NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 31, 2025

by | Oct 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 31, 2025

The Penguins’ strong start continues, Trevor Zegras is settling in well with the Flyers, the Avalanche re-signs Martin Necas, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ surprisingly strong start to this season continued with a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild, pushing the Penguins into first place in the overall standings with 18 points (8-2-2). Bryan Rust and Ryan Shea each had a goal and an assist, and Tristan Jarry made 26 saves for the win. Kirill Kaprizov scored for the Wild, who dropped to 3-6-3 in their first 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Projected to finish near the bottom of the standings, the Penguins have defied expectations thus far. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin has 17 points, sitting second to Gordie Howe for the most points by a 39-or-older player through his first 12 games. Howe had 20 points in his first dozen games of the 1968-69 season.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras had two goals and an assist to lead his club over the Nashville Predators 4-1. It was Zegras’ second three-point game in his last three contests. Dan Vladar stopped 32 shots for the Flyers (6-3-1) as they extended their home win streak to five games. Rookie Matthew Wood tallied his first NHL goal as his Predators (4-6-2) have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Sean Couturier left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury. Earlier in the day, the Flyers placed goaltender Sam Ersson (lower body) on injured reserve.

The Winnipeg Jets improved to 8-3-0 and moved into first place in the Western Conference with 16 points with a 6-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Jets center Jonathan Toews had an assist in his first game against his former team, Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and collected an assist, and Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had three points for the Jets. Connor Bedard and Connor Murphy each had two assists for the 5-4-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Gustav Nyquist left this game with an undisclosed injury.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood scored an NHL hat trick, and Jake DeBrusk scored the game-winner in a shootout to nip the St. Louis Blues 4-3. Kevin Lankinen kicked out 36 shots for the 6-6-0 Canucks. Pius Suter had a goal and an assist for the 3-6-2 Blues, who are winless in their last six (0-4-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks winger Brock Boeser left this game early in the first period after being struck by a puck in the “midsection”, which is a polite way of saying he took a shot in the balls.

The Carolina Hurricanes downed the New York Islanders 6-2. Andrei Svechnikov and Logan Stankoven each had a goal and an assist as the Hurricanes improved their record to 7-3-0. Matthew Schaefer and Simon Holmstrom replied for the Islanders, who are winless in their last three (0-2-1) as their record dropped to 4-5-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis left the game in the third period after blocking a shot with his left foot. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said it “doesn’t look great”, and added that Jarvis will be reevaluated on Friday. Meanwhile, Islanders forward Mathew Barzal was a healthy scratch after he was late arriving at the rink.

An overtime goal by Marat Khusnutdinov lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Joonas Korpisalo turned aside 37 shots, David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist, and Morgan Geekie extended his goal streak to six games for the 6-7-0 Bruins. Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (4-4-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins center Elias Lindholm left this game in the second period with an injured left leg following an accidental knee-on-knee collision with Sabres forward Jordan Greenway. Earlier in the day, the Bruins announced that defenseman Jordan Harris underwent surgery on Monday for a right ankle fracture and will be sidelined for the next two months.

The San Jose Sharks scored three straight goals to open the first period as they upset the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Alexander Wennberg and Philipp Kurashev each had a goal and an assist for the 3-6-2 Sharks. Dawson Mercer scored both goals for the 8-3-0 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Sharks placed forward Adam Gaudette (upper body) on injured reserve.

A shootout goal by Lucas Raymond gave the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Marco Kasper tallied two goals as the Red Wings took a 3-1 lead, but the Kings rallied to tie it on two goals by Corey Perry. The Red Wings moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with 16 points (8-3-0), while the Kings dropped to 5-3-4.

Shootout goals by Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Calgary Flames 4-3. Jake Sanderson scored the tying goal late in the third period, and Lars Eller had a goal and an assist for the 6-5-1 Senators. Devin Cooley stopped 35 shots for the 2-8-2 Flames.

An overtime goal by Anthony Cirelli gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning, who have won four straight and improved to 5-4-2. Jake Oettinger made 30 saves for the 6-3-2 Stars as they extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2).

New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller scored in overtime to lead his team over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves for the 5-5-2 Rangers. Darnell Nurse scored twice for the 5-4-3 Oilers.

