NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 31, 2026

by | Oct 31, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 31, 2026

Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov requests a trade, Anton Lundell becomes the latest member of the Panthers to tally a hat trick this month, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

KUCHEROV WON’T RE-SIGN WITH THE LIGHTNING AND REQUESTS A TRADE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman broke the news that Nikita Kucherov won’t sign an extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning and has requested a trade, informing Lightning management and his teammates of his decision.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images)

Kucherov, 33, is in the final season of his eight-year, $76 million contract. He’s the reigning Hart Trophy winner and recently surpassed Steven Stamkos as the Lightning’s all-time leading scorer.

Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois subsequently released a statement acknowledging the reports about Kucherov’s decision. However, he also indicated that the club “unequivocally have no intention of trading Nikita.”

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Kucherov intends to continue playing with the Lightning this season while this situation plays out.

Chris Johnston reported league sources said Kucherov sought a six-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $20 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No one saw this bombshell coming. Pundits were surprised when the season began with no extension for Kucherov, but the consensus was the two sides would sort it out before next July, given how much he loved living and playing in Tampa Bay.

The early speculation suggests Kucherov isn’t happy because the Lightning balked at his camp’s contract proposal. TSN’s Pierre Lebrun doesn’t believe the trade request is a ploy to force them to meet his asking price.

Unlike Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, Kucherov isn’t sitting out awaiting a trade. Nevertheless, it could get awkward for the Lightning to have him on the roster knowing this season is his last.

If the Bolts management change their minds about trading Kucherov, his contract will be a sticking point. He carries a $9.5 million AAV and a 10-team trade list.

Meanwhile, speculation has begun about where Kucherov could get traded. You can read about them in today’s NHL Rumor Mill

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell is the latest member of the club to tally a hat trick this month, leading his club to a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Seth Jones had a goal and two assists, and Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who improved to 8-4-2. Kyle Connor scored his 10th goal of the season for the Jets (4-7-3), who are winless in their last eight games (0-6-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have the second-most hat tricks (five) in a calendar month. The Edmonton Oilers hold the record with seven in December 1985. As for the Jets, the wheels have come off following a promising start to this season.

Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck got his second win with the New Jersey Devils as they defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2. Hellebuyck made 19 saves while Jack Hughes and Arseny Gritsyuk each scored two goals for the Devils (9-5-0). Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev replied for the 9-5-1 Golden Knights.

Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato had a goal and three assists in a 6-2 upset of the Seattle Kraken. Joel Farabee had a goal and two assists, and Matvei Gridin and Morgan Frost each scored a goal and picked up an assist for the 6-7-0 Flames. Mackie Samoskevich had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (8-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Flames announced goaltender Devin Cooley is week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered during Wednesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. Arsenii Sergeev was recalled to back up Dustin Wolf.

IN OTHER NEWS…

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson is expected to miss the next eight weeks with an ankle injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Vancouver Canucks placed center Filip Chytil on injured reserve after suffering a hard hit during Thursday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators winger Hayden Hodgson received a two-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for a hit to the head of Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Anaheim Ducks returned rookie winger Nikita Klepov to the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit.

NHL.COM: Hall of Fame linesman Matt Pavelich died on Friday at age 92.

Pavelich was the first linesman to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He officiated in the league for 23 seasons, totaling 1,727 regular-season games as a linesman and 14 more as a referee. He also worked 245 Stanley Cup playoff games, including 19 consecutive Cup Finals between 1961 and 1979.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Pavelich’s family, friends, and colleagues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2026

by | Oct 30, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2026

The Red Wings suspend Dylan Larkin without pay, the Sabres’ Tage Thompson and the Mammoth’s Logan Cooley post hat-trick performances, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings’ 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks was overshadowed by the team’s decision to suspend center Dylan Larkin without pay for sitting out until the Red Wings honor his trade request.

