NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2026

by | Apr 1, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2026

Who are the potential candidates to become the next GM of the Maple Leafs? Are management changes coming for the Devils and Canucks? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS’ GM SEARCH

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes that Keith Pelley, the head of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, tipped his hand when he said that he favors retooling the Maple Leafs roster over a rebuild. He expects it will be a cue card for the potential candidates for the job.

Darren Dreger reports former Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving was at least working on retooling the roster before he was fired. Treliving was hoping to use some of the draft picks that he acquired before last month’s trade deadline as trade collateral to acquire a good young defenseman. The Leafs also need a center to take some of the load off John Tavares.

Chris Johnston indicated that Pelley is seeking a data-minded person for the GM job. The Leafs will hire a search firm to help them find some potential candidates.

St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong (NHL.com).

LeBrun mentioned that St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong has been linked to the Maple Leafs. Armstrong is stepping down from his current role at the end of this season, but he’s under contract as the Blues’ president of hockey operations. It would be up to Blues owner Tom Stillman whether he’ll permit clubs to speak with Armstrong.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues beat writer Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic doesn’t expect Stillman to grant permission for the Leafs to talk to Armstrong about their vacant management position. The Blues owner would prefer that Armstrong stick around to help the incoming GM, Alexander Steen.

Johnston mentioned that Pelley has reached out to sidelined Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews. It’s expected there will be more discussions between the two regarding the club’s direction. Matthews has two years remaining on his contract.

In his column for The Athletic, LeBrun mentioned former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis as a potential candidate. He also believes the Maple Leafs could be looking at multiple hires, with a veteran hand paired with an up-and-comer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The “veteran hand” would likely end up in the hockey operations role, while the “up-and-comer” gets the general manager’s chair.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes there will be plenty of interest in the Leafs GM job. He wondered if former Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi would be a candidate for the Leafs job. Lombardi currently works with the Philadelphia Flyers. Other possibilities could be Pittsburgh Penguins assistant GM Jason Spezza and Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta.

COULD THE DEVILS AND CANUCKS SHAKE UP THEIR MANAGEMENT?

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos observed that Tom Fitzgerald holds the president of hockey operations and general manager titles. However, some are wondering if they might break up those roles.

Kypreos speculated they could hire a new hockey ops president, keep Fitzgerald around for one more season, and evaluate from there. It’s believed he’s preparing for the worst because he’s been on the hot seat this season.

FULL PRESS MEDIA: Jim Biringer wondered if the Maple Leafs firing of Brad Treliving might lead to a management change for the Devils.

It’s been rumored that Devils ownership might be contemplating some sort of change in the front office. However, Fitzgerald has maintained that he’s been in sync with ownership and the coaching staff.

If the Devils make a management change, Biringer believes it won’t come from within.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It seems a safer choice to hire a new president and give Fitzgerald one more season to redeem himself. However, the Devils ownership could have an eye on whoever applies for the Leafs’ job and perhaps interview those who didn’t get that role.

Kypreos also noted that changes are coming for the Vancouver Canucks, but it remains unclear to what extent they will take. He’s heard that GM Patrik Allvin doesn’t expect to survive the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allvin is the right-hand man of Jim Rutherford, the Canucks president of hockey operations. It would be an interesting move by Rutherford to hand Allvin his walking papers.

Canucks beat writer Thomas Drance of The Athletic isn’t sure just how far they are willing to go as they attempt to move on from this disastrous season. He thinks the organization should face some measure of accountability, but it remains to be seen what that could be.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2026

by | Apr 1, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2026

No April fooling here, as the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin reaches another scoring milestone, the Sabres reclaim first place in the Eastern Conference, the Stars re-sign general manager Jim Nill, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied twice to reach the 30-goal plateau for the 20th time in a 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Tom Wilson also scored two goals, Pierre-Luc Dubois collected four assists, and Jakob Chychrun had a goal and two assists for the 38-28-9 Capitals (85 points), who are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Travis Sanheim and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (37-25-12), who are two points out of that Eastern wild-card spot.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin tied Gordie Howe and Teemu Selanne for the third-most goals (31) by a player age 40 or older. He’s behind Howe (44 goals) and Johnny Bucyk (36) for the most goals by a player in that age category.