IN OTHER NEWS…

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Martin Necas agreed to an eight-year contract extension with the Avalanche on Thursday. The 26-year-old winger was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He will earn an average annual value of $11.5 million starting in 2026-27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having acquired Necas from the Hurricanes in January’s Mikko Rantanen trade, the Avalanche couldn’t risk losing him to free agency next summer. Fortunately for them, he’s proven to be a good fit alongside superstar center Nathan MacKinnon on the Avalanche’s top line with seven goals and 13 points in his first 11 games of this season.

After ponying up $11.5 million annually for Necas, some observers wonder why the Avalanche let Rantanen go in the first place, pointing to the former Avs winger signing with the Dallas Stars for $12 million annually. That’s because he was reportedly seeking a deal comparable to what Leon Draisaitl got from the Edmonton Oilers (eight years, $14 million AAV), which prompted Avalanche management to trade him.

RG.ORG: Sergey Pryahkin examines the cost of winning the Stanley Cup, revealing that frugal clubs rarely end up hoisting hockey’s holy grail.

Championship teams allocate over 93 percent of their salary-cap payroll, with some teams exceeding this amount. The age sweet spot for Cup-winning teams is between 26 and 30, with Cup rosters dedicating one-third of their cap payroll to three players and half toward five players, with elite centers being the most valuable asset.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link for a more detailed breakdown of Pryahkin’s findings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2025

by | Oct 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2025

Maple Leafs center John Tavares reaches a goal-scoring milestone, the Mammoth sign Logan Cooley to a lucrative extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares scored his 500th career NHL regular-season goal in a 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Charlie Coyle and Mathieu Olivier each had four, and Cole Sillinger scored twice and collected an assist for the 6-4-0 Blue Jackets, who’ve won three straight games. Sammy Blais and Nick Robertson each had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 5-5-1.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tavares is the 49th player in NHL history to reach the 500-goal milestone. Teammate Steven Lorentz left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Logan Cooley signed an eight-year, $80 million contract extension with the Utah Mammoth. The 21-year-old center will earn an average annual value of $10 million starting in 2026-27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cooley has become one of the Mammoth’s invaluable core players in a short period of time. Chosen third overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, he’s had 44 points as a rookie in 2023-24 and 65 points in his sophomore campaign. He currently leads the Mammoth with eight goals and is second with 12 points in 11 games.

Cooley has played a significant role in the Mammoth’s strong start as they jockey with the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Western Conference. Locking him up for eight years ensures he’ll be with Utah throughout most of his playing prime.

A $10 million AAV is an expensive raise for a rising young star such as Cooley. However, it’ll be worthwhile over the long term if he continues to improve at the same pace as he has since 2023-24.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Zach Hyman’s return to the lineup from offseason wrist surgery has been pushed back a week. The 33-year-old winger was supposed to come off the long-term injury reserve list on Nov. 1. He’s now considered week-to-week.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes and teammate Conor Garland didn’t travel with the team to St. Louis on Wednesday. Hughes is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and Garland is out with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The early-season injuries are mounting for the Canucks. Filip Chytil, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Nils Hoglander, Derek Forbort, Teddy Blueger, and Victor Mancini are also sidelined.

GLOBAL NEWS: Brad Marchand took a leave of absence from the Florida Panthers to return home to Halifax, Nova Scotia, as a guest coach in a tribute game honoring the life of his long-time friend and trainer’s daughter.

Selah Panacci-MacCallum, daughter of JP MacCallum, was 10 years old when she succumbed to cancer last Friday. MacCallum is the owner of the March & Mill Co. Hunters. Marchand was behind the bench with former Halifax Mooseheads’ teammate Andrew Bodnarchuk during Wednesday’s game against the Halifax McDonalds at the Halifax Forum.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Say what you will about Marchand’s on-ice antics against his opponents, but he’s a stand-up guy off the ice. My condolences to the MacCallum family.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes forward William Carrier (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF: Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

TSN: Calgary and Edmonton are among the cities bidding to host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. Other bidders are believed to include Montreal, Vancouver, Las Vegas, Tampa Bay, and Dallas.