Viktor Arvidsson had a hat trick and collected an assist for the Red Wings as they improved their record to 6-4-2. Connor Bedard scored for the Blackhawks, who dropped to 4-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin will forfeit over $41,237 per day during his suspension. His agent, Pat Brisson, said his client “had enough of the situation,” adding that the 30-year-old center had been “professional and cooperative through this process.”

Larkin’s trade request went public in June, but a deal hasn’t materialized. He expanded his trade list from three teams to 10, with the Minnesota Wild believed to be the main suitor.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (NHL Images)

I’ll have more about this story in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson had a natural hat trick and added two assists as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Anaheim Ducks 7-6. Peyton Krebs and Zach Benson each had three points for the Sabres (6-4-3). Leo Carlsson had three assists and Cutter Gauthier tallied twice for the 5-7-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Sam Carrick collected an assist as he returned to action after a middle-body injury sidelined him for four games. Before the game, the Sabres announced forward Konsta Helenius had returned to Buffalo to be evaluated for an upper-body injury and will miss the rest of the club’s road trip.

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley tallied a hat trick as the Pittsburgh native helped his club defeat the Penguins 4-3. Mikhail Sergachev scored in overtime for the 9-5-0 Mammoth. Penguins forward Ben Kindel had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (5-6-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cooley scored the tying goal with one second left in the third period. Kindel returned to the lineup after a vasovagal episode during a team flight on Oct. 20.

The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Winnipeg Jets 6-4. Pontus Holmberg had a goal and three assists while Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (8-3-1). Mark Scheifele had three assists, and Neal Pionk scored two goals for the Jets (4-6-3), who are winless in their last seven games (0-5-2).

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov made 24 saves to extend his season-opening win streak to nine games in a 3-2 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Mark Jankowski scored the game-winner while Seth Jarvis collected two assists for the league-leading Hurricanes (11-2-2, 24 points). Denton Mateychk and Kent Johnston replied for the 5-6-0 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kochetkov set a franchise record for the longest goaltending win streak. Teammate Taylor Hall missed this game with an upper-body injury and is day-to-day.

Montreal Canadiens forwards Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook each tallied twice to down the Dallas Stars 5-2. Jakub Dobes stopped 17 shots in his first start since Oct. 20 as the Canadiens (8-3-2) extended their win streak to four games. Wyatt Johnston had a goal and an assist for the Stars (7-5-1), who’ve dropped two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist to set a franchise record for most assists (136) before age 23, surpassing Hall of Famer Henri Richard. Habs blueliner Mike Matheson was a late scratch with a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders sophomore defenseman Matthew Schaefer scored twice (including the winner in overtime) and had an assist in a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Defenseman Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist for the Wild (9-3-3), who sit atop the Central Division with 21 points. This was the second straight win for the 7-4-2 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders blueliner Ryan Pulock left this game early in the first period with an upper-body injury. Wild captain Jared Spurgeon missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas and defenseman Philip Broberg each had a goal and an assist to upset the Boston Bruins 4-1. Goalie Joel Hofer made 31 saves for the Blues, who improved to 6-6-1. James Hagens scored his fifth goal of the season for the 9-4-1 Bruins as they cling to first place in the Atlantic Division with 19 points.

The Washington Capitals nipped the Nashville Predators 4-3 as Alex Tuch snapped a 3-3 tie for his 10th goal of the season. Cole Hutson tallied twice for the 8-4-0 Capitals. Filip Forsberg had two goals for the Predators (4-4-5).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Defensive miscues led to Predators blueliner Nicolas Hague being benched for the third period.

Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield’s overtime goal gave his club a 6-5 win over the Ottawa Senators. Drew Doughty had three assists for the Kings (4-6-2), who had a 4-1 lead until the Senators stormed back to tie the game. Dylan Cozens, Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle each had three points for the 8-5-1 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke left this game with an upper-body injury after being boarded by Senators winger Hayden Hodgson, who received a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

Senators winger Andre Burakovsky left this game with a lower-body injury in the first period. Earlier in the day, Senators defenseman Cameron Crotty was claimed off waivers by the Wild.

