NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 19, 2026

by | Feb 19, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 19, 2026

The semifinals of the Olympic Men’s hockey tournament are set following a dramatic day of quarterfinal action, and the latest news as NHL teams resume practicing in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

CANADA, FINLAND, SLOVAKIA, AND THE UNITED STATES ADVANCE TO THE OLYMPIC SEMIFINALS

NHL.COM: Canada overcame 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to defeat Czechia 4-3 on an overtime goal by Mitch Marner.

Team Canada winger Mitch Marner (NHL.com)

Nick Suzuki tied the game 3-3 late in the third period for Canada after Czechia took the lead with too many men on the ice, which went unnoticed by the officials. Macklin Celebrini had a goal and two assists, and Connor McDavid collected two assists to tie an Olympic record for the most points in a single tournament with 11.

Lukas Dostal made 37 saves while Lukas Sedlak, David Pastrnak, and Ondrej Palat scored for Czechia.

Canada will face Finland in the semifinals on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was the most dramatic of the four quarterfinal matchups. The Canadians’ victory was overshadowed by the loss of team captain Sidney Crosby with a lower-body injury suffered during the second period following a hit from Czechia defenseman Radko Gudas and another awkward one along the boards.

Crosby limped off the ice and didn’t return. He underwent an MRI following the game, leaving fans and pundits speculating about whether they had seen the last of him in this tournament.

Czechia played a tremendous game against a Canadian team that had blown them out earlier in the tournament, but head coach Radim Rulik wasn’t happy about the officiating. Following the game, Rulik complained about missed penalty calls during this tournament.

However, the Czechs also benefited when they scored that crucial goal with six skaters on the ice that the officials somehow overlooked. In fairness, both teams had justifiable cause to complain about the officiating in this contest.

An overtime goal by Artturi Lehkonen completed a three-goal comeback by Finland for a 3-2 win over Switzerland. Damien Riat and Nino Niederreiter gave the Swiss a 2-0 lead after two periods, but third-period goals by Sebastian Aho and Miro Heiskanen set the stage for Lehkonen’s overtime heroics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A thrilling comeback by the Finns and a heartbreaking loss for the Swiss, who haven’t medaled in Olympic Men’s hockey since 1948.

The United States will face Slovakia in the semifinals following a 2-1 overtime win over Sweden. Quinn Hughes tallied in overtime after Mika Zibanejad tied the game for the Swedes late in the third period. Dylan Larkin also scored, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 28 shots for Team USA. Jacob Markstrom made 38 saves for Sweden.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom kept Sweden in this game as the Americans peppered him with 20 shots in the second period. They also played without defenseman Victor Hedman, who suffered an injury during warmups and spent the entire game on the bench.

This game felt like a chapter closing for the Swedes. Long-time stars such as Hedman, Markstrom, Erik Karlsson, and Gabriel Landeskog are in their mid-thirties, and this game was probably their final appearance in Olympic competition.

Slovakia advanced to the semis with a dominant 6-2 victory over Germany. Pavol Regenda tallied twice, Dalibor Dvorsky and Oliver Okulier each had a goal and an assist, and Samuel Hlavaj kicked out 25 shots for the Slovaks. Lukas Reichel had a goal and an assist for the Germans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slovakia continues to impress in this tournament. Their dismantling of Germany was a complete team effort. However, they’re about to face their biggest test of the tournament against a deep, star-studded American squad.

Finland vs Canada is on Friday at 10:30 ET, while Slovakia vs the USA is at 3 pm ET. The winner of those games will face off in the Gold Medal Game on Sunday, Feb. 22.

NHL NEWS

FOREVER BLUESHIRTS: New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox were full participants at practice on Tuesday. There’s a good possibility the sidelined duo will return to the lineup when the Rangers resume action on Feb. 26.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers have brought back Paul Coffey to their coaching staff in an effort to improve their defensive game. Their defense was the league’s fifth-best last season under Coffey’s guidance.

SPORTSNET: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Petr Mrazek underwent hip surgery on Tuesday and is out for the rest of the season.

THE PROVINCE: Oft-injured Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil was struck in the face by a puck during practice on Wednesday. He will undergo X-rays to determine the extent of the injury.

