NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2026

by | May 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2026

The Canadiens and Sabres prepare to face off in Game 7 of their second-round series, the Hurricanes set a playoff record, the front office changes continue for the Maple Leafs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens face off in the seventh and deciding game of their second-round series on Monday night in Buffalo at 7:30 pm ET. The winner advances to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn and Arpon Basu examined the key storylines to watch for in Game 7.

Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky (NHL Images).

One storyline will be whether Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis shuffles his lines after maintaining continuity in this series. Basu believes Juraj Slafkovsky may be dealing with an injury after watching his performance in Game 6, noting that he had no strength on his stick, was knocked off the puck easily, and had difficulty with his puck handling.

For the Sabres, Fairburn believes the Sabres goaltending has become a concern. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon have been inconsistent in this series, which could become a factor in this critical seventh game.

The Canadiens have experience in this situation, having eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 during the first round. Several of their players, including team captain Nick Suzuki and high-scoring winger Cole Caufield, were also part of the Habs that eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games in their 2021 first-round series.

Meanwhile, the Sabres could have the most to lose in this series. While the Canadiens would carry the sting of blowing a 3-2 series lead into the summer, their young roster core will remain intact for next season. This could be the last opportunity for this current Sabres core, given Alex Tuch’s UFA eligibility and the trade rumors that have swirled about Bowen Byram since last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whatever the outcome, the Canadiens and Sabres have provided their fans with an entertaining postseason series. They’ve served notice that they are rising forces in the Eastern Conference. This might not be the last time these two clubs meet in the playoffs over the next several years.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Hurricanes have set a modern NHL playoff record for the longest wait between series. They have 11 days off between the end of Game 4 of their second-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers and the start of the Eastern Conference Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes will be well-rested and fully recovered from the bumps, bruises, and injuries suffered during the first two rounds. Given how quickly they dispatched Ottawa and Philadelphia, and their first-overall place in the Eastern Conference regular-season standings, they will be considered the favorites to win the Conference Final.

However, the long layoff will leave the Hurricanes rusty for the first game or two. Their opponent must strike quickly in those contests to garner an early series advantage before the experienced Canes inevitably regain their form.

TORONTO SUN: Front office changes for the Maple Leafs continued Sunday as assistant general managers Brandon Pridham and Derek Clancey left the organization.

Pridham had been with the Maple Leafs since 2014, playing a major role as a salary-cap expert in managing the club’s salary-cap payroll. Clancey spent the past three seasons as the assistant GM of player personnel. He’d previously spent 14 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins’ organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given their resumes, both men shouldn’t have much difficulty landing jobs with other NHL clubs.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche got some good news as defensemen Josh Manson and Sam Malkinski were full participants during Sunday’s practice. Both were among several Avs nursing injuries.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Andre Leal listed all the fines and suspensions handed out thus far during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The most notable was Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella being fined $100,000 and the Golden Knights being forced to forfeit their second-round pick in this year’s draft for flagrant violations of the league’s regulations following their series-ending victory over the Anaheim Ducks last week.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy received the biggest punishment handed down to a player. He will serve a six-game suspension starting next season for slashing Buffalo Sabres winger Zach Benson during Game 6 of their first-round series.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2026

by | May 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2026

The Sabres crush the Canadiens to force Game 7 in their second-round series, examining Mitch Marner’s strong postseason with the Golden Knights, several Avalanche players are nursing injuries, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres overcame an early 3-1 deficit with five unanswered goals to thump the Montreal Canadiens 8-3 in Game 6 of their second-round series, forcing a seventh and deciding game in Buffalo on Monday, May 18.

Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin (NHL Images)

Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin led the way with a goal and four assists, becoming the first defenseman in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to record five points in a game when facing elimination. Tage Thompson had a goal and three assists, and Jack Quinn tallied twice and collected an assist. Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 18 shots after replacing Alex Lyon, who was pulled after giving up three goals on four shots early in the first period.

Jake Evans had a goal and an assist, Ivan Demidov scored for the second straight game, and Arber Xhekaj netted his first-ever playoff goal for the Canadiens. Jacob Fowler replaced starter Jakub Dobes in the third period after the latter gave up six goals on 33 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Facing elimination for the first time in this postseason, the Sabres responded with their best performance of this series, one that may have changed the direction of this series in their favor.