The San Jose Sharks beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Will Smith scored two goals, and Mason Marchment had a goal and an assist as the Sharks improved to 7-6-1. Drew O’Connor and Liam Ohgren opened the scoring as the Canucks (3-11-1) held a 2-0 lead before the Sharks rallied in the third period.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 29, 2026

by | Oct 29, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 29, 2026

Oilers captain Connor McDavid sets a league record, the Avalanche’s Brent Burns moves up among the all-time scoring defensemen, Quinn Hughes’ contract talks with the Wild show no progress, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid collected two assists to set the league’s season-opening assist streak record (13 games) as the Edmonton Oilers blanked the Calgary Flames 4-0.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

Tristan Jarry turned in a 24-save shutout, Mathieu Joseph scored the winning goal, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also had two assists for the Oilers (9-2-2), who moved into first place in the Western Conference with 20 points. Devin Cooley and Dustin Wolf combined for 28 saves for the 5-7-0 Flames as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid became the third player in NHL history to collect at least 25 assists in a calendar month multiple times, joining Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky (14 times) and Mario Lemieux (3 times).

Wolf replaced Cooley after the latter left the game following a collision with Oilers forward Colton Dach late in the first period. There was no postgame update regarding his status.

Oilers winger Zach Hyman missed this game after going on injured reserve with a stiff neck.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns collected two assists in a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils, moving up to 10th on the all-time list of leading scorers among defensemen with 950 regular-season points. Nazem Kadri and Jaden Schwartz each had a goal and an assist for the 7-5-1 Avalanche. Connor Brown tallied both goals for the Devils (8-5-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Burns needs nine more points to overtake Hall of Famer Larry Robinson for ninth place. He also played his 1,020th consecutive regular-season game. He needs 45 more to break Phil Kessel’s Ironman record.

Speaking of Avalanche blueliners, Josh Manson left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Head coach Jared Bednar expects Manson to “miss some time.”

Washington Capitals forwards Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou each scored twice to lead their club over the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. Dylan Strome collected three assists for the 7-4-0 Capitals, who’ve won four of their last five games. Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov scored for the 3-8-4 Flyers, who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson stopped 23 shots in his first game since Oct. 20. He’d been on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

The Seattle Kraken blew a two-goal lead, but a last-minute goal from Brandon Montour gave them a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Chandler Stephenson, Matty Beniers, and Mackie Samoskevich each had two points for the Kraken (8-4-1). Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna scored twice for his first multi-goal NHL game while captain Auston Matthews had a goal and two assists for the 7-6-2 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Maple Leafs announced winger Kirill Marchenko is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

THE SCORE: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin said he hasn’t discussed a contract extension with Quinn Hughes and his agent “in a long time.”

Hughes, 27, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. The lack of progress in contract negotiations has sparked speculation about his future with the Wild.

“To be honest with you, there’s nothing really to talk about right now,” Guerin said. “What am I gonna do? Go, ‘Please, please, please, please?’”

Guerin said his focus is on his team and winning games. He felt that Hughes “needs to wrap his head around a couple of things, and I don’t think anything’s changed”.

The Wild GM also said the Wild are a better team with Hughes, who is taking his time reaching a decision about his future. He stated that he hasn’t decided what he’ll do if the superstar defenseman remains unsigned deeper into the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guerin has said he’d give Hughes the time and space he needs to reach a decision. The blueliner recently said he’s happy playing with the Wild, hinting that he could be inching toward signing an extension.

Some observers believe Hughes’ footdragging suggests he has no intention of signing, while others haven’t closed the door on an extension. Nevertheless, the longer Hughes remains unsigned, the more speculation about his future.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets placed defenseman Carson Soucy on waivers.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned forward Justin Brazeau to Wilkes-Barre-Scranton/Scranton for conditioning.

