NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2026

by | Oct 10, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2026

Recapping Friday’s action, the Canadiens and Predators make a trade, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: An injury to New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin overshadowed his club’s 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. Shesterkin left the game in the second period with the score tied at 1-1 after injuring his right leg. He was helped off the ice and replaced by backup Dylan Garand.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images)

Timothy Liljegren, Boone Jenner, and Tom Wilson scored, and Logan Thompson made 21 saves for the Capitals (3-1-0). Alexis Lafreniere tallied for the 4-2-0 Rangers as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no postgame update on Shesterkin’s condition. The former Vezina Trophy winner played a significant role in the Rangers’ strong start, which could be derailed if he’s out for a lengthy period.

Columbus Blue Jackets netminder Cam Talbot stopped 20 shots and made three straight saves in the shootout to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Kent Johnson scored the winning goal, Damon Severson had a goal and an assist, and Cole Sillinger collected two assists for the Blue Jackets (2-1-0). Sergei Murashov kicked out 43 shots while Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin replied for the 2-2-1 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talbot became the first goalie in NHL history to win a game with nine teams. Now in his 13th season, the 39-year-old netminder had wins with the Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Los Angeles Kings.

A four-goal second period lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Frederick Gaudreau tallied two goals, and Ben Meyers had a goal and two assists for the Kraken, who improved to 3-2-0. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard had a goal and an assist as the Red Wings dropped to 1-3-0.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-1. Mikael Granlund, Tim Washe, and rookie winger Judd Caulfield each had a goal and an assist for the 3-1-0 Ducks. Kyle Connor tallied his sixth goal of the season for the Jets (3-1-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens traded defenseman Jayden Struble to the Nashville Predators for a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Struble became the odd man out on the Canadiens’ crowded blueline. Kaiden Guhle is slated to return soon from adductor muscle surgery, and promising Adam Engstrom recently took Struble’s spot in the lineup. The Canadiens now have two second-round picks in next year’s draft, which could be bargaining chips by the March 1 trade deadline.

Struble, 25, should get more playing time with the retooling Predators. An injury to promising blueliner William Trudeau (upper body, week to week) was another reason for this move.

This was the 10th trade by Nashville general manager Chris MacFarlane since he took over the role on June 2.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Brad Marchand will be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a lower-body (knee) injury.

TSN: Ottawa Senators winger William Eklund will be sidelined for an “extended period of time” with an ankle injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault will miss two weeks with a lower-body injury.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild placed goaltender Filip Gustavsson (offseason hip surgery) on long-term injured reserve.

CBS SPORTS: The New Jersey Devils placed center Nick Bjugstad (torn pectoral muscle) on LTIR.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar received a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of New York Islanders captain Bo Horvat.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center John Tavares is expected to miss Saturday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche after returning to Toronto on Thursday to be with his wife as she gave birth to their fourth child, a son named Tucker.

TSN: Darren Dreger reported Thursday that the NHL has put expansion plans on the back burner for now amid concerns from owners regarding competitive balance. Two Texas cities (Houston and Austin) seemed to be the frontrunners for the NHL’s 33rd franchise if expansion occurs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An interesting development considering recent projections suggesting the league could expand by one or two teams by 2030. It’ll be interesting to see how many owners are concerned and how the league alleviates those worries.

NHL.COM: Defenseman Matt Dumba has announced his retirement after 13 NHL seasons. From 2013-14 to 2025-26, Dumba appeared in 748 regular-season games with the Minnesota Wild, Arizona Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 85 goals and 176 assists for 261 points. He also had 15 points in 54 playoff contests.

Dumba spent 10 of his 13 NHL seasons with the Wild, including a career-high 50-point performance in 2017-18.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dumba was a physical puck-moving blueliner, but he was never the same after tearing his right pectoral muscle in December 2018. Up to that point, he had 12 goals and 22 points in 32 games, putting him on pace for another career-high performance.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 9, 2026

by | Oct 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 9, 2026

Recaps of Thursday’s games feature a hat trick by Hurricanes winger Logan Stankoven, a four-point game by Bruins captain David Pastrnak, and much more.

