NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 18, 2026

by | Oct 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 18, 2026

Two more Panthers collect hat tricks, the Flyers finally win their first game of the season, Connor Hellebuyck’s suspension ends soon, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers forwards Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett each had hat tricks in an 8-3 drubbing of the Seattle Kraken. Matthew Tkachuk collected three assists for the 5-2-2 Panthers. Shane Wright, Frederick Gaudreau, and Ryker Evans replied for the Kraken (5-3-1).

Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Verhaeghe had a natural hat trick, making the Panthers the first team in NHL history with natural hat tricks in three consecutive games, after Brady Tkachuk record natural hat tricks in the Panthers’ previous two games.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored two goals and collected three assists to lead his club over the Utah Mammoth 6-2. Tristan Jarry made 26 saves, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist for the 6-1-1 Oilers. John Marino and Mikhail Sergachev scored for the Mammoth, who remain in first place in the Central Division (6-3-0) with 12 points.

Former Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers snapped a 2-2 tie to lift the Carolina Hurricanes over his old club by a score of 3-2. Mark Jankowski extended his goal streak to seven games, and Shayne Gostisbehere had two assists for the Hurricanes (7-1-1) to stretch their win streak to seven games. They also hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 15 points. Mark Scheifele and Alex Iafallo replied for the Jets (4-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following this game, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that multiple sources said Connor Hellebuyck had informed the Jets before their first game of the season (Oct. 2) that he intended to report to the team.

The 33-year-old goaltender went public with his trade request in August. He had not received permission from the Jets to stay away from training camp, allowing the club to suspend him without pay for a “reasonable” length of time. According to Friedman’s sources, the end date for the suspension is Friday, Oct. 23.

Hellebuyck can rejoin the Jets on that date. Friedman suggested the possibility of the club paying him to stay home, but he doesn’t think that’s what anyone wants.

Jets captain Adam Lowry was asked about the possibility of Hellebuyck returning to the lineup. “I think if he does show up, there’s going to have to be conversations; there’s gonna have to be one of those ‘water under the bridge things’,” Lowry said.

The Jets exceeded expectations with Hellebuyck, with a 4-2-2 record. There will be concerns about whether his potential return upsets team chemistry. They’ll want to ensure Hellebuyck is coming back to help the team, not just to hasten a trade or to resume his payments.

The Philadelphia Flyers won their first game of the season by holding off the Ottawa Senators 3-1. Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov each had a goal and an assist, and Dan Vladar stopped 25 shots for the 1-6-3 Flyers. Drake Batherson scored for the 6-3-0 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ victory leaves the Los Angeles Kings as this season’s only team without a win (0-4-2). Flyers winger Owen Tippett missed this game with an upper-body injury. Senators captain Thomas Chabot left this game after the second period with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Kings, they dropped a 4-1 decision to the Boston Bruins. The Bruins got four unanswered goals from David Pastrnak, Marat Khusnutdinov, Elias Lindholm, and JJ Peterka to improve to 7-2-0, leaving them in first place in the Atlantic Division with 14 points. Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins center Pavel Zacha missed this game with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Nikita Zadorov was a healthy scratch.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to nip the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Juraj Slafkovsky and Alexandre Carrier each had two assists as the Canadiens improved to 4-3-1. Josh Norris, Jack Quinn, and Tage Thompson scored for the 4-3-2 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forward Oliver Kapanen and defenseman David Reinbacher made their season debut for the Canadiens.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov tallied twice to rally his club from a 2-0 deficit to a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Brayden Point had two assists and Jake Guentzel a goal and an assist for the Lightning (6-2-0) as they extended their home win streak to five games. Linus Karlsson and Elias Pettersson scored for the Canucks (2-7-1) as their winless skid reached seven games (0-6-1).

The Washington Capitals scored four straight goals to double up the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Boone Jenner scored for the fourth time in five games, Vincent Desharnais collected two assists, and Logan Thompson stopped 29 shots for the 5-3-0 Capitals. Arseny Gritsyuk had a goal and an assist for the Devils, who slipped to 4-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals placed center Pierre-Luc Dubois (illness) on injured reserve.

New York Islanders captain Bo Horvat had a goal and an assist to lead his club to a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ilya Sorokin stopped 28 shots, and Simon Holmstrom scored twice for the 4-3-1 Islanders. Colton Sissons replied for the Maple Leafs as they slipped to 3-4-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders forwards Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli left this game with lower-body injuries. Before this game, the Maple Leafs announced center John Tavares is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Lucas Raymond gave the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Alex DeBrincat scored the tying goal, Emmitt Finnie had a goal and an assist, and John Gibson made 31 saves for the Red Wings, who improved to 3-3-2. Macklin Celebrini had a goal and two assists for the Sharks (4-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Red Wings placed defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker on waivers.