DAILY FACEOFF: Dallas Stars Kyle Capobianco will miss at least a week with a lower-body injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs announced his son, Charlie Jacobs, will take over as team governor, effective immediately.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 28, 2026

by | Oct 28, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 28, 2026

Canadiens goalie Jacob Fowler posts an impressive shutout, Connor Hellebuyck gets the win in his debut with the Devils, Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer sets an overtime record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler kicked out 46 shots to shut out the St. Louis Blues 2-0. The 21-year-old Fowler stopped 24 shots in the third period. Zachary Bolduc opened the scoring, and Florian Xhekaj tipped in his first NHL goal as the Canadiens (7-3-2) picked up their third straight win. Jordan Binnington made 18 saves for the Blues, who were shut out for the second straight game as they dropped to 5-6-1.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues dominated the Canadiens, but they couldn’t put a pea past Fowler, who improved his record this season to 6-1-1 with a 1.54 goals-against average, a save percentage of .942 and two shutouts.

Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 17 shots in his debut with the New Jersey Devils for a 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Nico Hischier scored two goals while Jack and Luke Hughes each had a goal and an assist for the 8-4-0 Devils. Justin Hryckowian replied for the 7-4-1 Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For fans who’ve been out of touch for several days, the Devils acquired Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets in a blockbuster trade on Friday. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner showed no signs of rust in his first game of this season.

Stars defenseman Kyle Capobianco left this game with an apparent leg injury following a hit by Devils winger Timo Meier.

New York Islanders sophomore defenseman Matthew Schaefer became the first skater in NHL history to play all five minutes of a regular-season overtime period as his club nipped the Nashville Predators 4-3 on a shootout goal by Kyle Pamieri. Semyon Varlamov made 20 saves for his first win since Nov. 14, 2024. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist as the Predators (4-3-5) overcame a 3-0 deficit in regulation. Anthony Duclair, Brayden Schenn, and Bo Horvat scored for the 6-4-2 Islanders.

The Vancouver Canucks rallied from a 5-2 deficit to upset the Anaheim Ducks 6-5 on an overtime power-play goal by Filip Hronek. Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored twice to force the extra period and collected an assist on Hronek’s game-winner while Brock Boeser had a goal and two assists as the Canucks (3-10-1) snapped a 10-game winless skid (0-9-1). A.J. Greer tallied two goals and Jackson LaCombe collected three assists for the 5-6-1 Ducks.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored his league-leading 14th goal and collected an assist as his club downed the Utah Mammoth 3-1. Quinn Hughes picked up two assists while Jesper Wallstedt made 26 stops for the Minnesota Wild (9-3-2) as they hold first place in the Western Conference with 20 points. Logan Cooley netted the only goal for the 8-5-0 Mammoth.

Florida Panthers forwards Matthew and Brady Tkachuk combined for seven points in a 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Matthew collected four assists and Brady had a goal and two assists for the 7-4-2 Panthers, who also got three assists from defenseman Seth Jones. Adam Lowry scored the lone goal for the slumping Jets (4-5-3), who are winless in their last six games (0-4-2).

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov collected his eighth straight win to start the season to beat the Boston Bruins 2-1. Jackson Blake and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes (10-2-2) as they remain in first place in the overall standings with 22 points. Pavel Zacha scored for the 9-3-1 Bruins.

The Columbus Blue Jackets blew a 3-0 lead but defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 on an overtime goal by Kent Johnson, who finished with two goals and an assist. Cam Talbot stopped 28 shots, and Adam Fantilli had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 5-5-0 to move out of last place in the Eastern Conference. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (3-7-4) as they dropped behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro returned to action after missing the first nine games with an upper-body injury. Flyers blueliner Cam York returned to the lineup after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

