NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2025

by | Nov 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2025

A 15-game schedule for Friday, evaluations of the 32 teams, the latest on the attempted sale of the Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The return of Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk from injury and the Colorado Avalanche’s pursuit of their 11th straight win highlight Friday’s 15-game schedule.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Tkachuk has been sidelined since Oct. 16 following surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb. He’s making his return in his hometown of St. Louis against the Blues.

The Avalanche sit atop the overall standings with a record of 17-1-5 (39 points). They have an opportunity to win 11 straight games for the second time in franchise history. Center Nathan MacKinnon leads all NHL scorers with 18 goals and 39 points, while defenseman Cale Makar leads all defensemen with 30 points.

Meanwhile, the “Black Friday” tradition continues as the Boston Bruins host the New York Rangers. In California, the Anaheim Ducks host the Los Angeles Kings as the two rivals jockey for first place in the Pacific Division.

CNBC: Michael Ozanian made his annual evaluation of all 32 NHL franchises.

The Toronto Maple Leafs once again top the list at $4.30 billion, followed by the New York Rangers ($3.8 billion), Montreal Canadiens ($3.4 billion), Los Angeles Kings ($3.15 billion), and Edmonton Oilers ($3.1 billion).

The Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, and Detroit Red Wings round out the top 10 franchises.

The Columbus Blue Jackets ranked 32nd ($1.4 billion), with the Buffalo Sabres at 31 ($1.42 billion), the Ottawa Senators at 30 ($1.44 billion), the Winnipeg Jets at 29 ($1.46 billion), and the San Jose Sharks at 28 ($1.55 billion).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Being in two of the NHL’s smallest markets partly accounts for the Senators and Jets’ placement. The Blues Jackets and Sharks have been rebuilding in recent years, while the Sabres have missed the playoffs for a league-record 14 years.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: There are conflicting reports regarding the sale of the Penguins.

Pittsburgh sports radio host Mark Madden claimed the attempt by current owner Fenway Sports Group to sell the team to the Hoffman Group was off. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the negotiations remain more difficult than expected, but the Hoffman Group remains within its exclusive negotiating window and is moving forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Friedman said, “We will see.”

TSN: Edmonton Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen appeared to suffer an injury during practice on Thursday. He has been sidelined since Oct. 19 with an undisclosed injury and only recently rejoined his teammates in practice.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Speaking of the Oilers, winger Jack Roslovic is questionable for Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken after blocking a shot during Tuesday’s loss to the Dallas Stars.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens reclaimed forward Sammy Blais off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs and sent him to their AHL affiliate in Laval.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2025

by | Nov 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2025

Avalanche extends their win streak to 10 games, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scores after a pregame ceremony honoring two career milestones, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki reaches 400 career regular-season points, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The league-leading Colorado Avalanche (17-1-5, 39 points) extended their win streak to 10 games by blanking the San Jose Sharks 6-0. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood turned in a 26-save shutout against his former club, Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, and Cale Makar collected an assist to lead all NHL defensemen with 30 points. San Jose goalie Yaroslav Askarov was pulled early in the second period after giving up four goals on 19 shots. The Sharks slipped to 11-10-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all NHL scorers with 18 goals and 39 points.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 908th career regular-season goal in a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored to extend his goal streak to four games as the Capitals (13-9-2) have won five of their last six games. Gabriel Vilardi tallied twice for the Jets, who’ve lost three in a row and dropped to 12-10-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals honored Ovechkin for reaching 900 career goals and 1,500 regular-season games in a pregame ceremony.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki reached the 400-point regular-season milestone with two goals and an assist to nip the Utah Mammoth 4-3. Jakub Dobes stopped 31 shots, Zach Bolduc had a goal and two assists, and Ivan Demidov tallied the winning goal as the Canadiens blew a 2-0 lead but rallied to improve their record to 12-7-3. Barrett Hayton, Kailer Yamamoto, and Michael Carcone replied for the Mammoth (12-9-3), who are 2-2-3 in their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game saw the debut of Canadiens defenseman Adam Engstrom. Meanwhile, Mammoth blueliner Sean Durzi returned to the lineup after missing 21 games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Simon Nemec lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists for the 15-7-1 Devils, who moved into first place in the Eastern Conference. Cam Fowler had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who dropped to 7-10-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Evgenii Dadonov is expected to be out for a period of time after suffering an undisclosed injury during Monday’s game with the Detroit Red Wings.