The Columbus Blue Jackets beat the New York Rangers 1-0 on an overtime goal by Kent Johnson. Jet Greaves turned in a 29-save shutout for the Blue Jackets (3-3-0). Dylan Garand stopped 28 shots for the 6-3-1 Rangers.

Dallas Stars winger Arttu Hyry scored twice for his first NHL multipoint game in a 4-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Jake Oettinger had a 19-save shutout, and Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the 4-3-1 Stars. Spencer Knight made 28 saves for the Blackhawks, who dropped to 3-6-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars general manager Jim Nill said he hopes to open contract extension talks with Robertson in December. The winger is on a one-year, $12 million contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Center Wyatt Johnston returned to the Stars’ lineup after missing the last two games with an illness.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi, and Adam Wilsby each collected two assists for the Predators (3-2-3). Philip Broberg and Jimmy Snuggerud scored for the Blues as they dropped to 3-4-1.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone had a goal and two assists as his club thumped the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2. Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Trevor Connelly each had two points for the league-leading Golden Knights (8-2-0, 16 points). Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin replied for the 3-5-1 Penguins, who’ve dropped three straight games.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 17, 2026

by | Oct 17, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – October 17, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: some potential late-season trade candidates and the latest on the Flames.

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal recently listed five NHL stars who could become late-season trade candidates.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes topped the list. The 27-year-old superstar is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Wild could be forced to consider moving him at the trade deadline if he remains unsigned by then.

Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann and defenseman Vince Dunn could also become trade candidates by the March 1 deadline. Like Hughes, they’re UFA-eligible next July, and could be shopped if the Kraken are out of playoff contention by March 1.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images)

Defenseman Erik Karlsson of the Pittsburgh Penguins and center Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators round out Dayal’s list. They’re aging stars who are also slated for UFA eligibility next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild will likely hang onto Hughes if they’re a playoff contender by March 1. Their chances of winning the Stanley Cup are better with him in the lineup. A deep playoff run might convince him to stay put.

McCann and Dunn will probably hit the trade block by March 1 if the Kraken are out of contention. Given the Kraken’s limited playoff appearances, however, they’ll hang onto those two if they’re still in the postseason race by the deadline.

Karlsson and O’Reilly could also be peddled if their respective clubs are out of contention by March 1.

DAILY FACEOFF: Mike Gould recently tiered the Calgary Flames’ trade assets ahead of their next fire sale.

Their two hottest commodities are defenseman Zach Whitecloud and center Morgan Frost. The 29-year-old Whitecloud’s stock is quite high, in part because he’s signed through 2027-28 with an affordable average annual value of $2.75 million. Frost, 27, is UFA-eligible next summer and has been a consistent 40-point producer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames could be reluctant to part with Whitecloud this season because of their inexperienced defense corps. Nevertheless, they could be open to moving him if a rival club gets desperate enough to overpay for him.

The lack of quality depth in available centers should make Frost a prime trade candidate by the deadline. Even if his production suffers with the low-scoring Flames, a contender will gamble that his stats will improve on a deeper club.

Gould believes forward Joel Farabee and goaltender Devin Cooley could draw more interest maybe next season, when both will be UFA-eligible. He felt that winger Yegor Sharangovich, Martin Pospisil, and Adam Klapka will have more value in a few years. Sharangovich and Pospisil are signed beyond 2027-28, while Klapka will likely remain with the Flames for a few more years as a depth forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Dustin Wolf entrenched as the Flames’ starting goalie, Cooley could be moved if the Flames get a strong enough offer. Like the market for centers, there aren’t many quality goalies available. Another solid effort by Cooley will boost his trade stock.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2026

by | Oct 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2026

The Avalanche defeat the Penguins, the Bruins down the Ducks, early-season attendance a concern, Red Wings owner Chris Ilitch not ruling out a rebuild, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists as the Colorado Avalanche overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Artturi Lehkonen tallied twice, and rookie T.J. Hughes scored his first NHL goal for the 5-2-1 Avalanche. Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rusty scored for the Penguins, who dropped to 3-4-1.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected an assist to move past Joe Thornton into seventh place (1,110) among the all-time assist leaders. He needs 26 assists to pass Paul Coffey (1,135) and 46 to move ahead of Jaromir Jagr (1,155).

