NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 20, 2026

by | Sep 20, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 20, 2026

Recapping Saturday’s preseason action plus the latest on Senators goalie Linus Ullmark, Rangers winger Pavel Dorofeyev, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PRESEASON GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in split-squad action in their preseason openers on Saturday.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (NHL Images).

Cole Caufield scored in overtime and Lane Hutson had a goal and two assists to nip the Maple Leafs 4-3 in Montreal, while Phillip Danault tallied twice for a 4-1 victory in Toronto. In the latter contest, Darren Raddysh scored in his preseason debut with the Maple Leafs, while Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna was held scoreless in his first NHL preseason contest.

Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist to down the Winnipeg Jets 5-2. Evan Bouchard collected four assists for the Oilers.

The Minnesota Wild defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on an overtime goal by Tyler Pitlick.

Vegas Golden Knights prospect Jackson Hallum scored twice to double up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2.

The Seattle Kraken beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Prospect center Jake O’Brien scored and added an assist for the Kraken.

The Dallas Stars defeated the St. Louis Blues 2-1 on a goal by minor-league center Jack Becker.

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark is refreshed, confident, and looking forward to his season after enduring a difficult 2025-26 campaign.

Ullmark struggled through the first half of last season and took a leave of absence for mental health reasons. He returned to backstop the Senators into the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Inconsistent goaltending nearly derailed the Senators last season until Ullmark returned to form in the second half. A more consistent effort on his part could push the Senators higher in the standings this season.

NEW YORK POST: Pavel Dorofeyev is looking forward to starting this season with the Rangers. They acquired the 25-year-old scoring winger from the Vegas Golden Knights last June and signed a seven-year, $77-million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorofeyev is coming off two seasons with 35 or more goals. He’s expected to play a significant role on their first line and on the power play. How he adjusts to playing for an Original Six club in one of hockey’s biggest markets will be a factor in determining whether the Rangers will be a playoff contender.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Anaheim Ducks signed center Tim Washe to a four-year contract extension that comes with an average annual value of $2.25 million.

Washe, 25, had two goals and five points in 39 games with the Ducks last season. He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract.

Ozzy and Oasiz Wiesblatt took sibling rivalry to another level when the two Nashville Predators youngsters got into a tussle during an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday. Neither brother was injured during the scrap.

Both are battling for jobs with the Predators. Ozzy has 45 NHL games on his resume while Oasiz spent last season with the Preds’ AHL affiliate in Milwaukee.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks winger Adam Gaudette is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

NESN: The Boston Bruins announced team executive Alex Gimenez’s death on Friday.

Gimenez spent more than a decade with MLB’s Boston Red Sox. He recently joined the Bruins as Director of Hockey Operations, Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was a newly created position within the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Gimenez’s family, friends, and the Bruins’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 19, 2026

by | Sep 19, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 19, 2026

Evgeni Malkin talks about his future, Simon Edvinsson is in training camp without a contract, Kirill Marchenko ducks questions about trade rumors, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin is entering his 21st NHL season, but he’s not thinking about retirement.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

“We’ll see what’s going on during the season, you know?” Malkin said. “Right now, I want to say, ‘Yes’ (to playing longer). But we’ll see how my body feels. It’s all about (that) I still love the game. It’s why I’m here, like, 21 years. I love the game. I’m excited every shift, practice, battle. See guys around, you know, have fun. But again, most important, how your body feels.”

Malkin, 40, helped the Penguins exceed expectations last season by qualifying for the playoffs. He had 61 points in 57 games, and signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Penguins in May.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another season with the Penguins will also depend on the club’s performance and whether he’s still a fit. His bounce-back effort last season helped them improve. More of the same could earn him another season in Pittsburgh, or with another NHL club if he and the Penguins can agree on an extension.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Simon Edvinsson is participating in Red Wings’ training camp despite not having a new contract.

The 22-year-old restricted free agent isn’t allowed to participate in scrimmages, but he is taking part in individual drills. He joked that he’s on a professional tryout offer.

Negotiations between Edvinsson and the Wings stalled when the club relieved Steve Yzerman as general manager. The club has been searching for a full-time replacement. Earlier this week, the team named assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff interim GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edvinsson should have a new contract soon. Nevertheless, the Red Wings are fortunate that he’s been so patient. He’s also been loyal, declining the opportunity to entertain offer sheets from rival teams.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko dodged questions from the media about his future in Columbus.

Marchenko, 26, reportedly isn’t interested in signing an extension with the Blue Jackets. That resulted in trade rumors during the offseason.