NHL.COM: Logan Stankoven scored shorthanded, on the power play, and at even strength for his first career NHL hat trick to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 7-2 drubbing of the Vancouver Canucks. Sean Walker collected four assists, and Andrei Svechnikov tallied twice for the 3-1-1 Hurricanes. Jake DeBrusk scored both goals for the Canucks, who dropped to 2-3-0.

Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (NHL Images)

Boston Bruins captain David Pastrnak scored twice and picked up two assists in a 6-1 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 36 saves, and winger Morgan Geekie had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who improved to 3-2-0. Jack McBain had the only goal for the 3-2-0 Mammoth.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists, and Jake Oettinger had a 26-save shutout to blank the Buffalo Sabres 4-0. Wyatt Johnston collected three assists for the Stars (2-2-0). Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 14 shots for the 2-2-0 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Oettinger’s second straight shutout, who leads all goalies with at least three games played this season with a .967 save percentage and a 0.67 goals-against average.

The Colorado Avalanche thumped the Calgary Flames 7-3. Cale Makar had two goals and an assist, and Nathan MacKinnon scored and had two assists for the Avalanche (3-1-0). Adam Klapka, Mikael Backlund, and Kevin Bahl replied for the 0-4-0 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor left the team for personal reasons following the sudden death of his father, Myles. My condolences to O’Connor and his family.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel scored on a penalty shot and collected an assist as his club overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on a shootout goal by Trevor Connelly. Sergei Bobrovsky kicked out 40 shots for the 2-2-0 Maple Leafs, while the Golden Knights improved to 4-1-0 to lead the Pacific Division with eight points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson left this game late in the third period following a hit by Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. Before this game, the Golden Knights announced that winger Victor Olofsson is out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

The Nashville Predators rallied from a 2-0 deficit for a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Juuse Saros made 32 saves, Ryan O’Reilly scored the winning goal, and Adam Edstrom potted two empty-netters for the Predators (2-1-1). Nick Suzuki and Alex Newhook scored for the Canadiens, who fell to 1-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a better effort by the Canadiens, but undisciplined penalties and defensive breakdowns remain troublesome early-season issues.

Rookie defenseman Carter Yakemchuk’s third-period goal lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Nick Cousins also scored, and Linus Ullmark turned aside 28 shots for the Senators (3-1-0), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with six points. Matvei Michkov replied for the 0-3-2 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators winger William Eklund left this game in the first period with an injured leg. There was no postgame update on his status.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman John Carlson scored his first two goals with his new club in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Nikita Kucherov had two assists, and Dennis Hildeby stopped 34 shots for the 3-1-0 Lightning. Quinn Hughes and Blake Coleman scored for the Wild (2-1-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning are tied with the Senators with six points, but the latter holds first place in the division with 12 goals. Wild defenseman Olli Maatta was a late scratch with a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders captain Bo Horvat tallied twice to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Logan Stanley had two assists and Ilya Sorokin stopped 22 shots for the Islanders (2-2-0). Frank Nazar scored for the Blackhawks (1-4-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nazar got a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for a blindside hit to Horvat as he scored his second goal. The Isles center left the game and will be reevaluated on Friday.

Defenseman Darnell Nurse’s overtime goal gave the San Jose Sharks a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist, and Collin Graf also scored for the 3-1-0 Sharks. Connor McMichael and Dillon Dube scored for the Blues (1-2-1).

IN OTHER NEWS…

ESPN.COM: Mammoth forward Vincent Trocheck downplayed speculation that Team USA’s Men’s Olympic hockey team group chat played a role in U.S. players on Canadian teams, like Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, requesting trades to American-based NHL teams.

“I think people make it a bigger thing than it is,” Trochek told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. “Obviously, people want the headlines, but the whole Canada thing or guys wanting out of Canada that are from the U.S., I think it was more situational than anything else.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no real evidence that the Team USA group chat played any role in Hellebuyck’s trade request, or directly led to Brady Tkachuk’s trade from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers in June.