The Boston Bruins scored four unanswered goals (three straight on the power play) to rally from a 2-0 deficit for a 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm each had a goal and an assist, and rookie Frederic Brunet netted his first NHL goal as the Bruins improved to 6-2-0. Tim Washe and Beckett Sennecke scored for the 4-3-0 Ducks.

HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discussed the reasons behind the disappointing attendance numbers thus far this season.

The Vegas Golden Knights’ nine-year sellout streak ended on Oct. 8 when they had 92 percent attendance for their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Edmonton Oilers had over 2,000 empty seats for their Thursday game against the Utah Mammoth.

Yaremchuk noted the Columbus Blue Jackets were at 75 percent, the New York Islanders at 79 percent, the Ottawa Senators at 82 percent, and the San Jose Sharks at 82 percent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Steven Sandor of the Edmonton Journal reported Friday that the Oilers have 840 tickets listed as unsold (“that’s outside of the resale market”) for their Oct. 20 home game against the Minnesota Wild. He also noted tickets remain available for their upcoming game against the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes and their “Battle of Alberta” game against the Calgary Flames, and that’s with resale tickets going for as low as $61.00 apiece.

Sandor noted the Oilers aren’t the only Canadian team with an attendance issue. “The Ottawa Senators are selling just 80 percent of their seats, even though the team reduced the capacity of its arena for this season by about 900 seats,” he wrote. The Calgary Flames are selling 90 percent of their tickets, despite this being their final season in the Saddledome. The Winnipeg Jets are off to a strong start, but are selling at 93 percent.

Yaremchuk and Hutton believe the main reason is the high cost of watching NHL games. Hutton noted the rising cost of living is making it too expensive for people with families to attend those contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other factors are at play, like the Golden Knights cutting the number of tickets sold directly to brokers in the hope of making each ticket more valuable. Nevertheless, the running theme in these stories is the rising cost of going to an NHL game.

Sandor spoke to several Oilers fans who found it too costly to renew their season tickets. Pittsburgh Penguins beat writer Josh Yohe of The Athletic cited the high cost of attending games (including parking). His colleague Mark Lazerus estimated the fan cost index for a family of four to attend a Chicago Blackhawks game at around $600.00, though he also pointed out it’s become more expensive to attend other sports or cultural events.

This could become an issue for all NHL teams if it continues throughout this season. The league’s fan cost index has steadily increased over the years, reaching an average of $761.22 in 2025, prompting concern that clubs were pricing out lower- and middle-income fans. That trend could accelerate if unaddressed given the current economic climate.

THE ATHLETIC: In an interview with Max Bultman, Detroit Red Wings owner Chris Ilitch acknowledged the fans’ unhappiness and frustration over the club’s direction this year, prompting some to chant “Sell the team!” at Little Caesars Arena earlier this month.

Ilitch said the fans “absolutely had the right to tell us how they feel.” He said it’s the reason why he changed general managers and why he’s being so meticulous in his ongoing search for a full-time replacement for former GM Steve Yzerman.

Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff recently said the club doesn’t intend to rebuild, but Ilitch isn’t taking that option off the table. He’s going to leave that decision to whoever he finally hires as his new GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ilitch might not have much choice if the Red Wings’ playoff drought reaches 11 years. Whoever comes in as general manager will have to sell a rebuild to core players like Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, and Alex DeBrincat, who signed a long-term extension earlier this week.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports soon-to-be Hall of Famer Patrice Bergeron believes the selection of David Pastrnak as the Boston Bruins captain was a logical organizational choice, pointing to the respect Pastrnak has earned through his years of production, personality, and credibility.

Bergeron believes young Bruins center Fraser Minten’s maturity and attention to detail have made him a good fit in Boston. He also singled out Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki’s growth as a leader and two-way player as setting the standard for his teammates.

DAILY FACEOFF: Winger Zach Hyman will return to action on Saturday against the Utah Mammoth. Colton Dach and Jake Walman are also “very likely” to play.

TSN: Carolina Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Sidelined forward Seth Jarvis is travelling with the team and may be nearing a return from offseason shoulder surgery.

TVA SPORTS/SPORTSNET: Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault could be out longer than expected. He was initially projected to miss 10 to 14 days with a lower-body injury. Winger Florian Xhekaj (lower body) will be sidelined for two weeks, while defenseman Mike Matheson (lower body) remains day-to-day.