The Buffalo Sabres reclaimed first place in the Eastern Conference by holding off the New York Islanders by a score of 4-3. Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (46-21-8), who reached the 100-point plateau for the first time since 2009-10. Bo Horvat picked up three assists, and Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the 42-29-5 Islanders, who cling to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Sam Carrick left this game with an injured left arm after a fight with Islanders captain Anders Lee in the third period. The Islanders played without forward Simon Holmstrom, who suffered an upper-body injury during Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield netted his 47th goal of the season and collected an assist in a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Juraj Slafkovsky and Mike Matheson each had a goal and an assist while Jakub Dobes stopped 36 shots for the 43-21-10 Canadiens, who picked up their sixth straight victory and remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Jake Guentzel replied for the Lightning (46-22-6), who are two points up on the Canadiens in the Atlantic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield sits two goals behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s top goal scorer. Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier missed this game as he’s out two to four weeks with an upper-body injury.

A four-goal third period by the Boston Bruins lifted them to a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Viktor Arvidsson had a hat trick while David Pastrnak had three assists for the Bruins (43-24-8), who got their fourth straight win to sit two points behind the Canadiens in the first Eastern wild-card spot. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson each had two points for the 44-19-12 Stars, who have dropped six of their last seven games but continue to hold second place in the Western Conference with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Stars announced the signing of general manager Jim Nill to a two-year contract extension. He’s held the job since April 2013 and is the reigning holder of the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award, which he’s won three consecutive times as the Stars reached the Western Conference Final in each of those seasons.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Egor Chinakhov had a goal and an assist while Anthony Mantha reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time for the 38-21-16 Penguins, who sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points. Dylan Larkin replied for the struggling Red Wings (39-27-8), who remain two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evgeni Malkin collected an assist as he returned to action since being sidelined on March 22 with an injured hand. Before the game, the Red Wings announced that prospect goaltender Trey Augustine had signed a three-year entry-level contract and reported to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids for the remainder of the season.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers scored the game-winning goal and picked up two assists in a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are 1-4-1 in their last six games. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (47-21-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 100 points. Kirill Marchenko had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (38-25-12), who cling to the final Eastern wild card with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes and Sabres are tied in points, but the former holds first place in the conference based on a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are struggling to regain the winning form that propelled them from last place in the conference in mid-January into second place in the Metropolitan Division by March 25.

The Florida Panthers scored five straight goals in the first period to defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and three assists while Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and collected an assist for the 35-32-3 Panthers. Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark was pulled in the first period after giving up those five goals as his club remains two points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Noah Gregor set a franchise record for the fastest game-opening goal as he found the back of the net in the first eight seconds. Gregor also received a match penalty in the third period for knocking Senators rookie defenseman Carter Yakemchuk out of the game with a high hit.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram made 27 saves to shut out the Seattle Kraken 3-0. Max Jones, Kasper Kapanen, and Connor McDavid scored for the 38-28-9 Oilers, who sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 85 points. Philipp Grubauer stopped 21 of 23 shots for the Kraken (32-30-11), who are two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken center Shane Wright missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Winnipeg Jets moved one point behind the Nashville Predators (77 points) for the final Western wild card by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Kyle Connor. Mark Scheifele collected three assists for the Jets (32-30-12). Tyler Bertuzzi scored two goals for the 27-34-14 Blackhawks, who overcame a 3-1 deficit to force overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced that defensemen Artyom Levshunov and Matt Grzelcyk have been sidelined by injuries for the remainder of the season.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves for a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. J.T. Miller scored what proved to be the game-winner for the 31-35-9 Rangers. Connor Brown replied for the 38-34-2 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The main highlight of this contest was a third-period fight between Shesterkin and Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom, which Shesterkin won handily.

HEADLINES

TORONTO STAR/TORONTO SUN: Keith Pelley, the President and COO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, met with the media yesterday to outline his plans to find a new general manager for the Maple Leafs, and the club’s plans going forward.

Among the notable points from Pelley’s word salad of a press conference is the intention to build a new hockey department in time for the NHL Draft combine in early June. He expects the next GM will be required to make data-driven decisions.