“I can talk only about hockey,” Marchenko said. He said it’s up to his agent Dan Milstein and Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell to figure everything out, adding that his focus is preparing for the coming season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchenko may not want to talk about his contract situation, but the speculation will persist if he doesn’t want to re-sign with the Jackets. He will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next July and is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July 2028.

Waddell isn’t interested in moving Marchenko for draft picks and prospects. He wants a return that brings immediate help to his club.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies said he’s “back to 100 percent” after an injury hampered his play last season.

“No issues with it,” Knies said. “It’s not going to be a problem this year.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs need the 24-year-old power forward at 100 percent if they hope to rebound from last season’s poor performance.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling missed practice on Friday and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Ian Moore is out for two-to-four weeks with a lower-body injury.

TSN: The Calgary Flames signed restricted free agent Brennan Othmann to a one-year, $975,000 contract.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin noted that NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly last week addressed the recent issue of players forcing trades.

“Certainly there’s some sentiment in the league that has concerns with respect to the way things are evolving,” Daly said. “There are several separate but somewhat related elements to that in our collective bargaining agreement. And depending on how this trend evolves, perhaps at some point in collective bargaining, they’ll have to be addressed in a different way than they’re being addressed now. But we haven’t even started our current collective bargaining agreement [as of Sept. 9, the day he spoke to reporters], which is four years. And I certainly don’t expect the need to address this, what looks like it might become a trend, earlier than the next collective bargaining agreement [beginning in 2030].”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Even if this becomes a trend, I’m not sure what the league could do to prevent it. The collective bargaining agreement doesn’t prevent a player from requesting a trade, and the team isn’t obligated to honor it.

Daly’s statement about “related elements to that in our collective bargaining agreement” probably refers to no-trade protection. The recent trade requests by Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck have some fans (and perhaps some NHL owners and general managers) calling for a rule that voids a player’s no-trade clause if they request a trade.

Player agent Allan Walsh recently pointed out that no one forces teams to give out no-movement and no-trade clauses. “They are freely negotiated as part of NHL contracts,” Walsh wrote. That also applies to what the clauses look like over the term of the contract. For example, Hellebuyck has a full no-movement clause through the first three years of his seven-year contract, followed by a 10-team trade list for the final four years.

The NHLPA would push back against any attempt to eliminate or limit trade requests. They’ll point out that teams trade players all the time, often without warning, leaving the player with no say.

There are already limits on no-movement and no-trade clauses. Players are only eligible for those clauses in the years they reach eligibility for unrestricted free-agent status. That’s when they have seven accrued NHL seasons or reach age 27 or older.

No-movement and no-trade clauses tend to be flexible. More than one player has agreed to waive them when approached by management, or to provide a list of preferred destinations.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2026

by | Sep 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2026

Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff talks about Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request; Red Wings center Dylan Larkin declines to discuss his trade request; and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN/SPORTSNET: Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff met with the media on Thursday to talk about Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request and the decision to suspend the 33-year-old goaltender for failing to report to training camp.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

Cheveldayoff said he’ll keep seeking a trade for Hellebuyck. He wants a resolution that works for both sides, won’t be rushed into trading the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, and wants to get it right.

The Jets GM hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Hellebuyck returning to the Jets, pointing out that the netminder is under contract for the next five seasons (including this one). He wouldn’t go into the reasons for Hellebuyck’s trade request. “The choices that he makes are the choices he makes,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff has a well-earned reputation for patience when dealing with players who’ve requested trades in the past, like Evander Kane, Jacob Trouba, and Pierre-Luc Dubois. He received solid returns for those players, so it’s not surprising he’s using the same tactic with Hellebuyck.

Cheveldayoff also dismissed the notion there was a “gentlemen’s agreement” to trade Hellebuyck if he ever wanted out when the contract was signed three years ago. “A contract is a contract in the National Hockey League. Period”, he said. “There are no side agreements, there are no gentlemen’s agreements. The league doesn’t allow for that, so any notion around that would not have any merit.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The “gentlemen’s agreement” theory was floated by Jeff Marek and Dave Pagnotta during a recent episode of Marek’s podcast “The Sheet.” They mused about the possibility, but couldn’t confirm it. Cheveldayoff was accused of deflecting with his response, but he’s right about the league’s contract rules.

It’s easy to speculate about side deals but it’s just chatter without proof. What isn’t up for debate is that Hellebuyck wants out, and Cheveldayoff will keep trying to move him.