SPORTSNET: Winnipeg Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov is out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

CBS SPORTS: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed winger Miles Wood (undisclosed) on injured reserve.

NEW YORK POST: Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito has ties with MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers, who are heading to the World Series for the first time in 44 years. Back then, Zito was a bat boy for the team.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 16, 2026

by | Oct 16, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – October 16, 2026

Check out the latest on Jets holdout goalie Connor Hellebuyck, Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, and Canadiens winger Josh Anderson in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON CONNOR HELLEBUYCK

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the recent talk suggesting Connor Hellebuyck could return to the Winnipeg Jets is speculation. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff remains focused on getting the 33-year-old goaltender traded for a fair return.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

Dreger understands why there’s chatter that Hellebuyck might return. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner is hemorrhaging thousands of dollars by staging a holdout, and he’s starting to feel the stress. Nevertheless, he doesn’t expect to see Hellebuyck back in a Jets jersey.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin believes the Jets’ surprisingly strong start to this season should encourage Jets management to move Hellebuyck quickly.

That start could take pressure off Cheveldayoff, enabling him to wait patiently for the right return. That might have been easier to justify if the Jets started badly. However, Larkin pointed out that the Jets are built to win now, and waiting too long to move Hellebuyck could hurt his efforts to bring in immediate help.

SPORTSNET: Frank Seravalli reports the Los Angeles Kings are among the clubs that “kicked tires” on Hellebuyck.

Poor goaltending from Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg is partly to blame for the Kings’ poor start. Seravalli claimed they’ve “received affirmation” that Hellebuyck would accept a trade to Los Angeles.

The Kings are internally discussing their direction. If they fail to improve, it could make it hard to justify parting with a first-round pick in 2027 or 2028 (even with lottery protection) as part of the return for Hellebuyck.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As of this writing, Hellebuyck has forfeited nearly $670,000 of his $7.5 million cap hit for this season.

Cheveldayoff said the door was open for Hellebuyck to return. However, the Jets’ better-than-expected start suggests it might not be open as wide as it once was.

It’s doubtful Cheveldayoff will take Larkin’s advice and try to move Hellebuyck quickly. He has a well-earned reputation for patiently waiting for the right return for players who want to move on. Unless a team steps up and meets his asking price, he’ll keep waiting until someone does.

The Jets reportedly seek a return that helps them now and in the future, not aging players with expensive contracts. They want at least a second-line forward (preferably a center) or a top-four, right-shot defenseman, along with a combination of futures that includes a first-round pick and a top prospect.

Whether the Kings can meet that price is another story. They have the draft picks, but The Athletic ranked their prospect pipeline 21st overall. They have two young centers (Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere), but parting with one of them hurts their depth at that position. The same goes for their right-side blueline depth if they offered up Brandt Clarke.

RED WINGS SET A HIGH PRICE FOR DYLAN LARKIN

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Detroit Red Wings seek “three or four pieces” for Dylan Larkin. The 30-year-old centre requested a trade in June and has expanded his list of trade destinations from three to 10 teams. None of them include Canadian NHL clubs.

Dreger said the Wings seek “two ‘A’ quality prospects,” as well as “a top-nine forward who can play with the Red Wings in the NHL right now”, and “a first-round draft pick.”

It’s believed some teams wouldn’t have any problem meeting that price. However, none of them are on Larkin’s trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some pundits keep dreaming up trade scenarios that would bring Larkin to the Montreal Canadiens. It’s a pointless exercise unless he eventually decides to add the Canadiens to his list. So far, there’s no indication he will.

CANADIENS HOPE TO RE-SIGN JOSH ANDERSON

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Montreal Canadiens intend to sign Josh Anderson to a contract extension. The 32-year-old power forward is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July. His current contract is worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

Anderson’s agent, Darren Ferris, tends to take his coveted free agents up to July 1 to determine their market value. However, Anderson and his family love the idea of staying in Montreal, and the Canadiens want to keep him. GM Kent Hughes has spoken with Anderson, informing him that they will get to negotiations once they’ve dealt with other business, such as making a trade to bolster the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have a projected $28.8 million of salary-cap space for 2027-28. Hughes will want to know how much cap space he’ll have available after acquiring the second-line forward that he’s been pursuing since March. Once that’s determined, he should have enough to re-sign Anderson.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2026

by | Oct 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2026

Another natural hat trick for Panthers winger Brady Tkachuk, Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane sets a record for American-born players, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Brady Tkachuk became the first NHL player since 1986 to score back-to-back natural hat tricks as he rallied his club from a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Seth Jones assisted on two of Tkachuk’s goals for the 4-2-2 Panthers. Goaltender Leevi Merilainen stopped 36 shots, and winger Liam Ohgren and defenseman Elias Pettersson scored for the Canucks, who dropped to 2-6-1.