Meanwhile, Pelley expects the club to build around foundational players Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Basically, the roles of team president and general manager will not be held by one person; they’re focusing more on analytics, and they will be retooling around their foundation rather than tearing everything down and rebuilding.

I’ll have more about the potential candidates for the role of Maple Leafs general manager in today’s Rumor Mill.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar’s injury isn’t considered serious. However, he’ll likely miss a few games over the remainder of this season to ensure he’s ready for the upcoming playoffs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Forward Jansen Harkins underwent surgery on his hand and is expected to be out for four weeks.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 31, 2026

by | Mar 31, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 31, 2026

A list of several proposed trade destinations for Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, and the latest on the Rangers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BETWEEN THE POSTS: Former Toronto sports pundit Howard Berger reports a “good source” told him that Auston Matthews won’t be back with the Maple Leafs.

Berger’s source claimed the 28-year-old center and team captain would be traded this summer to one of three teams: the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, or the Utah Mammoth. Because Matthews grew up in the southwestern United States, those clubs would apparently top Matthews’ list of preferred trade destinations.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings would probably love to land Matthews as a replacement for the retiring Anze Kopitar. However, they might not have sufficient trade capital to win the bidding for his services, unless the Kings are the only team he’d want to be traded to.

BLEACHER REPORT: Based on Berger’s report, Hannah Stuart compiled what the trade packages might look like for the Ducks and Mammoth to acquire Matthews, but she included the Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks as destinations.

Stuart admits she is working within the framework of “pie in the sky trade that could still possibly happen”, but that’s because “Leafs fans deserve some nice things sometimes.”

From the Ducks, Stuart proposed a return of center Mason McTavish, defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, and a second-round pick, with the Maple Leafs retaining 50 percent of Matthews’ $13.25 million average annual value through 2027-28.

Stuart pitched an offer of prospect Tij Iginla, winger JJ Peterka, and a second-round pick from the Mammoth, with the Maple Leafs retaining 50 percent of Matthew’s cap hit. From the Flyers, Porter Martone, Rasmus Ristolainen, and a second-rounder, with the Maple Leafs retaining 25 percent.

From the Sharks, Stuart proposed an offer of William Eklund, Sam Dickinson, and a third-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that there has been nothing to suggest Matthews and the Maple Leafs will part ways this summer. There has been only some media speculation based on the club’s poor performance this season and the Leafs’ lack of reaction when Radko Gudas of the Ducks ended Matthews’ season with a knee-on-knee hit two weeks ago.

Matthews has two years left on his contract. He could remain patient and see whether the moves Leafs management makes this summer help the club rebound next season.

If Matthews tells management he wants to be traded, most observers will likely scoff at Stuart’s proposed offers. However, his full no-movement clause means he’ll only agree to be traded to a handful of teams.

As we’ve seen in recent years with the trades of Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin, those clubs will have the leverage, especially when Matthews reaches the final season of his contract. In that case, Stuart’s proposed trade offers could be better than what the Leafs might actually get.

Anyway, feel free to weigh in with your reaction to those pitches, and let us know what type of return you think Matthews might fetch in the trade market.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh recently evaluated the recent trades of New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury as he attempts to retool the roster.

Baugh observed that younger players traded away by Drury (Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller) have improved with their new clubs. He believes the Rangers must examine what went wrong with their handling of Kakko and Miller before bringing in more young talent.

If the Rangers are headed toward a full rebuild, the addition of aging center J.T. Miller looks ill-advised, making the club older while costing them a first-round pick in the process.

Baugh is concerned about how Drury intends to retool after moving on from Artemi Panarin. He noted that this summer’s free-agent class is weak, and the Rangers don’t have as many trade chips as other clubs closer to contention. While the Blueshirts will have salary-cap space to add to their roster, Baugh believes it works only if there are players to use it on.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Center Vincent Trocheck remains a significant trade chip for the Rangers. That lack of quality talent in this summer’s free-agent pool could force teams to turn to the trade market. Those who were reluctant to meet Drury’s asking price for Trocheck at the trade deadline could be more willing to do so in the offseason.

Nevertheless, Baugh makes some good points about the Rangers’ development system and how they might not be as enticing a destination for top talent hoping to join a playoff contender. It will take some significant salesmanship by Drury to pull it off.