The turning point in the game occurred at 11:47 of the first period when Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson received a double-minor for high-sticking Sabres forward Josh Norris, leading to Jason Zucker’s power-play goal that narrowed the score to 3-2. Led by Dahlin and Thompson, the Sabres dominated the next two periods.

This was the Canadiens’ worst performance of this postseason, something team captain Nick Suzuki admitted after the game. Even when leading 3-1, they were struggling to adjust to the changes that Sabres’ head coach Lindy Ruff made to his forward lines. He shifted Thompson to right wing alongside Norris and Zach Benson on the first line, with Ryan McLeod centering Alex Tuch and Josh Doan on the second line. Rookie Konsta Helenius centered Zucker and Quinn on the third line, with Peyton Krebs between Jordan Greenway and Beck Malenstyn on the fourth line.

Ruff’s quick replacement of Lyon with Luukkonen in the first period also paid dividends, providing some much-needed stability between the pipes that helped to settle down his teammates.

It will be interesting to see what Game 7 brings us. Both teams have played well on the road, but struggled at home. That could work in the Canadiens’ favor, but the momentum the Sabres gained in Game 6 could propel them into the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Regardless of the outcome of Game 7, the Eastern Conference Final will begin on Thursday, May 21, in Carolina.

SPORTSNET: Michael Amato looked at what’s behind Mitch Marner’s dominant playoff performance with the Vegas Golden Knights after years of criticism about his postseason play with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Of the factors listed by Amato, getting away from that harsh spotlight in Toronto and the structure of Vegas’ roster are probably the main reasons why Marner’s an early candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy. The Golden Knights play a solid two-way game with several forwards who play well defensively, so he’s not having to carry that burden as much as he did with the Leafs.

Some observers wondered how well Marner would perform after John Tortorella took over as head coach late in the season. Rather than struggling under the demanding Tortorella, Marner is thriving, earning his coach’s respect and support.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche has several players considered day-to-day as they nurse various injuries. They include Cale Makar, Brent Burns, Josh Manson, Artturi Lehkonen, and Sam Malinski.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The first game of their Western Conference Final series with the Golden Knights begins on Wednesday, so those players have several days to recuperate. Don’t be surprised if they’re all ready to go for Game 1.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Hurricanes aren’t concerned about their long layoff between series adversely affecting their performance against the Canadiens or Sabres in the Eastern Conference Final. They will have had 12 days to rest, recuperate, and prepare for their next opponent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes will be a little rusty in the first game and perhaps the second, which could work to their opponent’s favor. However, the Canadiens and Sabres won’t have much time to recover from two long, physical series. That could work to the Hurricanes’ advantage as the Conference Final progresses.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anaheim Ducks forward Mikael Granlund is joining Finland’s roster in the 2026 IIHF World Championship.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2026

by | May 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 16, 2026

The Canadiens and Sabres prepare for Game 6, Matthew Schaefer garners praise from several Hall of Fame defensemen, the latest on the Golden Knights, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens hope to advance to the Eastern Conference Final on home ice in Game 6 against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. The Canadiens hold a 3-2 series lead following their 6-3 victory over the Sabres in Game 5 on Thursday.

Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis understands that eliminating an opponent will be difficult. He pointed out that he believed his team played their best game of this postseason in their Game 6 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on home ice in the first round.

“So, you know, it probably takes your best. And more,” St. Louis said.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said his players will likely stay at their hotel on Saturday morning and not hold a pregame skate so they can save their energy for Game 6.

Ruff stressed that his club has responded well to every challenge they’ve faced this season, rising from last place in the Eastern Conference in early December to finishing first in the Atlantic Division and eliminating the Boston Bruins in the first round.

The Sabres need more from their top-six forwards. Power forward Alex Tuch has been held scoreless in this series. Center Tage Thompson has only scored twice against the Canadiens and may be playing injured.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Carolina Hurricanes await the winner of this series in the Eastern Conference Final. If the Canadiens win tonight, Game 1 of the Conference Final starts on Tuesday, May 19, in Carolina. If it goes seven games (which would be held on Monday, May 18), the winner will face the Hurricanes in Carolina on Thursday, May 21.

THE ATHLETIC: New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer earned praise from several Hall of Fame blueliners after he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year.