Two goals in the opening 90 seconds by Brandon Hagel and Charle-Edouard D’Astous powered the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Hagel and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 31 shots as the Lightning (14-7-2) picked up their fifth straight win to sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 30 points. Joel Farabee scored for the 8-14-3 Flames, whose three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are reportedly poised to extend the contract of general manager Craig Conroy.

Boston Bruins forward Alex Steeves scored twice for his first NHL multi-goal game in a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 44 shots as the Bruins improved to 14-11-0. Mathew Barzal scored for the 13-9-2 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders announced that they would not loan rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer to Canada’s World Junior Team. That’s understandable, given Schaefer’s value to the Islanders. Meanwhile, the Isles announced Jean-Gabriel Pageau is expected to return from an upper-body injury before Christmas.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry made 29 saves in his return to action to double up the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 4-2. Matt Dumba and Kevin Hayes tallied their first goals of the season for the Penguins (11-6-5), who picked up their third win in their last 10 games. Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who slipped to 9-10-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Penguins returned goaltender Sergei Murashov to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Given his solid performance during his call-up, he might not be down on the farm for long.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin stopped 36 shots in a 4-2 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. The win improved the Rangers to 12-11-2. Sebastian Aho and Shayne Gostisbehere each had two points for the Hurricanes (14-7-2), who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller picked up an assist as he returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1. Easton Cowan scored to tie the game for the Maple Leafs (10-10-3), who got their second win in their last nine games. Zach Werenski scored for the 11-9-3 Blue Jackets, who are winless in their last three (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Auston Matthews and Matthews Knies returned to the Maple Leafs lineup after missing several games with injuries. The Leafs also placed forward Sammy Blais on waivers.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson had a goal and two assists as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on a shootout goal by Shane Pinto. Linus Ullmark made 32 saves for the Senators, who improved to 12-7-4. Brett Howden, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone scored as the Golden Knights (10-5-8) overcame a 3-1 deficit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stone returned to the Golden Knights’ lineup after being sidelined since Oct.18 with an injured wrist. Meanwhile, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk confirmed he will return to action on Friday against the St. Louis Blues. He’s been out with an injured thumb since Oct. 13.

The Vancouver Canucks got a 37-save performance by call-up goalie Nikita Tolopilo in his season debut to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. Max Sasson, Filip Hronek, and Tom Willander each collected two points for the Canucks (10-12-2), who snapped a three-game losing skid. Jackson LaCombe had a goal and two assists for the 14-8-1 Ducks, who remain in first place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks starting netminder Lukas Dostal missed this contest with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Dallas Stars defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok snapped a 2-2 tie to lift his club over the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell also scored for the Stars (15-5-4) as they extended their road points streak to 10 games. Brandon Montour and Vince Dunn tallied for the 11-6-6 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jared McCann collected an assist as he returned to the Kraken lineup after being sidelined since Oct. 18 with a lower-body injury.

The Nashville Predators ended a three-game losing skid with a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the 7-12-4 Predators. Alex DeBrincat, James van Riemsdyk, and Ben Chiarot scored for the Red Wings (13-10-1), who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

Four unanswered goals by Emil Andrae, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, and Sean Couturier rallied the Philadelphia Flyers from a 2-0 deficit to upset the Florida Panthers 4-2. The win improved the Flyers’ record to 12-7-3. Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers (12-10-1).

The Minnesota Wild collected their sixth straight win by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Kirill Kaprizov. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists, and Filip Gustavsson turned aside 34 shots for the 13-7-4 Wild. Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (10-8-5), who are winless in their last five contests (0-3-1).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2025

by | Nov 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2025

A milestone game for Stars captain Jamie Benn as the Oilers suffer another lopsided loss, a brief look at league attendance thus far this season, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn scored his 400th career NHL regular-season goal in an 8-3 drubbing of the Edmonton Oilers in the only game on Tuesday’s schedule. Benn finished with two points, Wyatt Johnston had a goal and three assists, Jason Robertson had a goal and two assists, and Nate Bastian tallied twice for the 14-5-4 Stars, who’ve won seven of their last 10 games.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn (NHL Images).

Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner was pulled in the first period after giving up four goals on eight shots. Backup Calvin Pickard allowed four goals on 22 shots as the Oilers dropped to 10-10-5 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers were booed off the ice in their first home game in two weeks. After the game, Leon Draisaitl admitted his club’s ongoing defensive woes were “very concerning.” With 25 points, the Oilers are two points out of a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. They still have time to sort out their issues and rise in the standings, and they have rebounded before from poor early-season performances. However, there’s a feeling that a bounce-back effort could be more difficult this time.