What say you, Rangers fans? Let us know in the comments below.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 31, 2026

by | Mar 31, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 31, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s action, the Maple Leafs fire general manager Brad Treliving, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini became the sixth teenager in NHL history to record a 100-point season in a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues. Celebrini had two goals and an assist, and Adam Gaudette scored the winning goal with 22 seconds remaining in the third period for the 34-31-7 Sharks (75 points), who moved within two points of the Nashville Predators for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Jake Neighbours picked up two assists for the Blues (31-31-11), who are four points out of that wild-card spot.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini joined Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, Jimmy Carson, Mario Lemieux, Dale Hawerchuk, and Wayne Gretzky among the teenage 100-point players, with Crosby the only one to do it twice. Celebrini is also the third player in Sharks history to reach the 100-point plateau, joining Joe Thornton and Erik Karlsson.

An eight-goal second period between the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins resulted in the latter overcoming a 3-1 deficit for an 8-3 victory. Anthony Mantha scored twice and collected an assist, Rickard Rakell tallied two goals, and Justin Brazeau picked up three assists for the 37-21-16 Penguins, who vaulted over the Islanders into second place in the Metropolitan Division. Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Isles (42-28-5), who sit one point behind the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby picked up two assists in his return to action after missing a game with a lower-body injury. It was his 1,100th career regular-season assist, joining Hall of Famer Raymond Bourque as the only players to reach that milestone with one team.

A five-goal first period carried the Colorado Avalanche to a 9-2 drubbing of the Calgary Flames. Colorado center Nazem Kadri scored twice against his former club while Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas, Jack Drury, and Parker Kelly each collected three points for the Avalanche (49-14-10), who lead the league with 108 points. Brennan Othmann and Ryan Strome replied for the 31-35-8 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar left this game after the second period with an upper-body injury. An update on his condition is expected on Tuesday.

The Vegas Golden Knights doubled up the Vancouver Canucks 4-2, giving interim coach John Tortorella his first win with his new club. Shea Theodore and Rielly Smith scored 1:17 minutes apart in the second period to give the 33-26-16 Golden Knights the win. With 82 points, they hold third place in the Pacific Division. Evander Kane scored in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game as the 21-44-8 Canucks sit last in the overall standings.

An overtime goal by John Tavares lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Tavares finished with two goals and an assist, and William Nylander had a goal and three assists for the Maple Leafs (32-30-13). Leo Carlsson tallied twice for the 41-28-5 Ducks, who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Max Domi got a measure of revenge for sidelined captain Auston Matthews by beating Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas in a first-period fight. Gudas injured Matthews earlier this month with a knee-on-knee hit. The Ducks blueliner seemed resigned to his fate, not bothering to throw any punches while Domi landed 12. Maple Leafs forward Michael Pezzetta was handed a game misconduct in the second period for shoving a linesman.

Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier left this game midway through the first period with an upper-body injury. He will be reevaluated on Tuesday. Gauthier leads the Ducks with 38 goals and 65 points this season.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Before last night’s game, the Maple Leafs announced that they relieved Brad Treliving of his duties as general manager.

Treliving had been in the role since May 2023. He had a record of 139-92-27, and a 10-10 postseason record.

The fate of head coach Craig Berube is unknown, but it’s expected that Treliving’s replacement will want to hire their own bench boss.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving was in the final season of his contract. Given the club’s disappointing downturn this season, it’s not surprising that he was given his walking papers.

The Maple Leafs’ decline this season was mostly Treliving’s fault. He failed to re-sign Mitch Marner, resulting in the winger’s departure last summer, and didn’t find any suitable replacement. He also didn’t improve the Maple Leafs’ defensive depth, especially on the right side of their blueline. 

Treliving made a pair of short-sighted moves at last year’s trade deadline that will hamper the Leafs’ efforts to restock their prospect pipeline. He shipped top prospect Fraser Minten and the Leafs’ 2026 first-round pick to Boston for struggling defenseman Brandon Carlo at last year’s trade deadline. He gave up the Leafs’ 2027 first-rounder to Philadelphia as part of the return for Scott Laughton, who now plays for the Los Angeles Kings.

It’s rumored that the Maple Leafs could attempt to woo Doug Armstrong away from the St. Louis Blues. He’s indicated that he intends to hand over the management role to Alexander Steen and remain with the Blues as team president.