Team USA’s gold-medal triumph spurred Hellebuyck to seek a trade to a Stanley Cup contender while he’s still in his prime after 11 seasons with Winnipeg. It’s been 36 years since a Canadian team won the Cup. Tkachuk’s desire to play with his brother Matthew in Florida stretched back to before they were Olympic teammates.

It’s worth noting that Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin’s trade request was also tied to the Team USA group chat. However, his desire to leave Detroit (an American city, last I checked) was because of his frustration about the Red Wings’ decade-long playoff drought. Playing on an Olympic gold-medal team gave Larkin a taste of winning he was missing in his pro career, which he no longer believes he’ll have with the Wings.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Seattle Kraken placed defenseman Ryan Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils placed forward Stefan Noesen on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2026

by | Oct 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2026

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Oilers and Penguins make a trade, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl collected four assists as the Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Evan Bouchard scored twice and picked up an assist, and Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists for the 3-0-1 Oilers, who sit atop the Pacific Division with seven points. Beckett Sennecke scored both goals for the Ducks (2-1-0).

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After allowing 13 goals in their first two games, the Oilers have tightened up defensively. Goaltender Devon Levi started their last three games, allowing seven goals in his first game against Vancouver, but giving up only three goals in his last two contests.

Oilers center Jason Dickinson made his season debut after missing the start of the season with an injured foot. Teammate Colton Dach (undisclosed) was placed on injured reserve.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson had a goal and two assists in a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin’s final home debut. Pierre-Luc Dubois scored and picked up an assist for the Capitals, who improved to 2-1-0. Brian Rust, Tommy Novak, and Nick Robertson replied for the 2-2-0 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this week, Ovechkin announced this season would be his last in the NHL. He was held scoreless in this contest. Rust was making his season debut after being placed on IR on Sept. 29.

The Winnipeg Jets upset the Colorado Avalanche 3-2. Kyle Connor tallied twice, including the winning goal with one minute remaining in regulation time, as the Jets (3-0-1) hold first place in the Central Division with seven points. Jaden Schwartz and Fedor Svechkov scored for the 2-1-0 Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winnipeg goaltender Stuart Skinner was the game’s first star with a 32-save performance, including 17 stops in the first period. The bad news for the Jets was top defenseman Josh Morrissey leaving the game early in the second period with an injured right hand. He will be reassessed on Thursday.

HEADLINES

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers traded defenseman Spencer Stastney to the Penguins for forward Filip Hallander.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the “lateral move” that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reported the Oilers were considering, moving a blueliner to add depth up front. It also freed up $1.436 million in salary-cap space. The Penguins, meanwhile, temporarily freed up a logjam at forward with Bryan Rust returning to the lineup while bolstering their left-side blueline depth.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov will miss the next six to eight months after undergoing surgery on his right knee to repair a torn ACL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough break for the Isles and for Romanov, who had just returned from a shoulder injury suffered last November that required season-ending surgery.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault left practice Wednesday after injuring his right leg. He’s still being evaluated by the Canadiens’ medical staff, but the club recalled goalie Jacob Fowler from their AHL affiliate in Laval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montembeault tore two groin muscles during the 2025 playoffs and struggled throughout last season, losing his role as starting goaltender to Jakub Dobes and dropping behind Fowler on their goalie depth chart.

A strong training camp and preseason earned Montembeault the backup role to start this season. He was expected to make his season debut on Thursday against the Nashville Predators or Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars forward Joel Kiviranta has been sidelined for a week with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler is being evaluated for an undisclosed injury suffered on Tuesday against the Utah Mammoth.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Florida Panthers placed defenseman Mackenzie Entwistle on waivers.