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal and James Mirtle examined the NHL’s attendance through the first third of this season’s schedule.

They found that half the league’s 16 teams are hitting 98 percent capacity or higher. Topping the list are the Vegas Golden Knights (102.3 percent), followed by the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, Seattle Kraken, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Dallas Stars, all at or above 100 percent.

Other clubs among that group include the New Jersey Devils (99.9 percent), Vancouver Canucks (99.6), Edmonton Oilers (99.6), Detroit Red Wings (99.4), Montreal Canadiens (99.3), Toronto Maple Leafs (98.7), New York Rangers (98.2), and Carolina Hurricanes (98.1).

The Pittsburgh Penguins are among those below 90 percent capacity (89.9 percent), followed by the Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Buffalo Sabres.

Compared to this time last season, the Sharks have seen the most significant improvement in attendance, with an average increase of 2,056. They’re followed by the Columbus Blue Jackets (1,079) and the Buffalo Sabres (1,072).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not surprising that most of those teams with the highest attendance are those that are among the most successful, while those below 90 percent are rebuilding teams or those that missed the playoffs last season.

Notably, the Predators remain well-supported despite their poor performance since last season. The Kraken’s improved play this season likely accounts for their full houses thus far.

Keep an eye on the Sharks as this season progresses. Led by young superstar Macklin Celebrini, they’ve improved significantly through the opening quarter, drawing more fans as a result. Their attendance could keep rising if they maintain that current pace and remain in playoff contention throughout the season.

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for butt-ending New Jersey Devils blueliner Simon Nemec during Monday’s game between the two clubs.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen didn’t travel with the team for their upcoming California road trip. He is staying at home for personal reasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks were already without sidelined starter Thatcher Demko. They’ve recalled Jiri Patera, who will join fellow call-up Nikita Tolopilo.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry and winger Bryan Rust are expected to be available for Wednesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. Jarry’s been out since Nov. 3 with an undisclosed injury, while Rust missed two straight practices with an illness.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Minnesota Wild forward Vinnie Hinostroza is out for four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (ankle) was placed on injured reserve.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta is returning to the lineup after missing 17 games with a lower-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers placed forward Juuso Parssinen on waivers.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL goaltender Alexandar Georgiev signed a two-year contract with KHL team Spartak Moscow. His contract with the Buffalo Sabres was terminated on Monday, allowing him to make the move to the KHL.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues released winger Milan Lucic from his AHL professional tryout contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 25, 2025

by | Nov 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 25, 2025

A career-best single-game performance by Mammoth center Logan Cooley, a lopsided victory by the Panthers over the Predators, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley had a career-best single-game performance with four goals and an assist in a 5-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Karel Vejmelka made 33 saves, and Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist for the Mammoth, who improved to 12-8-3. Ivan Barbashev replied for the 10-5-7 Golden Knights.

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (NHL Images).

The Florida Panthers romped to an 8-3 drubbing of the Nashville Predators. A.J. Greer scored twice and collected an assist, while Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and two assists for the Panthers (12-9-1). Filip Forsberg, Fedor Svechkov, and Nick Blankenburg replied for the Predators, who’ve lost three straight and dropped to 6-12-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This loss came after Predators general manager Barry Trotz backed head coach Andrew Brunette while calling for his players to do more, especially on offense. However, the message fell on deaf ears.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel had two goals and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves to shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Nikita Kucherov collected three assists as the Lightning improved to 13-7-2, picking up their fourth straight win and moving into first place in the Atlantic Division with 28 points. Samuel Ersson stopped 15 of 17 shots for the Flyers, who dropped to 11-7-3 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What a difference a month makes. On Oct. 23, the Lightning were off to the worst start in franchise history, sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 1-4-2. Some observers suggested that they were past their prime and incapable of fending off the hungry younger teams in the conference. They’ve since won 12 of their last 15 games.

Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun tallied two goals as his club defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1. Tom Wilson and John Carlson each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (12-9-2), who’ve won four of their last five games. Denton Mateychuk scored for the 11-9-3 Blue Jackets as they dropped four of their last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski and winger Mathieu Olivier left this game with upper-body injuries. Winger Kirill Marchenko missed this game with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Jackets announced the signing of defenseman Brendan Smith to a one-year, two-way contract.