Raymond Bourque believes Schaefer has “a great chance” to become a generational player. Chris Pronger pointed out his positive impact on the Islanders since his debut, and Nicklas Lidstrom lauded the 18-year-old’s speed and heads-up performance.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer’s rookie performance took some of the sting out of the Islanders’ failure to make the playoffs. He is now their franchise player, and management will do all it can to build a contender around him.

TSN: Mitch Marner “feels great” after advancing to the Conference Finals for the first time in his NHL career. Nevertheless, he and his Vegas Golden Knights’ teammates are keeping their focus on winning the Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner leads all scorers in his postseason with 18 points. He must be considered among the favorites to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Speaking of the Golden Knights, they must forfeit a second-round pick and were fined $100,000 for not speaking to the media postgame at Honda Center following their series-clinching win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

The Golden Knights will have a chance to appeal the punishment to league commissioner Gary Bettman in New York next week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights didn’t open their dressing room for interviews, but rather in an adjacent room. Shea Theodore spoke briefly in that room, while forwards Mitch Marner and Brett Howden both spoke at the podium for less than five minutes.

The collective bargaining agreement requires players and coaches to be made available for interviews daily during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

ESPN.COM: Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin and center Joel Eriksson Ek revealed that they were unable to play in their club’s second-round series against the Colorado Avalanche because of broken bones in their feet. The Avalanche took that series in five games.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier revealed he broke the L1 and L2 vertebrae in his back against the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 30. He praised the Ducks’ medical staff for helping him return to action sooner than expected.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gauthier played in all 12 playoff games for the Ducks with a team-leading 12 points.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers signed goaltender Aleksei Kolosov to a one-year, $850,000 contract extension.

CALGARY SUN: Flames defenseman Daniil Miromanov has reportedly signed with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg. The 28-year-old blueliner spent most of this season playing for the Flames’ AHL affiliate.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 15, 2026

by | May 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 15, 2026

The Golden Knights advance to the Western Conference Final, the Canadiens rally to push the Sabres to the brink of elimination, reaction to the Oilers firing Kris Knoblauch, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights advanced to the Western Conference Final after defeating the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series. Pavel Dorofeyev scored two goals, and Mitch Marner had two points (including a highlight-reel game-opening goal) for the Golden Knights, who took the series in six games. Mikael Granlund replied for the Ducks.

The Golden Knights will face the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final starting on Wednesday, May 20, in Denver.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights’ experience and defensive play made the difference in this series. Marner played a key role during this series, playing his way into early Conn Smythe Trophy contention with his playoff-leading 18 points. Dorofeyev has come into his own as a postseason sniper with nine goals to lead all scorers thus far.

The Ducks’ season is over, but they exceeded expectations this season by ending their seven-year playoff drought and upsetting the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. Their young roster has a bright future and will be better in the coming years.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists to lead his club to a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 of their second-round series. Ivan Demidov scored his first career NHL playoff goal, Cole Caufield extended his goal streak to three games, and Juraj Slafkovsky collected three assists as the Canadiens overcame 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 deficits. Jason Zucker, Josh Doan, and Konsta Helenius scored for the Sabres.

The Canadiens hold a 3-2 series lead and can wrap it up in Game 6 in Montreal on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That first period was a wild one, with Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobes giving up three goals on four shots. Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis asked goalie coach Marco Marciano if he felt Dobes should be pulled, but Marciano said no. Dobes settled down, stopping the next 32 shots for the win. Habs defenseman Lane Hutson set up two goals, tying him with Suzuki for the team’s points lead with 12.

Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen gave up five goals on 23 shots and was replaced by Alex Lyon for the third period. Neither goalie was helped by their teammates’ poor defense, especially in the second period, when Montreal tallied three unanswered goals to take control of the game. Meanwhile, Sabres power forward Alex Tuch has been held scoreless in this series after tallying seven points in six games against the Boston Bruins in the first round.

HEADLINES

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers fired head coach Kris Knoblauch on Thursday. He’d been in the position for three seasons, coaching the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2023-24 and 2024-25. However, the Oilers were eliminated in the opening round of this year’s playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks. He was about to start a three-year contract extension worth $7.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers were roasted on social media for their bungled handling of this situation. Everyone knew earlier this week that Knoblauch was a goner after it emerged that they sought permission from the Vegas Golden Knights to speak with their former bench boss, Bruce Cassidy.