YARDBARKER: Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine was back on the ice with his teammates on Wednesday after skipping practice on Tuesday with a lower-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson’s absence from the lineup was revealed to be a minor knee procedure. He’s participating in practice, but has not yet taken part in contact drills.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins forward Pavel Zacha returned to practice on Wednesday in a non-contact jersey. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 29 with an upper-body injury.

TAMPA BAY 28: Lightning defenseman Maxwell Crozier will be sidelined for 10 weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2026

by | Feb 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2026

The quarterfinal matchups are set for Olympic Men’s hockey, Jeff Skinner becomes a free agent, Patrik Laine is injured again, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS SET FOLLOWING QUALIFICATION ROUND ACTION

NHL.COM: Switzerland blanked Italy 3-0 in qualification round action on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinal round against Finland.

Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists while goaltender Leonardo Genoni made 20 saves for the shutout. Damian Clara stopped 48 shots for Italy.

Sweden will meet the United States in the quarterfinal after defeating Latvia 5-1.

Team Sweden winger Lucas Raymond (The Hockey News).

Lucas Raymond had three assists, while William Nylander, Mika Zibanejad, and Gabriel Landeskog each had a goal and an assist for the Swedes. Eduards Tralmaks replied for Latvia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following Tuesday’s action, Raymond sat second to Canada’s Connor McDavid in tournament scoring with eight points. The Swedes raised eyebrows by scratching defenseman Rasmus Andersson and Jesper Bratt from this game. Some observers believe they’re saving them for the quarterfinal.

Germany beat France 5-1 to face Slovakia in the quarterfinal.

Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 30 shots for the Germans. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored for France in what proved to be his final game as the former NHL forward announced his retirement following this contest.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I write this, Germany is down 4-1 to Slovakia after two periods in their quarterfinal game.

Bellemare’s teammate Pierre Crinon faces prosecution back home in France for punching a goaltender in the face during a game last November. Earlier this week, he was suspended from the remainder of the tournament by the French National Olympic and Sports Committee for fighting Canada’s Tom Wilson during Sunday’s games between the two nations.

Czechia will face Canada for the second time in this tournament after holding off Denmark by a score of 3-2.

Martin Necas and Roman Cervenka each had a goal and an assist while Lukas Dostal turned aside 24 shots for Czechia. Frederik Andersen made 28 saves for Denmark.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Czechia forward Radek Faksa suffered an upper-body injury in this game and will not be in the lineup for today’s game against Canada.

OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NOTES

TSN: Team Canada forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett skipped practice on Tuesday. Head coach Jon Cooper said they were taking time for maintenance, adding that there wasn’t any cause for concern. Both players are expected to be in the lineup for their quarterfinal game against Czechia.

DAILY FACEOFF: Team USA winger Kyle Connor is expected to be a healthy scratch from today’s game against Sweden. His ice time steadily diminished in his first two games, and he was scratched from their game against Germany.

IN NHL NEWS…

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Jeff Skinner is no longer with the Sharks. He cleared unconditional waivers on Tuesday, resulting in his contract being terminated by mutual agreement. The 33-year-old winger is now an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if he signs with another NHL club this season. He’ll have to do so before the March 6 trade deadline to be eligible to skate in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson resumed practice with his teammates on Tuesday. He’d missed their last seven games before the Olympic break with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edvinsson, 23, has been an invaluable part of the Red Wings’ blueline. As the article observed, they’re 3-5-2 in the 10 games he’s missed during this season.

TSN: Patrik Laine missed practice on Tuesday as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The 27-year-old Montreal Canadiens winger has been sidelined since Oct. 16 after undergoing core muscle surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine has surfaced recently in the rumor mill as a trade candidate. However, his ongoing injury issues could ensure that he finishes the season in Montreal.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2026

by | Feb 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2026

The qualification round of the Olympic Men’s hockey tournament goes on Tuesday, the Hurricanes sign goalie Brandon Bussi to a new contract, the Sharks terminate Jeff Skinner’s contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NEWS

NHL.COM: The qualification round for Olympic Men’s ice hockey goes today. France takes on Germany, Italy faces Switzerland, Denmark meets Czechia, and Latvia faces off against Sweden.