Florida Panthers winger Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk joins Petri Skriko (1986) and Cy Denneny (1923) as the only players in league history to record consecutive natural hat tricks.

Patrick Kane collected two assists and Artyom Levshunov scored in overtime as the Chicago Blackhawks nipped the Winnipeg Jets 4-3. Connor Bedard scored his first goal of the season and picked up an assist while Spencer Knight made 31 saves for the 3-5-0 Blackhawks. Neal Pionk had a goal and two assists for the Jets (4-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has 896 career NHL regular-season assists, passing Phil Housley (894) for the most by an American-born player. Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Jets blueliner Josh Morrissey is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury, but he doesn’t require surgery.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy had a hat trick and an assist in a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues. Karill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists for the Wild, who improved to 5-2-1. Cam Fowler collected three assists, and Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist for the 3-3-1 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Boldy’s fifth career hat trick. Wild blueliner Quinn Hughes had two assists to extend his assist streak to eight games.

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 on an overtime goal by Owen Power. Jack Quinn had two goals and two assists for the Sabres (4-3-1). Kirill Marchenko tallied a hat trick for the 3-3-2 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs center John Tavares left the game in the third period following a collision with Sabres center Josh Norris.

Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna was benched from the middle of the second period onward. Head coach Jim Hiller explained the Leafs went through a stretch where McKenna sat for a lengthy period as the club was killing penalties. McKenna is not part of the Leafs’ penalty killing unit. Nevertheless, the decision was confusing, prompting speculation that Hiller either mismanaged his bench or may have had an issue with McKenna’s play.

Earlier in the day, the Maple Leafs announced defenseman Chris Tanev is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. They also made a minor trade, acquiring center Aatu Raty from the Canucks in exchange for forward Jacob Quillan and Brandon Buhr.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone had a hat trick to lead his club over the Calgary Flames 6-2. Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists, and Ivan Barbashev set up three goals for the Golden Knights (7-2-0), who hold first place in the overall standings with 14 points. Jake Middleton and Matt Coronato replied for the 1-6-0 Flames.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark turned aside 20 shots to backstop his club to a 2-1 shootout win over the New York Islanders. Shane Pinto scored the winning goal, and Ridly Greig scored the tying goal for the 6-2-0 Senators, who’ve won four of their last five games and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 12 points. Matias Maccelli scored for the 3-3-1 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer wasn’t pleased with his club’s performance, benching forwards Calum Ritchie and Anthony Duclair for the second half of the third period. Before the game, the Senators announced that winger William Eklund underwent surgery to repair a torn ankle tendon and will be sidelined for 10 to 12 weeks.

An overtime goal by Victor Hedman lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Seattle Kraken 4-3. Brandon Hagel scored two goals for the Lightning (5-2-0). Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves, and Matty Beniers scored to send the game into overtime for the 5-2-1 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour left this game with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The New Jersey Devils crushed the New York Rangers 7-1. Defenseman Luke Hughes scored twice for his first multi-goal NHL game as the Devils improved to 4-3-0. Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand was replaced by Spencer Martin after giving up four goals on 13 shots as the Blueshirts dropped to 6-3-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers’ AHL affiliate Hartford Wolfpack signed veteran goaltender James Reimer to a professional tryout offer. It remains to be seen if he’ll eventually move up into the Rangers’ lineup.

Detroit Red Wings forward Andrew Copp snapped a 1-1 tie to give his club a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Anton Johansson also scored for the 2-3-2 Red Wings. Matvei Michkov scored for the Flyers, who remain winless in their first nine games (0-6-3).

Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller tallied twice to lead his club over the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist, and Karel Vejmelka stopped 22 shots for the 6-2-0 Mammoth, who’ve won three straight games to move up into first place in the Central Division with 12 points. Leon Draisaitl and Shakir Mukhamadullin replied for the 5-1-1 Oilers.