David Staples of the Edmonton Journal listed 13 factors behind Knoblauch’s dismissal. In my opinion, he’s paying the price for the mistakes of Oilers management over the last two years.

The question now is who becomes Knobluach’s replacement. It’s believed they’re still zeroed in on Cassidy despite the Golden Knights’ denying them permission to speak with him.

The hiring will be consequential, given superstar Connor McDavid’s two-year contract extension begins on July 1. If the Oilers fail to improve next season, it could lead to the latter’s departure as early as next summer.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks officially named Daniel and Henrik Sedin as co-presidents and promoted assistant general manager Ryan Johnson as their general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprises here, as these hirings have been expected for days. While all three are well-respected within the organization and among Canucks fans, they have a big job ahead of them.

The Canucks are coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history, culminating in the departure of superstar Quinn Hughes in a trade with Minnesota in December. It will take several seasons to build this club back into a playoff contender.

Their first decision could be whether to replace head coach Adam Foote, who’s been in the job for one season.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers general manager Daniel Briere revealed 10 players were dealing with significant injuries during their playoff run.

Emile Andrae played with a fractured wrist that requires surgery. Noah Cates fractured his foot but doesn’t need surgery. Christian Dvorak suffered a fractured rib and a separated shoulder. Garnet Hathaway played through a fractured fibula. Travis Konecny had a fractured rib and a nasal fracture. Owen Tippett dealt with internal bleeding and a sports hernia, and Cam York played through a fractured rib.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve singled out the most serious of the injuries suffered by Flyers players. One wonders how much better they might’ve fared against the Carolina Hurricanes if they had been healthier for that second-round series.

NESN: The Boston Bruins announced that assistant general manager Jamie Langenbrunner is departing to pursue other opportunities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Langenbrunner is rumored to be heading to Vancouver to join the Canucks’ front office.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Bruins, they signed winger Lukas Reichel to a one-year, $950,000 contract extension.

TSN: The Chicago Blackhawks signed prospect forward Roman Kantserov to a three-year, entry-level contract.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL defenseman Paul Boutilier has passed away at age 63. No cause of death was announced.

Boutilier spent eight seasons in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, and Winnipeg Jets from 1981-82 to 1988-89. In 288 regular-season games, he had 27 goals and 83 assists for 110 points, and 10 points in 41 playoff games. Boutilier won the Stanley Cup with the Islanders in 1982-83.

Following his playing career, Boutilier served as an assistant coach and head coach for Saint Mary’s University in Halifax from 1991 to 1997. He was an assistant coach with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs from 2015 to 2017, helping them win the league championship in 2016-17. In 2024, he joined the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats as a defensive consultant, helping them win the league championship in 2025.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2026

by | May 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 14, 2026

The Avalanche advance to the Western Conference Final, reaction to Matthew Schaefer winning the Calder Trophy, the Maple Leafs firing head coach Craig Berube, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche are going to the Western Conference Final after defeating the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on an overtime goal by Brett Kulak in Game 5 to take the series four games to one.

The Wild opened the scoring on a goal by Marcus Johansson and expanded that lead to 3-0 on two goals by Nick Foligno. However, Avalanche forward Parker Kelly made it 3-1 in the second period, with Jack Drury and Nathan MacKinnon scoring late in the third period to tie it, setting the stage for Martin Necas making a great individual effort to set up Kulak’s series-winning goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild were seemingly poised to send the series back to Minnesota for Game 6. They dominated Colorado early, driving Mackenzie Blackwood from the Avalanche net after he gave up three goals on 13 shots. Scott Wedgewood took over and stopped all seven shots he faced as the Avalanche stormed back, outshooting the Wild 22-7 over the remaining two periods and overtime.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

MacKinnon’s tying goal was a back-breaker, sniping a wrist shot from the faceoff circle that went over the right shoulder of Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and bulged the twine under the crossbar.

Necas’ assist on Kulak’s goal occurred because he realized the Avalanche didn’t have enough men on the ice as he was about to go off for a line change. He stayed on, gained control of the puck, skated around the Wild net, and set up Kulak to end the series.

The Wild were hampered in this series with the absences of two-way center Joel Eriksson Ek and blueline stalwart Jonas Brodin, and blueliner Zach Bogosian missed this game with an upper-body injury. The Avalanche were banged up too, playing without forward Artturi Lehkonen and defenseman Sam Malinski for the second straight game. Superstar blueliner Cale Makar left this game briefly with an upper-body injury.