A third-period goal by Wyatt Kaiser snapped a 1-1 tie to lift the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Spencer Knight made 25 saves, and Roman Kantserov also scored for the 4-8-0 Blackhawks as they snapped a three-game losing streak. Samuel Helenius replied for the 3-6-2 Kings.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Adin Hill made 25 saves, and Raphael Lavoie netted his first career NHL goal for the 9-4-1 Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 19 points. Shane Pinto scored for the Senators (8-5-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights turned to Hill after Carter Hart left the morning skate with an undisclosed injury. Senators winger Warren Foegele left the game with an apparent knee injury following a hit by Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Colten Ellis turned in a 23-save shutout to blank the San Jose Sharks 2-0. Olen Zellweger and Zach Benson were the goal scorers for the Sabres (5-4-3). Yaroslav Askarov kicked out 38 of 39 shots for the 6-6-1 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins forward Ben Kindel returned to full practice with his teammates a week after suffering a vasovagal episode during a team flight. It appears the incident was more scary than serious.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Glad to hear Kindel is healthy and back with his teammates.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Speaking of the Penguins, forward Elmer Soderblom is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

NHL.COM: Former NHL and WHA forward Andre Lacroix died at the age of 81.

Lacroix was an original member of the Philadelphia Flyers, spending four seasons with the Flyers and one with the Chicago Blackhawks from 1967-68 to 1971-72. He jumped to the World Hockey Association in 1972 and became its all-time leader with 798 points, 547 assists, and 551 games played.

Lacroix returned to the NHL for one season with the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80 before retiring. In 325 NHL regular-season games, he scored 79 goals and 119 assists for 198 points.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2026

by | Oct 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2026

The Red Wings, Flames, and Kings pull off upset wins, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings rookie goaltender Michal Postava made 25 saves and stopped all three shootout attempts to win his first NHL game 4-3 over the Edmonton Oilers. Viktor Arvidsson, Emmitt Finnie, and Dylan Larkin scored as the Red Wings (5-4-3) rallied from 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 deficits, and Lucas Raymond scored the game-winner in the shootout. Vasily Podkolzkin, Isaak Howard, and Colton Dach tallied for the 8-2-2 Oilers, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 18 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Zach Hyman left the game after striking his head against the glass following a routine hit from Red Wings defenseman Andreas Englund.

Calgary Flames forward Matvei Gridin (NHL Images).

Calgary Flames sophomore winger Matvei Gridin scored two goals and collected an assist for a 5-2 upset victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Joel Farabee and Martin Pospisil each had a goal and an assist, and Devin Cooley stopped 26 shots for the red-hot Flames (5-6-0), who’ve won four straight games. Easton Cowan and William Nylander replied for the 7-5-2 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews collected an assist to become the fastest player in franchise history to reach 800 points, doing so in 703 games.

Leafs winger Kirill Marchenko left this game with a lower-body injury during the second period. Flames Aydar Suniev didn’t return after suffering an upper-body injury in the first period.

Los Angeles Kings captain Drew Doughty had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the New York Rangers 6-3. Artemi Panarin and Joel Edmundson each had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who improved to 3-5-2. Tye Kartye had a goal and an assist for the 7-6-1 Rangers as they suffered their third straight defeat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 36-year-old Doughty is in the final season of his contract, but he has no plans to retire. “I think I can play until over 40,” Doughty said. He hopes to sign an extension with the Kings.

Kings winger Mats Zuccarello (upper body) was placed on injured reserve. Newly-signed Rangers goaltender James Reimer was lifted in the first period after giving up three goals on eight shots. He was replaced by Dylan Garand, making his ninth appearance in as many games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Flames goaltender Devin Cooley, and Montreal Canadiens netminder Jacob Fowler were the league’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 25.