The winners of this round advance to the quarterfinal on Wednesday. France or Germany will go on to face Slovakia, Italy or Switzerland will meet Finland, Denmark or Czechia will play Canada, and Latvia or Sweden will go up against the United States.

Czechia winger David Pastrnak (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most media predictions have Germany, Switzerland, Czechia, and Sweden advancing to the quarterfinal.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Czechia winger and Bruins star David Pastrnak said he felt that his performance must be better as his club entered the qualification round. Pastrnak had a goal and two assists in the preliminary round as Czechia went 1-0-1-1. Avalanche winger Martin Necas led Czechia with two goals and three assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Czechia needs more production from Pastrnak if they hope to win a medal in this tournament.

DAILY FACEOFF: The boards at Santagiulia Arena will be a lighter color when the men’s qualification round begins Tuesday. This color change comes following feedback from teams and national Olympic committees.

The previous darker color of the boards may have contributed to United States goaltender Jeremy Swayman giving up a goal from center ice during his club’s game against Denmark in the preliminary round.

SPORTSNET: The French Ice Hockey Federation suspended defenseman Pierre Crinon of France from further competition in this tournament, citing his “provocative behavior” during France’s 10-2 loss to Canada on Sunday.

Crinon fought Canadian winger Tom Wilson during that game, resulting in both players receiving match penalties. They did not receive supplemental discipline for their actions from the International Ice Hockey Federation.

A statement released by Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, president of the French Ice Hockey Federation, claimed that Crinon’s actions were “a clear violation of the Olympic spirit and also undermines the values of our sport.”

NHL HEADLINES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a three-year, $5.7 million contract extension.

Bussi, 27, was claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers at the start of this season. He’s become one of the biggest stories of the regular season, sporting a record of 23-3-1 with a .908 save percentage and two shutouts.

To celebrate Bussi’s new contract, the Hurricanes have made a $10,000 donation to the Autism Society of North Carolina. Bussi’s younger brother, Dylan, has autism.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bussi became the fastest goaltender to win 20 games in an NHL season, doing so in 24 games.

The average annual value of his new one-way contract is $1.9 million. That’s an affordable move by the Hurricanes while still giving Bussi a nice raise over the $775,000 cap hit on his current two-way deal. This is also an insurance move, given that oft-injured starter Frederik Andersen is UFA-eligible this summer and questions over Pyotr Kochetkov’s development.

TSN: The San Jose Sharks placed winger Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers on Monday with the intention of terminating his contract by mutual agreement. Skinner, 33, will become an unrestricted free agent once he clears waivers on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Sharks last summer. He has 13 points in 34 games this season, and has been a healthy scratch since Jan. 15. It will be interesting to see if he lands with another NHL club.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2026

by | Feb 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2026

Canada secures the top seed in the quarterfinals, the United States clinches first place in Group C, and more from Olympic Men’s hockey in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Canada thumped France 10-2 to earn the top seed in the Olympic Men’s quarterfinals. Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and Macklin Celebrini each had three points as the Canadians outshot France 46-14 to finish with a 3-0-0-0 record. Floran Douay and Sacha Treille replied for France (0-0-3-0).

Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby now has 16 points in Olympic competition, setting the Canadian record for most points in the Olympics featuring NHL players. Before this game, he was one point behind Jarome Iginla’s 14 points.

McDavid is the tournament’s leading scorer with nine points in three games. Celebrini is tied with Germany’s Tim Stutzle for the most goals with four. Celebrini also became the first NHL player to score on a penalty shot in the Olympics.

Canadian winger Tom Wilson had a rare Gordie Howe hat trick in Olympic competition. He opened the scoring, collected an assist, and fought France’s Pierre Crinon late in the third period after the latter served a penalty for elbowing Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon in the head. Wilson and Crinon were ejected from the game, but won’t face supplemental discipline.

The United States defeated Germany 5-1 to go 3-0-0-0 and clinch first place in Group C. Auston Matthews scored twice and collected an assist, and Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for the Americans. Tim Stutzle scored for Germany (1-0-2-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Matthews was the subject of some media criticism about his performance and leadership in this tournament. Teammate Jake Guentzel stuck up for his captain following Sunday’s game. “He’s been great all tournament,” Guentzel said to reporters. “You guys put a lot of heat on him for no reason. He’s just an unbelievable player, and he plays well in all situations.”

