were discussing a potential trade package for Hughes. However, the Capitals didn’t want to part with their top defensive prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson, 19, is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens star Lane Hutson. Chosen in the second round (43rd overall) by the Capitals, he’s in his second season with Boston University.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch wonders if the Quinn Hughes trade, and the goalie swap that saw the Edmonton Oilers ship Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tristan Jarry, will shake the trade market loose.

The St. Louis Blues are reportedly open for business, and the Canucks still intend to entertain offers for their UFA-eligible players. The Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, and Nashville Predators are also prepared to make moves.

Garrioch pointed out that the upcoming holiday roster freeze begins at 11:59 pm ET on Dec. 19 and will remain in place until 12:01 am ET on Dec. 28.