Colorado’s depth and experience made the difference in this game and in this series. The Wild are an excellent team and should remain a contender next season, but the Avs showed everyone in this series why they’re the favorite to win the Stanley Cup this year.

The Avalanche await the winner of the Anaheim Ducks-Vegas Golden Knights series. The Golden Knights hold a 3-2 series lead and could advance to the Western Conference Final with a win on Thursday.

NHL.COM: New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved honor for Schaefer, who was chosen first overall in last year’s draft by the Islanders, quickly establishing himself among their core players. He was presented with the Calder Trophy by his family while appearing on ABC’s “GMA3” in New York.

Schaefer is the second player to win the award by unanimous vote, joining Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne, who won it in 1993. He set the NHL record for points by an 18-year-old defenseman (59) and tied the single-season record for most goals (23) by a rookie blueliner. He’s the youngest player to win the Calder, and the first Islander to do so since Mathew Barzal in 2017.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov was runner-up to Schaefer for the Calder Trophy, garnering the majority of the second-place votes. Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes finished fourth behind Anaheim Ducks winger Beckett Sennecke, and Habs center Oliver Kapanen was 11th.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demidov led all rookies in 43 assists and 62 points. Dobes led all rookie netminders with 29 wins, and was second in goals-against average (2.78) for rookie goalies with at least 20 games played. Kapanen was third among rookie goal scorers with 22.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs fired head coach Craig Berube on Wednesday morning. He was their bench boss for the past two seasons, coaching them to first place in the Atlantic Division with 108 points in 2024-25 and the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. However, they tumbled to 78 points this season and missed the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Berube paid the price for the poor decisions by Brad Treliving, who lost his job as general manager in March. Some insiders assumed he was safe because of his friendship with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment honcho Keith Pelley, but that obviously wasn’t the case.

Berube will likely land with another NHL club at some point. Meanwhile, Treliving’s replacement, John Chayka, must find a suitable replacement for Berube who will meet the approval of team captain and franchise player Auston Matthews.

Chayka claimed that the players had no input into his decision to fire Berube. However, he will have to take into account what effect the next coach will have on Matthews, who has two years left on his contract and has made Leafs Nation nervous with his silence about his future.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb received a one-game suspension for his hit on Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling during Game 5 of their second-round series on Tuesday.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks appeared poised to make assistant general manager Ryan Johnson their next general manager.

Johnson is also the GM of their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. Reports by CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, and Canucks Army’s Irfaan Gaffar claimed Johnson is set to take over the role.

MAYOR’S MANOR: The Los Angeles Kings are getting closer to staging an NHL outdoor game on the beach in Santa Monica, CA.

RATINGS.COM: Marco D’Amico profiled prospect winger Wyatt Cullen, who is the son of former NHL forward Matt Cullen.

The 6’1, 180-pound Cullen is in his second season with the US National Development Team, overcoming an injury that sidelined him during the opening months of the season to finish with 16 points in 15 games. He also had a breakout performance at the U-18 World Championships, with three goals and nine points in five games for Team USA.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2026

by | May 13, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2026

The Golden Knights push the Ducks to the brink of elimination, the Sabres tie their series with the Canadiens, the finalists for GM of the Year are announced, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to give his club a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 5 of their second-round series. Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist while Jack Eichel collected two assists for the Golden Knights, who hold a 3-2 lead in the series. Beckett Sennecke and Olen Zellweger scored while Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier each had two assists for the Ducks.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev (NHL Images).

The Golden Knights can win this series in Game 6, which will be held in Anaheim on Thursday, May 14.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was an entertaining, closely contested game. Zellweger’s goal tied it to force overtime late in the third, but Dorofeyev was the star of this one with his clutch scoring for the Golden Knights.

Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb was ejected for interference when he laid out Ducks center Ryan Poehling with a big hit when the latter no longer had possession of the puck. Poehling was helped from the ice and didn’t return.

The Golden Knights played this game without team captain Mark Stone, who remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury suffered during Game 3 of this series.

Game 6 will be a big test for the Ducks as they try to counter the Golden Knights’ experience to force Game 7 back in Las Vegas.