SPORTSNET: The NHL unveiled the Heritage Classic jerseys for the Jets and Canadiens. The two clubs face off in the outdoor game on Oct. 25 at Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2026

by | Oct 7, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2026

Recapping Tuesday’s action, including a big game for Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere, Dylan Larkin’s season debut with the Red Wings, Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna’s first NHL points, and more.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Winger Alexis Lafreniere had a hat trick and collected an assist to lead the New York Rangers to a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied twice, and Mika Zibanejad had two assists for the Rangers (4-1-0), who’ve won four straight and sit atop the overall standings with eight points. Bo Horvat and Calum Ritchie replied for the 1-2-0 Islanders.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov left this game early in the third period with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin scored and got an assist in his season debut to help his club beat the Ottawa Senators 5-3. Alex DeBrincat scored twice and picked up an assist, and Viktor Arvidsson had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (1-2-0) as they collected their first win of the season. Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, and William Eklund each had a goal and an assist for the 2-1-0 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin missed the first two games of the regular season with an upper-body injury. He was booed early in the game by Red Wings fans, who were angry about his offseason trade request. However, those boos turned to cheers when he scored.

Senators starting goaltender Linus Ullmark missed this game with an undisclosed injury. Backup Samuel Ersson made 31 saves in this contest.

Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna scored his first goal and collected his first assist in the NHL as his club nipped the Nashville Predators 5-4 on an overtime goal by Auston Matthews, who also picked up three assists. William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the 2-2-0 Maple Leafs. Steven Stamkos and Nils Hoglander each had two goals for the Predators (1-1-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos moved into seventh on the all-time power-play goals list with 244. He’s two behind Hall of Famer Phil Esposito and three back of Luc Robitaille.

Vegas Golden Knights forwards Jack Eichel (one goal, three assists) and Tomas Hertl (2 goals, 2 assists) each had four points in a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Viktor Olofsson scored twice for the Golden Knights (3-1-0) before leaving in the third period with an injury following a blindside hit by Kraken center Ben Meyers. Shane Wright and Jared McCann scored for the 2-2-0 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel became the first player to reach 10 points this season. Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren left this game early in the first period with an upper-body injury.

A third-period goal by Matthew Tkachuk lifted the Florida Panthers over the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Seth Jones also scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 19 saves for the 2-0-2 Panthers. Darcy Kuemper stopped 26 shots, and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings, who are winless in their first three games (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a costly win for the Panthers as winger Brad Marchand was helped from the ice after injuring his left knee. It was his second game since returning from offseason lower-body surgery. This comes after the Panthers learned that team captain Aleksander Barkov will miss six to eight weeks with an injured left knee that doesn’t require surgery.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall scored twice (including the winning goal) in a 6-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes (2-1-1). Zachary Bolduc tallied two goals for the 1-1-1 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The score flattered the Canadiens, who had more turnovers than a bakery as they were dominated by the Hurricanes. Habs winger Ivan Demidov missed this game with a lower-body injury and will be sidelined for two to four weeks.

The Utah Mammoth beat the New Jersey Devils 5-3. Forward Nick Schmaltz led the way with a goal and two assists, and Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots for the 3-1-0 Mammoth. Luke Evangelista scored twice for the Devils, who dropped to 1-2-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev collected three assists before leaving with an upper-body injury when teammate MacKenzie Weegar’s clearing attempt struck the side of his head.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power had two points (including the game-winning goal) in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Minnesota Wild. Tage Thompson also had two points for the Sabres as they improved to 2-1-0. Danila Yurov and Maxim Shabanov gave the Wild (2-0-1) an early 2-0 lead before the Sabres rallied in the third to force overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Nick Foligno left this game with an upper-body injury.

The Chicago Blackhawks got their first win of the season by doubling up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Connor McMichael had a goal and an assist for the Blues (1-2-0), as did Anton Frondell for the 1-3-0 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen left this game with an undisclosed injury after the second period. He’s expected to miss Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: San Jose Sharks captain Macklin Celebrini missed practice yesterday and is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed free-agent forward Michael Bunting to a one-year, $1.2 million contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2026

by | Oct 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2026

Recapping Monday’s games, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will retire after this season, the three stars of the week are revealed, the NHLPA responds to league commissioner Gary Bettman’s comments about no-trade and no-movement clauses, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle scored two goals and added an assist to lead his club to a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Michael Amadio had a goal and an assist, and Drake Batherson scored on a breakaway for the 2-0-0 Senators. James Hagens replied for the Bruins (2-2-0) as they dropped their second straight game.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark left this game after the second period for precautionary reasons after suffering what appears to be an undisclosed minor injury. Ullmark will be reevaluated on Tuesday.