SPORTSNET: Connor Hellebuyck believes he’s ready to play and is getting closer to playing his first game with the New Jersey Devils, who acquired the 33-year-old goaltender from the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe hopes to get Hellebuyck into the lineup during their three-game road trip against the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils have back-to-back games against the Stars and Avalanche on Tuesday and Wednesday. Hellebuyck could start one of those matches.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes activated winger Taylor Hall off injured reserve. He missed five games with an upper-body injury.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is expected to miss two weeks with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders placed forwards Matias Maccelli and Calum Ritchie on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2026

by | Oct 26, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2026

The Wild’s Quinn Hughes reaches a points milestone against the Canucks, the Canadiens down the Jets in the Heritage Classic, Alexander Nikishin returns to the Hurricanes, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist to reach 500 career regular-season points as the Minnesota Wild doubled up the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Kirill Kaprizov also had a goal and an assist for the Wild (8-3-2), who sit atop the Western Conference with 18 points. Max Sasson and Brock Boeser replied for the Canucks (2-10-1) as they sit last in the overall standings with five points.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only American-born defenseman to reach the 500-point plateau faster than Hughes (501 points in 520 games) was Hall of Famer Brian Leetch (496 games).

This was Hughes’ first game in Vancouver against his former team since being traded to the Wild last December. He was booed throughout the game, though he received a mix of cheers and boos when the Canucks played a tribute video to their former captain.

Hughes is due to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, sparking considerable speculation about his future in Minnesota. In a weekend interview with The Athletic’s Joe Smith, the 27-year-old blueliner didn’t rule out signing a contract extension.

“I’m where I’ve always been. I’m excited right now. My two feet are planted in Minnesota and you know, something could happen soon.”

Hughes said he’s enjoying playing for the Wild, suggesting they have a chance to win this season. That could go a long way toward ensuring he remains in Minnesota beyond 2026-27.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler made 33 saves to hold off the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in front of over 32,000 fans at Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium. Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle scored, and Cole Caufield had two assists for the 6-3-2 Canadiens, who are 5-1-1 in their last seven games. Isak Rosen scored, and Stuart Skinner stopped 19 shots for the Jets (4-4-2), who are winless in their last five games (0-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler became the youngest goaltender to start and win an NHL outdoor game. He’s also among the league leaders with five wins (5-1-1), a 1.79 goals-against average, a .924 save percentage, and one shutout.

The Nashville Predators upset the Colorado Avalanche 6-2. Ryan O’Reilly (two goals, two assists), Steven Stamkos (two goals, one assist), and Filip Forsberg (one goal, two assists) led the way for the Predators as they improved to 4-3-4. Artturi Lehkonen and Devon Toews scored for the 6-5-1 Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have been inconsistent through the first month of this season. After starting with two straight wins, they are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored two goals in a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders. Wyatt Johnston and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and two assists for the 7-3-1 Stars. Matthew Schaefer, Kyle Palmieri, and Brayden Schenn scored for the Islanders (5-4-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Saturday, the Stars placed forward Oskar Back on long-term injury reserve and moved defenseman Esa Lindell to injured reserve.

The Florida Panthers got a late goal from Lars Eller to nip the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. Sandis Vilmanis and Matthew Tkachuk also scored for the Panthers (6-4-2), while Spencer Knight made 30 saves, and Ryan Greene and Roman Kantserov tallied for the 3-8-0 Blackhawks, who’ve lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks are in the fifth season of rebuilding under general manager Kyle Davidson, but they’re showing few signs of improvement despite the promising youngsters on their roster. The longer this drags on this season, the more questions could be raised about the club’s direction under Davidson.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes announced defenseman Alexander Nikishin signed a one-year contract paying him $3 million during this season.

Nikishin requested a trade following the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run in June. The 25-year-old blueliner was a 10.2 (c) restricted free agent, meaning he was ineligible to receive an offer sheet from a rival team.

With 33 points, Nikishin had a promising debut last season, earning a spot on the NHL’s 2025-26 All-Rookie team. However, his playing time and role were reduced during the 2026 playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes were unable to find suitable trade offers for Nikishin. He’ll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer and will be eligible to sign an offer sheet. Now that he’s under contract, the Hurricanes could find it easier to move him before the March 1 trade deadline. They could also wait until next summer.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jared McCann will be sidelined for 10 weeks with a lower-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed goaltender James Reimer to a one-year contract worth $850,000.