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha, and Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Carlson are the league’s three stars for the week ending March. 29, 2026.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 30, 2026

by | Mar 30, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 30, 2026

Do Patrik Laine, Arber Xhekaj, and Jayden Struble fit into the Canadiens’ plans beyond this season? Could Ducks center Mason McTavish become an offseason trade chip? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: A reader asked Stu Cowan if Patrik Laine will play another game for the Canadiens. The 27-year-old winger was sidelined in October by abdominal surgery. He’s been practicing with the team for weeks, but there hasn’t been any room for him in their current lineup.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

Cowan noted the rebuilding Canadiens needed Laine’s offense in 2024-25, and wouldn’t have squeaked into the 2025 playoffs without him. However, the Canadiens are this season’s third-highest-scoring team, and no longer need his power-play contributions. He doesn’t fit into the Canadiens’ fast-paced style of play this season.

Laine is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Cowan believes he will seek a fresh start elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble have been battling for the sixth spot on the Canadiens’ blueline all season. Xhekaj has been a healthy scratch in several recent games as Struble has moved past him on the depth chart.

However, Cowan wouldn’t be surprised if both defensemen were traded during the offseason. Promising young blueliners David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom could be ready to make the jump to the NHL next season. General manager Kent Hughes could also be in the market for a veteran right-shot defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been another difficult season for the oft-injured Laine. There simply isn’t any room for him now with the improving young Canadiens, who are expected to soon welcome prospect forward Michael Hage into their lineup.

Laine’s injury history means he won’t be getting any lucrative long-term offers in this summer’s free-agent market. Nevertheless, his big shot should help him land with another NHL club seeking a power-play specialist, though he’ll likely have to accept a significant pay cut on a one-year contract.

Xhekaj’s physical style has made him a fan favorite in Montreal, but he’s struggled to nail down a full-time spot on the Canadiens’ third defense pairing. A strong performance in the upcoming playoffs might help him, as his style of play seems better-suited to the postseason’s physical grind.

However, with those promising youngsters knocking on the door, this could be Xhekaj’s final season with the Canadiens. He might’ve been part of that mysterious blockbuster trade that Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes was working on before the trade deadline.

Struble seems the least likely to be moved this summer, but that doesn’t ensure his long-term future in Montreal. He could be moved next season if Engstrom or Reinbacher make the club.

DAILY FACEOFF: Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton recently spoke with Felix Sicard of the Crash the Pond podcast regarding Mason McTavish’s future with the Anaheim Ducks.

McTavish missed most of training camp last fall before signing his six-year, $42 million contract. The 24-year-old center has struggled this season and was recently scratched from a couple of games. He has 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games.

Sicard noted that McTavish was supposed to have nailed down the second-line center position. His struggles could be attributable to missing camp or playing under a new head coach. Sicard doesn’t think it’s reached the point where McTavish will get traded, but he didn’t dismiss the possibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sicard also pointed out that the Ducks have succeeded this season despite McTavish’s difficulties. That could make his future in Anaheim less certain than it was a year ago.

Nevertheless, I concur with Sicard that it’s unlikely McTavish will be traded this summer. The Ducks will remain patient and anticipate a bounce-back performance from him next season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 30, 2026

by | Mar 30, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 30, 2026

Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Golden Knights replace Bruce Cassidy as head coach with John Tortorella, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning moved into first place in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Nashville Predators 3-2. Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists, and Corey Perry snapped a 2-2 tie for the 46-21-6 Lightning (98 points). Filip Forsberg scored his 34th goal of the season while rookie Joakim Kemell tallied his first NHL goal as the Predators (34-31-9) have lost three straight as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes each have the same record and points, but the former hold first place in the conference with 37 regulation wins. The Buffalo Sabres also have 98 points, but sit third with a record of 45-21-8.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Montreal Canadiens. Nick Suzuki tallied twice and collected an assist, Cole Caufield sniped his 46th goal of the season, and Jakub Dobes stopped 34 shots for the 42-21-10 Canadiens, who have won five straight games, sweeping their season series with Carolina to sit third in the Atlantic Division with 94 points. Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield is two goals behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s leading goal scorer.