The Los Angeles Kings nipped the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on a third-period goal by Brandt Clarke. Warren Foegele also scored, and Darcy Kuemper made 27 saves for the 11-6-6 Kings, who ended a three-game winless skid (0-1-2). Fabian Zetterlund netted the only goal for the Senators (11-7-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot missed this game as he returned to the injury list with an upper-body ailment. He’s listed as day-to-day and could return to the lineup when the Senators face the St. Louis Blues on Friday.

New Jersey Devils forwards Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Connor Brown each had a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings, extending their home points streak to nine games. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 32 shots for the 14-7-1 Devils, who snapped a three-game losing skid. Moritz Seider picked up two points for the Red Wings (13-9-1).

The New York Rangers snapped a four-game losing skid by dropping the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Igor Shesterkin stopped 19 shots for the win while defensemen Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov each had two assists for the Rangers, who improved to 11-11-2. Dylan Holloway and Brayden Schenn replied for the Blues, who dropped to 7-10-6.

NHL.COM: Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, Columbus Blue Jackets blueliner Zach Werenski, and San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini are the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 23, 2025.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2025

by | Nov 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2025

Recaps of Sunday’s action, the Sabres will terminate goalie Alexandar Georgiev’s contract, the Canadiens sign Alexandre Texier, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche picked up their ninth straight win by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 1-0. Scott Wedgewood turned in a 22-save shutout, and Cale Makar tallied the only goal for the 16-1-5 Avalanche, who sit atop the overall standings with 37 points. Spencer Knight stopped 25 shots for the Blackhawks (10-8-4), who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering an injured shoulder on Oct. 30.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt picked up his third shutout in his last four games by blanking the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 3-0. Danila Yurov, Brock Faber, and Kirill Kaprizov were the goal scorers as the Wild collected their fifth straight win and improved to 12-7-4. Jets goalie Eric Comrie turned aside 27 of 30 shots as the Jets fell to 12-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Neal Pionk left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

The New York Islanders got a 19-save shutout from David Rittich in a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Kyle Palmieri tallied the winning goal in the shootout for the 13-8-2 Islanders. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord kicked out 34 shots in regulation and overtime for the Kraken (11-5-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders announced that defenseman Alexander Romanov suffered a shoulder injury after being boarded by Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen last week. He will undergo surgery and will be sidelined for five to six months.

Speaking of Rantanen, he received a one-game suspension for his second game misconduct in three games for boarding Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato.

Meanwhile, the Islanders announced Sunday that center Jean-Gabriel Pageau is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 29 saves to upset the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to six games, and Ryan McLeod collected two assists for the Sabres, who improved to 9-9-4. Shayne Gostisbehere replied for the 14-6-2 Hurricanes, who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 30 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sabres placed goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. He’s expected to sign with KHL team HC Spartak Moscow.

Georgiev, 29, was a promising netminder earlier in his career with the New York Rangers, but he had no chance of landing the starter’s job with Igor Shesterkin in the lineup. He got that opportunity with the Colorado Avalanche, winning 40 games in 2022-23. However, his performance quickly declined as he struggled with the pressure of the job. A trade to the San Jose Sharks last season did little to improve his performance. He signed a one-year, $825K contract with the Sabres but was relegated to their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

In 303 NHL games, Georgiev has a record of 151 wins, 108 losses, and 26 overtime losses, with a 2.99 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage, and 15 shutouts.

The San Jose Sharks surprised the Boston Bruins with a 3-1 victory. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 34 shots while Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to five games for the 11-9-3 Sharks. Morgan Geekie scored his fifth goal in his last three games for the Bruins (13-11-0), who’ve lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins activated center Elias Lindholm off injured reserve for this game, and placed defenseman Charlie McAvoy (facial injury) on IR.

The Calgary Flames overcame a 1-0 deficit to pick up a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Rasmus Andersson collected three assists, Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist, and Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the 8-13-3 Flames, who have won three straight games. Filip Hronek and Quinn Hughes scored for the Canucks, who’ve lost three straight and dropped to 9-12-2.

IN OTHER NEWS..

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens signed former St. Louis Blues forward Alexandre Texier to a one-year contract with a prorated salary of $1 million. Texier, 26, agreed with the Blues to terminate his contract on Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Texier is an affordable depth signing for the Canadiens, whose ranks have been depleted by injuries in recent weeks. He’s expected to see checking-line duty with the Habs.