SPORTSNET: The NBA’s Dallas Mavericks have sued the Dallas Stars for breach of contract, alleging the NHL team is foiling attempts to improve American Airlines Center. The Stars have countersued, seeking to restore normal operations. The two teams have shared the arena since 2001.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 29, 2025

by | Oct 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 29, 2025

A milestone game for Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, a career-best performance by Avalanche winger Victor Olofsson, Canadiens winger Cole Caufield sets a franchise record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard tallied his first career NHL hat trick and added an assist in a 7-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Frank Nazar, Andre Burakovsky, Nick Foligno, and Louis Crevier each had two points for the Blackhawks, who improved to 5-3-2. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson each had two points for the 5-5-1 Senators as their three-game win streak ended.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images)

Colorado Avalanche winger Victor Olofsson collected his first career hat trick in a career-high five-point performance as his club thumped the New Jersey Devils 8-4. Cale Makar had four assists and Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and set up another for the 6-1-4 Avalanche, snapping their four-game winless skid. Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist as the Devils’ eight-game win streak ended (8-2-0), but they remain atop the Metropolitan Division with 16 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a shaky performance for Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom, giving up eight goals on 42 shots in his first game since being injured two weeks ago. Devils defenseman Brett Pesce missed this game as he is expected to be sidelined for at least a month with an upper-body injury. They also placed forward Cody Glass (lower body) on injured reserve.

The Avalanche dropped struggling captain Gabriel Landeskog from the first line. He has three assists in 11 games.

An overtime goal by Cole Caufield gave the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 victory against the Seattle Kraken. The Canadiens blew a 3-0 lead until Caufield tallied his franchise-record 11th regular-season overtime goal. Caufield finished the night with two goals for the 8-3-0 Canadiens, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division. Brandon Montour scored twice and picked up an assist for the 5-2-3 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki collected three assists to extend his points streak to a league-leading 10 games.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger turned in a 24-save shutout performance for a 1-0 win over the Washington Capitals. Tyler Seguin scored for the Stars (6-3-1) as they picked up their third straight win. Logan Thompson turned aside 18 shots for the 6-4-0 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Stars announced the signing of defenseman Thomas Harley to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $10.587 million. The 24-year-old blueliner is in the second season of a two-year contract with a cap hit of $4 million, but his emergence as a top-four rearguard over the last two years earned him this lucrative new deal.

A 23-save shutout by Jonathan Quick carried the New York Rangers over the Vancouver Canucks 2-0. Mika Zibanejad and Sam Carrick scored for the 4-5-2 Rangers. Thatcher Demko stopped 23 of 24 shots for the Canucks, who dropped to 5-6-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was J.T. Miller’s first game in Vancouver since his trade to the Rangers in January. While he was booed by Canucks fans the first time he touched the puck, he received a standing ovation minutes later during a video tribute honoring his years with the Canucks.

Earlier in the day, the Rangers announced forward Matt Rempe is out “longer term” with an upper-body injury suffered during a recent fight with San Jose Sharks forward Ryan Reaves.

The Philadelphia Flyers nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on a shootout goal by Bobby Brink, who also had a goal and an assist in regulation. Flyers winger Travis Konecny netted his 200th career NHL regular-season goal as his club improved to 5-3-1. Jonathan Brazeau and Sidney Crosby replied for the Penguins (7-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A brawl erupted at the end of overtime, resulting in eight players receiving misconducts, including Crosby, Trevor Zegras, Tyson Foerster, and Owen Tippett, leaving them ineligible to participate in the shootout.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi scored twice, including the game-winning goal, to lift his club over the Calgary Flames 4-3. Matthew Knies tallied two goals and picked up an assist as the Maple Leafs improved to 5-4-1. Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee, and Samuel Honzek scored for the Flames, who are 2-8-0 on the season.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two late goals from Jack Eichel in a 6-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Eichel finished the night with three points, and Pavel Dorofeyev also had two goals for the 6-1-3 Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 15 points. Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Martinook, and Logan Stankoven scored for the 6-3-0 Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere left this game with a lower-body injury. This comes a day after being activated from injured reserve.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Miles Wood scored two goals, including the overtime winner, to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Jet Greaves turned aside 35 shots for the Blue Jackets as they improved to 5-4-2. Alex Tuch had two assists for the 4-4-2 Sabres.