Caufield’s quest for 50 goals overshadowed Suzuki becoming the first Canadien to exceed 90 points in a season since Pierre Turgeon and Vincent Damphousse in 1995-96. Suzuki has 91 points, and is on pace to become the first Hab to tally 100 points since Mats Naslund in 1985-86.

The Boston Bruins overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on a shootout goal by Viktor Arvidsson, who also collected three assists in regulation. Pavel Zacha had two goals and an assist as the Bruins (42-24-8) picked up their third straight victory to hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 92 points. Mason Marchment had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who sit in the final Eastern wild-card berth with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei missed this game with an upper-body injury. Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier left this contest in the second period with an upper-body injury, likely a result of his first-period fight with Bruins forward Mark Kastelic.

The Blue Jackets had been on a tear since Rick Bowness took over as head coach in mid-January, surging up the Eastern Conference standings. However, they’ve cooled off lately, sporting a record of 1-3-1 in their last five contests.

An overtime goal by Trevor Zegras lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 upset of the Dallas Stars. Travis Konecny scored in regulation, and Samuel Ersson stopped 17 shots for the 37-24-12 Flyers (86 points), who are now two points behind the Blue Jackets for that final Eastern wild card. Arttu Hyry scored his first NHL goal for the Stars (44-18-12), who sit second in the overall standings with 100 points, but have dropped five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers also made news on Sunday by signing top prospect Porter Martone to a three-year entry-level contract. Chosen sixth overall in last year’s draft, the 19-year-old winger is expected to join the Flyers for the remainder of this season.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored twice and collected two assists in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Nico Hischier had two assists for the Devils (38-33-2). Frank Nazar tallied two goals, and Anton Frondell had two assists for the 27-34-13 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov suffered a fracture to his left hand last Tuesday and is out for the remainder of the season.

The New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1. Igor Shesterkin turned aside 26 shots while Adam Fox had a goal and an assist for the 30-35-9 Rangers. Mackie Samoskevich replied for the 35-35-3 Panthers.

HEADLINES

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Vegas Golden Knights fired head coach Bruce Cassidy on Sunday, replacing him for the remainder of this season with John Tortorella.

Cassidy had been behind the Golden Knights bench since 2022-23, guiding them to the Stanley Cup that season. They reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and hold a playoff berth in the Pacific Division.

However, the Golden Knights have struggled since the Olympic break with a record of 5-10-2, being outscored by an average of 3.2 to 2.4 goals per game. For the first time in franchise history, they will finish with more defeats than victories.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are ruthless and are unafraid to make bold moves to shake things up and remain in Stanley Cup contention. However, replacing Cassidy is unlikely to spark a significant improvement.

Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal believes Cassidy is being made the fall guy, calling it a desperate move by the struggling club. Jesse Granger of The Athletic pointed out that the Golden Knights have chipped away at their defensive depth in recent years, their core is aging, and their goaltending has been subpar.

As Graney and Granger observed, the team’s difficulties this season are primarily due to management’s construction of this team. By acquiring big-ticket players in trades and free agency, they gutted the defensive and goaltending depth that played a key role in their 2023 Stanley Cup run.

TSN’s Chris Johnston doesn’t believe Cassidy will be unemployed for long. Given his success with the Golden Knights and the Boston Bruins, he’ll have plenty of suitors this summer, with the Toronto Maple Leafs likely at the front of the line.

As for Tortorella, he’s joining his sixth team as he begins his 24th season as an NHL head coach. He’s a two-time winner of the Jack Adams Award and coached the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2004. “Torts” also has a reputation as a no-nonsense bench boss. However, the Golden Knights must improve considerably from their current level for Tortorella to earn an extension beyond this season.

CBC NEWS: Former Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets forward Bill Riley died of cancer on March 29 at age 75.

Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Riley was the third Black player in NHL history. He played with the Capitals from 1974-75 to 1978-79 and the Jets in 1979-80. In 139 games, he had 31 goals and 30 assists for 61 points.

Riley also spent four seasons in the AHL, captaining the New Brunswick Hawks to the Calder Cup in 1981-82. Following his playing career, he coached the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats and the Amherst Ramblers of the Maritime Hockey League.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Riley’s family, friends, former teammates, and the young players that he coached.