An overtime goal by former NHL defenseman Dean Kukan lifted Switzerland to a 4-3 victory over Czechia. Roman Josi and Timo Meier each had a goal and an assist for Switzerland (1-1-1-0). Martin Necas had a goal and two assists for Czechia (1-0-1-1), with his goal sending the game to overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a solid bounce-back effort from the Swiss after losing scoring winger Kevin Fiala to a season-ending leg injury on Friday in their 5-1 loss to Canada. The Los Angeles Kings (Fiala’s NHL club) released a statement on Sunday indicating that he suffered a fracture in his lower left leg and will be re-evaluated at the end of the regular season.

Denmark doubled up Latvia 4-2. Nick Oleson had two goals and an assist, Frederik Andersen made 33 saves, and Nikolaj Ehlers tallied the winning goal for the Danes, who finished the preliminary round 1-0-2-0. Kristaps Zile and Eduards Tralmak replied for Latvia (1-0-2-0).

NHL.COM: The preliminary round has been completed, with Canada, the United States, Finland, and Slovakia each earning a bye to the quarterfinal.

The qualification playoff games will take place on Tuesday, with Switzerland facing Italy, Germany meeting France, Sweden taking on Latvia, and Czechia facing off against Denmark.

The winners of those games will advance to the quarterfinal round on Wednesday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2026

by | Feb 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 15, 2026

Slovakia clinches first place in Group B, the United States survives a scare against Denmark, Latvia upsets Germany, and more Olympic Men’s hockey coverage in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY ACTION.

NHL.COM: Slovakia dropped a hard-fought 5-3 decision against Sweden, but a last-minute goal by Dalibor Dvorsky enabled them to clinch first place in Group B based on goal differential. Juraj Slafkovsky and Martin Gernat each had a goal and an assist, and goaltender Samuel Hlavaj kicked out 46 of 51 shots for Slovakia (2-0-0-1), who advance to the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Slovakia winger Juraj Slafkovsky (AP.com).

Lucas Raymond had a goal and two assists, Elias Pettersson tallied twice, Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist, and Jacob Markstrom stopped 29 shots for Sweden (2-0-0-1), who finished third in the Group and will play in the qualification round on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slovakia has exceeded expectations in this tournament. Despite the loss to Sweden, they were overjoyed when Dvorsky scored what proved to be the clinching goal in Group B. “It’s probably the best loss I ever had,” joked Slafkovsky, who finished Saturday tied with Canada’s Connor McDavid for the tournament scoring lead with six points.

The United States overcame a 2-1 deficit to defeat Denmark 6-3. Jack Eichel led the way with a goal and an assist. At the same time, Matt Boldy, Brady Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, and Jake Guentzel also scored for Team USA (2-0-0-2), who can clinch first place in Group C and a bye to the quarterfinals with anything other than a regulation loss to Germany on Sunday. Nick Olesen, Nicholas Jensen, and Phillip Bruggieser scored for Denmark, who are winless through two games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team USA seemed disjointed in the first period, during which Swayman gave up a 95-foot shot that gave the Danes a 2-1 lead. They may have been guilty of taking the Danes lightly, but they took over the game thanks to Eichel and Tkachuk in the second period.

The Danes made it interesting through two periods, narrowing the Americans’ lead to 4-3 by the end of the second period before Guentzel and Hughes put the game out of reach. Danish goalie Mads Sogaard stopped 32 of 37 shots before leaving the game in the third period with an injury.

Latvia (1-0-0-1) got two goals from Dans Locmelis, Zemgus Girgensons collected two assists, and Arturs Silovs made 26 saves as they held on to upset Germany 4-3, giving their country its first Olympic win in men’s hockey since 2014. Lukas Reichel, Lukas Kalble, and Tim Stutzle replied for Germany, who are also 1-0-0-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Germany faces the United States on Sunday and could clinch first place in Group C with a regulation win. Latvia will meet Denmark on Sunday.