The Anaheim Ducks squeaked past the Florida Panthers 3-2 on a shootout goal by Mason McTavish. Leo Carlsson had a shorthanded goal and an assist as the 5-3-1 Ducks took a 2-0 lead until the Panthers (5-5-1) rallied on goals by Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Ducks announced center Mikael Granlund is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo stopped 33 shots as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the New York Islanders 5-2. David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm, and Michael Eyssimont each had a goal and an assist for the 5-7-0 Bruins. Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri tallied for the 4-4-1 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins activated defenseman Hampus Lindholm off injured reserve and made blueliner Mason Lohrei a healthy scratch for this game.

The Tampa Bay Lightning won their third straight by downing the Nashville Predators 5-2. Zemgus Girgensons scored two goals, and Brandon Hagel had a goal and an assist as the Lightning improved to 4-4-2. Luke Evangelista and Filip Forsberg replied for the Predators, who slipped to 4-5-2.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves for the 7-3-0 Jets. Brock Faber and Marco Rossi each had two points for the 3-5-3 Wild, who have one win in their last eight games (1-4-3).

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored twice and collected an assist to defeat the St. Louis Blues 5-2. Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond each had two points for the 7-3-0 Red Wings. Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou replied for the Blues (3-6-0), who are 0-4-1 in their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Jake Neighbours is out for five weeks with an injured right leg.

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 6-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Connor McDavid scored twice, Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist, and Evan Bouchard collected three assists to improve their record to 5-4-2. Logan Cooley, JJ Peterka, and Barrett Hayton scored for the 8-3-0 Mammoth, who remain in first place in the Central Division with 16 points.

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke snapped a 3-3 tie as his club downed the San Jose Sharks 4-3. The Kings had blown a 3-0 lead before Clarke’s game-winner. Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper got the win with a 37-save performance as his club improved to 5-3-3. Philipp Kurashev and Alex Wennberg each had a goal and an assist for the 2-6-2 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Warren Foegele missed this game with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss some time. Meanwhile, the Sharks placed defenseman Nick Leddy (upper body) on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 28, 2025

by | Oct 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 28, 2025

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reaches more milestones, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists to surpass the 1,700-point milestone in a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Bryan Rust tallied twice and picked up an assist for the 7-2-1 Penguins, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 15 points. Nick Bjugstad had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who dropped to 3-5-1.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 1,701 points, Crosby is the ninth player to reach 1,700 career regular-season points. He needs 23 points to overtake Mario Lemieux for eighth overall and the franchise points lead. He surpassed Lemieux for the franchise record for multi-point games (498).

Blues forwards Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours missed this game, listed as day-to-day with injuries.

Early in the first period, a Penguins fan fell from the upper deck in section 234 at PPG Paints Arena and is in critical condition at Mercy Hospital. Another fan also suffered injuries.

The Ottawa Senators got their third straight win by thumping the Boston Bruins 7-2. Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle each scored twice and collected an assist as the Senators improved to 5-4-1. Morgan Geekie and Viktor Arvidsson replied for the 4-7-0 Bruins.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley, and New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes are the three stars for the week ending Oct. 26.

THE PROVINCE: Former NHL forward Ryan Kesler has been charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual misconduct in Michigan. He has pleaded not guilty to both misdemeanour charges.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Dallas Stars recently placed defenseman Nils Lundkvist (lower body) on long-term injury reserve.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed minor-league forward Tristen Nielsen to a two-year contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2025

by | Oct 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2025

The Devils and Mammoth keep winning, Sharks center Macklin Celebrini continues his offensive tear, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored twice, including the winning goal in overtime, to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Simon Nemec collected three assists as the Devils have won eight straight games (8-1-0), sitting atop the Eastern Conference with 16 points. Valeri Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon, and Brock Nelson replied for the 5-1-4 Avalanche, who are winless in their last four (0-1-3).

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes is tied for the league lead in goals (eight) with Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets and Shane Pinto of the Ottawa Senators. Devils defenseman Brett Pesce left the game with an upper-body injury and won’t travel with the club for their upcoming four-game road trip.