RG.ORG: Brandt Clarke is eyeing a long-term contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings. The 22-year-old defenseman is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He will be eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

Clarke sees himself being a King for the long term. He believes his improved play has boosted his value to the club’s defense corps.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2025

by | Nov 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2025

The Flyers set a franchise record against the Devils, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reached a points milestone, Lightning winger Brandon Hagel had a four-point performance, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Philadelphia Flyers scored four first-period goals, including three in 26 seconds, in a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Tyson Foerster tallied twice in 17 seconds, and Noah Cates had a goal and two assists for the 11-6-3 Flyers. Nico Hischier scored two goals and set up another as the Devils (13-7-1) dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers set a franchise record for the fastest three goals in one period.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist for his 500th career multipoint game in a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. Brandon Montour scored in overtime, and Mason Marchment had a goal and an assist as the Kraken improved to 11-5-5. Evgeni Malkin scored for the Penguins (10-6-5), who have one win in their last six games (1-2-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is sixth on the all-time multipoint games list. Wayne Gretzky leads with 824 games, followed by Jaromir Jagr (540), Marcel Dionne and Mark Messier (513), and Gordie Howe (511).

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel scored two goals and collected two assists in a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists as the Lightning (12-7-2) extended their winning streak to three games. Jakob Chychrun had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-2 Capitals as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov and teammate Brayden Point left this game with undisclosed injuries. There was no postgame update regarding their statuses. Meanwhile, Capitals forward Nic Dowd missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood made 35 saves to shut out the Nashville Predators 3-0. Nathan MacKinnon scored to extend his points streak to 12 games as the league-leading Avalanche (15-1-5, 35 points) extended its win streak to eight games. Juuse Saros stopped 23 of 24 shots as the Predators (6-11-4) have lost seven of their last eight contests (1-5-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators captain Roman Josi returned to action after being sidelined since late October with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Avalanche announced that forward Gavin Brindley is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings got an overtime goal from Alex DeBrincat as they overcame a 3-1 deficit to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Cam Talbot stopped 31 shots, and defensemen Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot each had a goal and an assist for the Detroit Red Wings, who improved to 13-8-1 and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 27 points. Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (11-8-3).

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington made 30 saves as his club held off the New York Islanders by a score of 2-1. Brayden Schenn and Pius Suter scored for the 7-9-6 Blues, who ended a four-game winless skid (0-1-3). Anders Lee replied for the Islanders (12-8-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues placed forward Alexandre Texier on unconditional waivers for contract termination. The Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators are believed to be the front-runners, with the Canadiens considered the favorites to sign him. The 26-year-old winger is in his seventh NHL season. He’s a speedy two-way checking-line forward whose best season was a 30-point performance with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they picked up their first win in two weeks with a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Noah Dobson and Josh Anderson each tallied twice for the Canadiens, who improved to 11-7-3 after dropping seven of their previous eight games (1-4-3). William Nylander had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 9-10-3 and have lost seven of their last eight contests (1-5-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Edmonton Oilers got two goals from Jack Roslovic to defeat the Florida Panthers 6-3 in their first game since facing each other in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Stuart Skinner kicked out 35 shots, and blueliners Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm each had three points for the 10-9-5 Oilers, ending their three-game losing skid. Anton Lundell and Mackie Samoskevich each had a goal and an assist as the Panthers dropped to 11-9-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s expected to travel with the team on Sunday and play in Monday’s game against the Nashville Predators.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle snapped a 2-2 tie to give his club a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. He also collected an assist to finish the game with two points as the Senators (11-6-4) picked up their third win in four games. John Klingberg and Barclay Goodrow replied for the 10-9-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot returned to action after missing three games with an upper-body injury. However, he left this contest in the third period after reinjuring himself.

The Utah Mammoth nipped the New York Rangers 3-2 on a third-period goal by Nick DeSimone. JJ Peterka and Clayton Keller also scored for the 11-8-3 Mammoth, ending a four-game winless skid (0-1-3). Vladislav Gavrikov had a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who’ve lost four straight games and dropped to 10-11-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers captain J.T. Miller missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored in overtime in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Gauthier, Troy Terry, and Jackson LaCombe each had a goal and an assist as the Ducks improved to 14-7-1, sitting in first place in the Pacific Division with 29 points. Jack Eichel had two assists for the Golden Knights (10-4-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mitch Marner was the goat of this game as his turnover in front of his own net led to Gauthier’s game-winner.

The Calgary Flames upset the Dallas Stars 3-2 on a shootout goal by Nazem Kadri. Matt Coronato scored to extend his goal streak to four games for the 7-13-3 Flames. Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the 13-5-4 Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen received his second game misconduct in three games for boarding Coronato.