Finland (2-0-0-1) clinched second place in Group B by crushing Italy 11-0. Sebastian Aho, Mikael Granlund, Kaapo Kakko, and Joel Kiviranta each scored twice while Juuse Saros had a 15-save shutout. Italy lost all three of its games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Finland played without forwards Anton Lundell and Oliver Kapanen. They were kept out of this game because Lundell was sick and Kapanen is his roommate.

Italian forward Cristiano Digiacinto didn’t play in this game. He was serving a one-game suspension for hitting Slovakia’s Martin Fehervary in the head on Friday.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: Switzerland’s Kevin Fiala is done for the season after undergoing surgery on Saturday for a leg injury suffered during Friday’s loss to Canada.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It is also a significant loss for the Los Angeles Kings. Fiala is one of their leading scorers, and his absence could affect their efforts to clinch a playoff berth in the Western Conference.

The Kings made a significant addition to bolster their offense by acquiring Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break. Fiala’s injury could send them back into the trade market once the Olympic roster freeze is lifted at midnight on Feb. 22.

TSN: Team Canada defenseman Josh Morrissey will sit out Sunday’s game against France, but he hasn’t been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.

Canadian coach Jon Cooper said winger Brad Marchand will be back in the lineup on Sunday. The 37-year-old winger was a healthy scratch during Friday’s game against Switzerland.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2026

by | Feb 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 14, 2026

Recapping Friday’s Men’s Olympic hockey action, Switzerland’s Kevin Fiala suffers a tournament-ending injury, an update on Canadian defenseman Josh Morrissey, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon each had a goal and two assists to propel Canada to a 5-1 victory over Switzerland on Friday. Sidney Crosby scored his first goal of the tournament, Macklin Celebrini and Cale Makar each had two points, and Logan Thompson made 24 saves for Canada (2-0-0-0), who are assured of first place in Group A.

Team Canada center Connor McDavid (TSN)

Pius Suter replied for Switzerland (1-0-0-1), who also lost winger Kevin Fiala to a tournament-ending leg injury following a collision with Canadian winger Tom Wilson late in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fiala was stretchered from the game and sent to a hospital. Wilson has a reputation for dirty hits, but Fiala’s teammates and head coach said there was nothing malicious about that play.

Fiala is among Switzerland’s best players. His absence could hurt their medal hopes in this tournament. He’s also among the Los Angeles Kings’ best players, and his injury could have implications for their playoff hopes if he’s out long-term.

Speaking of injuries, Canadian coach Jon Cooper provided an update on sidelined defenseman Josh Morrissey, who missed this contest with an undisclosed injury suffered during Canada’s tournament-opening win over Czechia on Thursday. He indicated that Morrissey will miss Sunday’s game against France, but hasn’t been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.

Finland recovered from their tournament-opening loss to Slovakia by defeating Sweden 4-1. Juuse Saros made 34 saves (including 17 in the third period) while Nikolas Matinpolo, Anton Lundell, Joel Armia, and Mikko Rantanen scored for Finland (1-0-0-1). Rasmus Dahlin replied for Sweden (1-0-0-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss prompted the Swedes to make changes to their roster for Saturday’s game against Slovakia. Jacob Markstrom replaced goaltender Filip Gustavsson, while defenseman Rasmus Andersson and center Elias Lindholm were replaced by Hampus Lindholm and Marcus Johansson.

A story emerged claiming that several of the Finnish players would’ve preferred Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice as their bench boss for this tournament over current coach Antti Pennanen. The report was downplayed by Finland’s general manager Jere Lehtinen.

Czechia got four straight goals to overcome a 3-2 deficit for a 6-3 win over France. David Pastrnak and Martin Necas had a goal and an assist for Czechia (1-0-0-1). Louis Boudon scored twice for France (0-0-0-2), who overcame a 2-0 deficit to take the lead in the second period, until a horrible line change during a power play late in the second period led to Czechia regaining the lead.

Slovakia held off Italy (0-0-0-2) by a score of 3-2. Adam Ruzicka scored what proved to be the winning goal while Juraj Slakovsky collected an assist on Libor Hudacek’s game-opening goal for Slovakia (2-0-0-0).