The Utah Mammoth nipped the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 to pick up their seventh straight victory. Dylan Guenther snapped a 2-2 tie, and Vitek Vanecek stopped 28 shots for the Mammoth (8-2-0), who are in first place in the Western Conference with 16 points. Dylan DeMelo and Mark Scheifele tallied for the Jets, who are 6-3-0 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth are off to a red-hot start. After several years rebuilding their roster, they appear to be having a breakout performance this season.

An overtime goal by Macklin Celebrini lifted the San Jose Sharks to a 6-5 win over the Minnesota Wild. Celebrini also collected two assists, linemate William Eklund scored twice and set up another, and rookie Michael Misa scored his first NHL goal for the 2-5-2 Sharks. Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber each had three assists for the struggling Wild (3-5-2), who have dropped six of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini has 10 points in his last four games. The 19-year-old sophomore center sits third among NHL scorers with 15 points. Meanwhile, Sharks forward Adam Gaudette left this game with an upper-body injury, while Marcus Foligno of the Wild missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, to down the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Brock Boeser had a goal and two assists and Thatcher Demko made 26 saves for the Canucks, who snapped a three-game losing skid and improved to 5-5-0. Leon Draisaitl scored two goals for the 4-4-2 Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks captain Quinn Hughes missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Teammate Victor Mancini left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury.

The Calgary Flames ended an eight-game losing skid with a 5-1 win over the New York Rangers. Blake Coleman scored twice, Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist, and Dustin Wolf stopped 30 shots for the 2-7-1 Flames. Rangers rookie Noah Laba scored his first NHL goal as his club slipped to 3-5-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers were without Vincent Trocheck and Matt Rempe. Both forwards missed this road trip due to injuries.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala scored the go-ahead goal in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Laferriere and Joel Armia also scored for the 4-3-3 Kings. Connor Bedard tallied for the Blackhawks, who slipped to 4-3-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Warren Foegele left the game in the first period with an apparent shoulder injury. Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Dallas Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-2. Oskar Back, Wyatt Johnston, and Miro Heiskanen were the goal scorers as the Stars improved their record to 5-3-1. Jonathan Marchessault and Spencer Stastney scored for the 4-4-2 Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

An overtime goal by Nikita Kucherov lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1. Brandon Hagel also scored for the 3-4-2 Lightning. William Karlsson replied for the Golden Knights, who are 5-1-3 on the season.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: The Washington Capitals have relieved goaltending coach Mitch Love of his duties. This move comes after the NHL suspended him for the remainder of the season following its investigation into alleged domestic abuse.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Rickard Rakell will miss the next eight weeks following surgery on his left hand on Sunday. Rakell suffered the injury during Saturday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins placed defenseman Hampus Lindholm on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. He’s already missed seven games this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2025

by | Oct 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2025

Milestone games for the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman, the Kraken’s Brandon Montour makes an emotional return to action, the Red Wings stage a big comeback, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin played in his 1,500th career regular-season NHL game, but the Ottawa Senators spoiled the party with a 7-1 victory. Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson each had two goals and an assist for the Senators as they improved to 4-4-1. Trevor van Riemsdyk scored for the 6-3-0 Capitals, who also lost center Dylan Strome to a lower-body injury in the first period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is the 24th player in league history to reach 1,500 regular-season games. Only seven players missed fewer games on their way to that milestone, and the eighth to do so with one team. The Capitals superstar remains one goal away from becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 regular-season goals. Meanwhile, Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois returned to the lineup after missing five games with a lower-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Nikita Kucherov became the second player in franchise history to reach 1,000 regular-season points as the Tampa Bay Lightning nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Kucherov collected two assists, including the primary one on Anthony Cirelli’s game-winning goal. Cirelli and Jake Guentzel each scored twice, and Lightning captain Victor Hedman had two assists to reach the 800-point milestone. Troy Terry had a goal and an assist for the 4-3-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Steven Stamkos is the Lightning’s franchise points leader with 1,137. Hedman sits fifth among their all-time points leaders with 801. The Lightning (2-4-2) snapped a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). Meanwhile, Ducks center Mikael Granlund left this game with a lower-body injury.