Before the game, the Senators announced that defenseman Jake Sanderson is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 13 saves to shut out the San Jose Sharks 5-0. Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen scored their first goals of the season, and team captain Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist as the Stars picked up their first win of the season (1-2-0). Sharks captain Macklin Celebrini missed this game after suffering a lower-body injury during warmups and will be reevaluated on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks (2-1-0) are a very different team without Celebrini. They cannot afford to have their two-way superstar sidelined for long.

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1, leaving the latter winless in their first four games (0-2-2). Ilya Mikheyev and Pontus Holmberg each had a goal and an assist, and Nikita Kucherov collected two assists for the 2-1-0 Lightning. Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov has 1,128 career regular-season points, leaving him 10 away from breaking Steven Stamkos’ franchise record of 1,137.

Third-period goals by Alex Iafallo, Adam Lowry, and Cole Perfetti powered the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Backup goaltender Clay Stevenson made 30 saves for the 2-0-1 Jets. Declan Carlile and Ben Kindel each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (2-1-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are off to a better-than-expected start without starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who remains suspended without pay by the club for not reporting to training camp last month. If they keep exceeding expectations, it’ll make it easier for general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to remain patient in his search for a suitable trade offer for Hellebuyck.

HEADLINES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Long-time Washington Capitals superstar winger Alex Ovechkin announced that he intends to retire at the end of this season.

In a statement, the 41-year-old Capitals captain said he and his family decided this summer that this season would be his last in the NHL. “I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it’s the right decision,” Ovechkin said.

Ovechkin is the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer with 929. He is 11 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most combined goals (regular season and playoffs) in league history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer in NHL history and the greatest player in Capitals history, taking that franchise to its greatest heights and turning it into one of the league’s most popular teams. However, critics believe his legacy has been tainted by his affiliation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, and Vancouver Canucks center Paul Cotter are the league’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 4.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports NHL Players’ Association assistant executive director Ron Hainsey blasted NHL commissioner Gary Bettman over his recent remarks regarding no-trade and no-movement clauses.

In a recent interview, Bettman said that some players were using no-trade and no-movement clauses to force trades to specific teams, suggesting that the league might discuss changes to those clauses with the PA if it became a trend.

Hainsey said the PA believes the no-trade, no-movement clauses are being used as originally intended. “It’s a player’s right to negotiate salary, salary structure, term, as well as a no-move or no-trade with their club if they’re able to do so and bargain in good faith,” Hainsey said. “It’s pretty simple if you’ve negotiated a no-trade. Whether it’s 10 teams or 15 or 32, the club isn’t able to trade you to those teams without your consent.”

“The beginning of this conversation about no-move and no-trade clauses, we do take as an attack on players’ CBA-negotiated rights,” Hainsey said. “And we will treat it as such.”

Player agent J.P. Barry was among several player agents LeBrun spoke with who rejected Bettman’s suggestion about possible changes to those clauses.

“Players give up significant compensation demands to obtain a no-trade clause,” Barry said. “They are ‘purchased’ by the player. If they’re going to try to eliminate no-trade clauses, then we should also discuss elimination of the buyout and the hard cap at the same time.”

Barry pointed out how much the players have given up in previous collective bargaining. “We have no performance bonuses outside of rookie contracts, no player or club options, no renegotiation clauses, and the maximum length of contracts has been ratcheted down to six or seven years.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I knew there would be pushback from the PA but I wasn’t expecting it this quickly.

This topic began this summer because Brady Tkachuk forced a trade from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin requested a trade, and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is staging a holdout to try and force the Winnipeg Jets to trade him.

To be fair to Bettman, he said that one summer of such activity doesn’t constitute a trend. He also said that if it became a trend, the league might have to discuss it with the PA in the next round of collective bargaining.

Nevertheless, Bettman’s comments were considered a shot across the bow to the NHLPA, prompting it to return fire.