The Buffalo Sabres knotted their series with the Montreal Canadiens at two games apiece with a 3-2 win. Zach Benson snapped a 2-2 tie with a third-period power-play goal, Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 shots in his return to the Sabres’ net. Alex Newhook extended his goal streak to three games while Cole Caufield tallied his second straight power-play goal for the Canadiens. Game 5 is in Buffalo on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s goal was a flukey one. With the Canadiens up 2-1 in the second period, he fired a dump-in from center ice that took a weird bounce off a stanchion that surprised Habs goalie Jakub Dobes, bouncing off his right pad into the net. It was a game-changer that set the stage for Benson’s winner in the third.

The Canadiens were flat through the first half of the opening period, but they had the better of the play for most of the game. They also had seven power-play opportunities but only scored on one of them, while the Sabres went 2-for-4 with the man advantage. Luukkonen was outstanding for the Sabres, who regained home-ice advantage as the series narrowed to a best-of-three.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild, Chris MacFarland of the Colorado Avalanche, and Pat Verbeek of the Anaheim Ducks are the finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The award is given annually based on a vote of NHL general managers and a panel of league executives, print, and broadcast media.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guerin and MacFarland got the nod for their trades this season, including the Wild’s acquisition of superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes in December and the Avalanche’s obtaining Nazem Kadri, Nicolas Roy, Brett Kulak, and Nick Blankenburg before the trade deadline.

Verbeek also made a splash by landing defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals, but he’d be my choice because of his work rebuilding the Ducks, who returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18.

HOCKEY 24/7: Frank Seravalli reported the Edmonton Oilers sought permission from the Vegas Golden Knights to speak with their former head coach Bruce Cassidy, who was fired in March. However, the Golden Knights have thus far withheld permission from their division rival.

Seravalli said the Golden Knights haven’t outright rejected the Oilers’ request, but they’re keeping the Oilers waiting as they continue their second-round series with the Ducks. Cassidy is also reportedly being targeted by the Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cassidy remains under contract with the Golden Knights, which is why teams must seek permission to speak with him. Seravalli speculates this could prompt a call from league commissioner Gary Bettman to sort this out.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes this is a weird bit of gamesmanship by the Golden Knights in line with their front-office reputation for ruthlessness. It’s garnered a mix of puzzlement and criticism around the league, with those in the latter camp (myself included) considering it an unprofessional, classless act.

This also isn’t a good look for the Oilers, who are searching for a new bench boss while leaving their current coach, Kris Knoblauch, twisting in the wind.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed center Charlie Coyle to a six-year, $36 million contract worth an average annual value of $6 million. Coyle, 34, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s completing a six-year deal with an AAV of $5.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets are trying to maintain a roster that narrowly missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Coyle played a key role with his versatility, leadership, and two-way play.

Nevertheless, this contract won’t age well. The salary increase is marginal, and the Blue Jackets can afford it in the short term, but six years is way too long for a player at this stage of his career. He’s also getting a full no-movement clause for the first four years.

This contract could complicate things for the Blue Jackets down the road if they need cap room to retain or acquire a better player.

SPORTSNET: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson was fined $5,000 by the NHL for butt-ending Minnesota Wild forward Michael McCarron during Game 4 of their playoff series on Monday.

Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin will remain sidelined by injuries for Game 5 against the Avalanche.

TSN: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will replace New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal on Team Canada in the upcoming 2026 IIHF World Championship. Barzal is coping with a minor, preexisting injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended from the first six games of the Bruins’ 2026-27 regular-season schedule for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of their first-round series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The incident happened late in that game when Benson took McAvoy’s skates out from under him with a slew-foot move, sending him crashing into the end boards. An infuriated McAvoy got up, charged at Benson, and leveled a two-handed chop of his stick to Benson’s upper body.

McAvoy’s anger was understandable as he could’ve been injured, but that didn’t justify his subsequent action.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers winger Owen Tippett revealed that he missed his club’s second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes with an internal-bleeding issue. He said that he was dealing with a sports hernia injury during their first-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tippett said he’s confident he’ll make a full recovery and will be ready for training camp in September.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers rookie forward Porter Martone will be joining Team Canada for the 2026 IIHF World Championship.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have hired Sportsology Group to conduct an audit of its hockey operations department, including the organizational structure, scouting, and player development departments.