The San Jose Sharks downed the Nashville Predators 3-2 on a shootout goal by Macklin Celebrini. Alex Nedeljkovic kicked out 32 shots for the win as the Sharks improved to 4-3-0. Ryan O’Reilly and Steven Stamkos scored third-period goals to force overtime for the 2-2-3 Predators.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed free-agent forward David Perron to a one-year, prorated contract worth $850,000.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars are trying to bolster their forward depth and improve an offense that ranks 30th this season.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks captain Mikael Granlund could miss Friday’s game against the Boston Bruins with a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: Arizona State University hired Colorado Avalanche assistant coach Dave Hakstol to lead its men’s hockey team as the school continues to investigate a training camp workout that left St. Louis Blues prospect Matthew Mayich on life support.

Hakstol replaces Greg Power, who stepped down as ASU head coach. The Avalanche named Brett McLean as Hakstol’s replacement.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 15, 2026

by | Oct 15, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – October 15, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the Red Wings aren’t interested in trading Simon Edvinsson, the Maple Leafs could be looking for a defenseman, and the latest on the Canucks.

THE LATEST ON SIMON EDVINSSON

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen reports Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff told reporters yesterday that he has “zero interest” in trading Simon Edvinsson. The 23-year-old restricted free-agent defenseman remains unsigned and reportedly prefers a trade.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson (NHL Images)

“He’s a player we value here, and I know everyone in the locker room does as well,” Horcoff said. “So (a trade) is not something I am entertaining.”

Horcoff said re-signing Edvinsson remains a priority, adding the Wings are working diligently toward getting the young blueliner under contract. He called him “a big part of our core moving forward.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin listed seven teams as potential destinations if the Red Wings decide to trade Edvinsson.

They include the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken, Toronto Maple Leafs, Utah Mammoth, and the Vancouver Canucks.

He also suggested the Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, and Nashville Predators as suitors to watch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin’s list was published before Horcoff spoke to reporters yesterday. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting here in case negotiations deteriorate.

The Red Wings have until 5 pm ET on Dec. 1 to get Edvinsson signed, or he’ll be ineligible to play in the NHL this season.

MAPLE LEAFS COULD END UP SHOPPING FOR A DEFENSEMAN

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel reports the recent absence of Chris Tanev with another injury could force the Toronto Maple Leafs into the trade market for a defenseman. Even if Tanev returns soon, Siegel believes there’s no guarantee he won’t be sidelined again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I was among the critics who said the Maple Leafs were taking a risk signing the oft-injured Tanev. He’s a terrific shutdown defenseman, but he already had a lot of mileage on him before joining the Maple Leafs. Now 36, the years of wear and tear have caught up to him.

Acquiring that blueliner won’t be easy. The Maple Leafs no longer have a blue-chip trade asset after shipping Matthew Knies to Columbus for Kirill Marchenko, and they don’t have much trade capital left.

The number of options in the trade market is limited. Siegel mentioned Ian Cole of the Chicago Blackhawks, Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers (who is currently sidelined), and Zach Whitecloud of the Calgary Flames, but other factors could complicate attempts to acquire them.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Andre Leal included Whitecloud and Ristolainen on his list of five potential trade targets for the Maple Leafs. He also included Carson Soucy of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nick Perbix of the Nashville Predators, and Brenden Dillon of the New Jersey Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leal noted TSN’s Chris Johnston recently said the Maple Leafs will attempt to find solutions internally for now. Nevertheless, general manager John Chayka has proven he’s unafraid to make moves, and is likely monitoring the trade market for any affordable help.

UPDATE ON THE CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes Jake DeBrusk’s strong start with the Vancouver Canucks could improve his trade value. The 29-year-old winger is skating on the first line alongside center Elias Pettersson. He’s among their leading scorers with three goals and five points in six games.

Before the season started, DeBrusk told Kuzma he was working on improving other aspects of his game, including doing more without the puck and using his speed on the forecheck better.

Kuzma suggested the remaining term on DeBrusk’s contract might scare off potential suitors. He’s signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $5.5 million. However, that could be a moot point for contenders who want to win now.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance weighed in on a recent report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman claiming the Canucks are among several teams interested in Connor Zary. The 25-year-old Calgary Flames forward cleared waivers last week and was demoted to the Flames’ AHL affiliate.

Drance admits being an admirer of Zary’s game, but noted his lack of size, physicality, and below-average skating. Nevertheless, he could be a worthwhile reclamation project if he also netted the Canucks a future asset in the deal, or if it meant shedding a long-term commitment to a superior player or an inefficient one-way contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Debrusk will garner more attention in this year’s trade market if he maintains his current level of performance throughout this season.

As for Zary, I agree with Drance that it might be worthwhile if he brings in a quality draft pick or prospect or helps the Canucks shed a troublesome contract.