This could be a tempest in a teapot if other players do not emulate Tkachuk, Larkin and Hellebuyck. Considering the blowback that Larkin’s trade request has generated from Detroit fans and media, and Hellebuyck’s ongoing suspension without pay for not reporting to training camp, it could discourage other players from considering that tactic.

NHL general managers don’t have to wait for the next round of CBA talks to address this issue. In any current or future contract negotiations with players who want no-trade/no-movement clauses, they can simply negotiate what those clauses will look like. It’s what they currently do, as a quick look at the terms of Larkin’s no-trade clause and Hellebuyck’s no-movement clause on PuckPedia can attest.

If a GM doesn’t want a player on a full NTC or NMC to request a trade, he can negotiate that the NTC/NMC be voided or that the player must submit an agreed-upon number of preferred trade destinations.

As I’ve said before, this isn’t a hill the NHL wants to die on in the next round of collective bargaining. I can’t see doing anything that would jeopardize the stunning growth of hockey-related revenue over something that can already be addressed within the current CBA.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice downplayed speculation that team captain Aleksander Barkov could be sidelined 10-to-12 weeks with a left-knee injury. “Do not bet your hard-earned money on that,” Maurice said, indicating that they’ll have “a more solid answer” on Tuesday.

TSN: The Calgary Flames placed forward Connor Zary and defenseman Brayden Pachal on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zary’s appearance on the waiver wire raised eyebrows given his status as a first-round draft pick by the Flames. Injuries have hampered his once-promising career, but some observers wonder if another club (like the rebuilding Vancouver Canucks) might be tempted to claim the 25-year-old forward.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram has returned to the club after returning to Chicago over the weekend to be with his wife as she gave birth to twin girls.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Blackhawks, forward Andrew Mangiapane is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson (shoulder) is expected to make his season debut on Friday.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg is expected to miss a week with an undisclosed injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 5, 2026

by | Oct 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 5, 2026

Recapping Sunday’s action and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Mikael Granlund lifted the Anaheim Ducks (2-0-0) to a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers (1-0-2). Cutter Gauthier had two goals and an assist, linemate Leo Carlsson collected three assists, and goalie Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots. Carter Verhaeghe and Brad Marchand replied for the Panthers.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Marchand’s first game since undergoing offseason surgery for hip and sports hernia issues. Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor scored twice and collected an assist as his club held off the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Cole Perfetti had a goal and two assists, and goaltender Stuart Skinner made 33 saves for the Jets (1-0-1). Viktor Arvidsson and Emmitt Finnie scored for the Red Wings (0-2-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Keegan Kolesar left the game in the first period and went into concussion protocol after losing a fight with Jets defenseman Tyrel Bauer.

The New York Rangers picked up their third win in their first four games (3-1-0) by doubling up the Utah Mammoth 4-2. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves and picked up an assist while Vladislav Gavrikov had a goal and an assist. Nick Schmaltz and Andrew Peeke tallied for the Mammoth (2-1-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin nearly had his second empty-net goal in as many games. However, Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev foiled the attempt, much to the chagrin of Rangers fans. Rangers forward Joe Veleno and former Blueshirts forward Vincent Trocheck left this game with lower-body injuries.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Marc Gatcomb scored the winning goal to give his club a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks (2-2-0). Mitch Marner and Victor Olofsson also scored for the Golden Knights (2-1-0). Canucks forward Paul Cotter scored his fourth goal of the season, and Kevin Lankinen stopped 25 shots.

The Seattle Kraken beat the Calgary Flames 6-1. Mackie Samoskevich scored his first two goals for the Kraken (2-1-0), and teammate Berkly Catton had a goal and an assist. Morgan Frost replied for the Flames, who dropped their first three games of this season (0-3-0).

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson will undergo further testing for an undisclosed lower-body injury. Sanderson left Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs and could miss their next two contests.

TSN: St. Louis Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko will be sidelined for at least six weeks with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Boston Bruins forward Michael Eyssimont and San Jose Sharks winger Patrick Giles were placed on waivers Sunday.