The Seattle Kraken (5-2-2) got two goals from Jordan Eberle to hold off the Edmonton Oilers 3-2, tying them with the first-place Vegas Golden Knights (12 points) in the Pacific Division. Joey Daccord stopped 31 shots, and Matty Beniers collected two assists for the Kraken. Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse replied for the 4-4-1 Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour logged over 23 minutes in his return to action from a leave of absence on Oct. 18 to be with his family. His brother, Cameron, passed away due to ALS (otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) two days later. “I’m very, very happy to be his brother,” an emotional Montour said. “He’s probably smiling and chirping me up there, for crying.” My condolences to Montour and his family.

Earlier in the day, the Kraken placed sidelined winger Jared McCann (lower body) on injured reserve.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson scored the winning and insurance goals as his club overcame a 4-0 deficit for a 6-4 upset of the St. Louis Blues. Jonatan Berggren and J.T. Compher each had a goal and an assist for the 6-3-0 Red Wings. Jake Neighbours tallied two goals for the Blues (3-4-1), who’ve gone 1-3-1 in their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares’ 499th career regular-season goal came in overtime to lift his club over the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Tavares also picked up an assist while winger Matthew Knies had two helpers as the Leafs improved to 4-4-1. Tage Thompson tallied twice for the 4-4-1 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander missed this game due to an injury suffered on Friday night against the Sabres. Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly returned to the lineup after missing Friday’s contest with an undisclosed injury.

The Montreal Canadiens got a three-point performance from Ivan Demidov as they overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Demidov scored the game-winner and collected two assists, while Nick Suzuki scored to extend his points streak to nine games as the Canadiens (7-3-0) sit atop the Atlantic Division with 14 points. Center Elias Pettersson had a goal and two assists for the 4-5-0 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Canadiens announced winger Patrik Laine will be sidelined three to four months after undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly scored two goals and collected an assist, and Ozzy Wiesblatt scored the game-winner in a shootout to nip the Los Angeles Kings 5-4. Juuse Saros kicked out 36 shots in regulation and overtime as the Predators improved to 4-3-2. Joel Armia had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who fell to 3-3-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings captain Anze Kopitar was held scoreless in his return from a foot injury suffered on Oct. 17. Meanwhile, Predators captain Roman Josi missed this game as he’s listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves for a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, snapping a six-game losing streak. Morgan Geekie scored the game-winner while Mason Lohrei collected three assists for the 4-6-0 Bruins. Artturi Lehkonen tallied both goals for the Avalanche (5-1-3), who are winless in their last three (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Bruins defenseman Jordan Harris is reportedly considering surgery for a lower-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets blew a 4-2 lead but emerged with a 5-4 shootout win on a goal by Kirill Marchenko. Dmitri Voronkov tallied twice for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 4-4-0. Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha collected two points, and Arturs Silovs made 37 saves for the 6-2-1 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins winger Rickard Rakell left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Earlier in the day, the Penguins announced defenseman Caleb Jones will be sidelined for eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras netted his first two goals of the season, and Matvei Michkov scored the shootout winner to down the New York Islanders 4-3. Zegras finished the game with three points as the Flyers improved to 4-3-1. Defenseman Marshall Warren collected two assists in his NHL debut as his Islanders sit at 4-3-1.

The Florida Panthers got a 17-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to blank the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0, handing the latter their first regulation loss. Sam Reinhart, Cole Schwindt, and A.J. Greer scored for the Panthers, who improved to 5-5-0. Akira Schmid made 23 saves for the 5-1-2 Golden Knights.

Utah Mammoth forwards Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz each scored two goals in a 6-2 rout of the Minnesota Wild. Karel Vejmelka turned aside 32 shots for the 7-2-0 Mammoth, who extended their win streak to six games and hold first place in the Central Division with 14 points. Marcus Johansson scored both goals for the struggling Wild, who fell to 3-5-1.

The Dallas Stars got two goals from Miro Heiskanen to rally past the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. Jake Oettinger made 26 saves as the (4-3-1) Stars snapped a four-game losing streak. Jackson Blake and Sebastian Aho tallied for the 6-2-0 Hurricanes.