The Jets have reportedly encountered difficulty moving Hellebuyck. Cheveldayoff explained he’s received no offers worthy of consideration. “We’re still talking about moving a player that’s been very, very important to this franchise and is a very good player in the National Hockey League,” he said. “And we expect, I guess, that a level of return would be commensurate to that.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff’s legendary patience in trade negotiations will be tested like never before with Hellebuyck. His critics argue he should’ve traded the goalie to the Buffalo Sabres in June instead of pushing for a better deal. Recent reports suggest offers open to the Jets earlier this summer aren’t available now.

By revealing his trade request and refusing to report to training camp, Hellebuyck didn’t improve his trade value. Teams are reportedly making lowball offers, hoping the Jets get desperate to move him quickly.

NHL.COM: Jets players are trying to deal with the Hellebuyck drama as they begin training camp this week. Jets winger Kyle Connor admitted it’s a difficult situation, saying many of his teammates are heartbroken.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings center Dylan Larkin declined to discuss the reasons for his trade request during his press conference on Thursday.

“There’s a lot of personal stuff about that,” Larkin said. “And, you know, to be honest with you, I’m trying to be honest with you guys today, and I’m not ready to go there yet.”

Larkin said he didn’t want his request to be a distraction for his teammates. “I guess I didn’t foresee what happened,” he said. “Some of it was out of my control, to be honest with you.” He told his teammates his request had nothing to do with them.

As for a possible reconciliation with the organization, Larkin said he was keeping that to himself. He also acknowledged that giving up the captaincy was the right thing to do.

Larkin admitted that he didn’t know how he would handle the discontent of Red Wings fans when he takes the ice this season. “I can’t really control that. Obviously, they’re passionate fans. There’s frustration there. I’m frustrated as well,” he said, adding that he intends to take things one day at a time and one game at a time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin deserves some credit for reporting to training camp and stepping up to face the music, and he’s right that some of this was beyond his control. The club’s slow approach to finding a full-time replacement for former general manager Steve Yzerman left his situation in limbo for most of the offseason.

Nevertheless, Larkin created this situation by requesting a trade and giving the Wings a limited list of trade destinations. His reluctance to explain the reasons for his request won’t mollify fans upset about his decision. He looked very uncomfortable discussing situation, and it won’t get any easier if a trade doesn’t materialize soon.

TSN: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin addressed the media on Wednesday to defend his appearance in a recent video for Russian president Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections.

“I’m Russian,” Ovechkin said. “As soon as I’m done playing hockey, I’m probably going to stay there. I’m going to live there. My kids are going to live there, my family. I’m for peace and love. I hope everything is going to be okay”. Ovechkin said he agreed to appear in the video after being asked to do so.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is receiving growing criticism for supporting Putin, especially since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the ongoing war between the two countries. In a one-on-one interview, ESPN’s Robert Klemko pressed the Capitals captain about his support of Putin. The discussion grew tense until Ovechkin abruptly ended the interview by walking away.

TSN: Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand is expected to miss the first month of this season as he recovers from offseason surgery for a lower-body injury. Forward Jonah Gadjovich remains sidelined indefinitely after undergoing neck surgery last season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala (leg injury) is expected to return to the ice on his own next week. He could rejoin his teammates in three weeks. Meanwhile, defenseman Brian Dumoulin failed his training camp medical and is undergoing further testing. Winger Mats Zuccarello has a minor shoulder injury, but should be ready to return next week.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forward Nick Bjugstad underwent surgery last week to repair a torn pectoral muscle and will be sidelined for four-to-six months. Defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic will be a limited participant in training camp as he rehabs from a minor knee procedure.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators added defenseman Ben Hutton to their training camp on a professional tryout offer.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness wasn’t pleased with two of his players who didn’t meet the club’s physical fitness standards. He didn’t name them but said they will address the issue.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks signed head coach Ryan Warsofsky to a multi-year contract extension.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs forward Ron Hurst, the club’s oldest living player, died at 95. He spent two seasons with the Leafs from 1955 to 1957, finishing with 16 points in 64 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hurst’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Leafs’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 17, 2026

by | Sep 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 17, 2026

The Jets suspend Connor Hellebuyck; Dylan Larkin to miss the start of Red Wings training camp; Drew Doughty is the Kings’ new captain; and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TOP HEADLINES

DAILY FACEOFF: The Winnipeg Jets suspended goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for failing to report to training camp. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will speak with the media on Thursday to discuss the decision.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

Last month, Hellebuyck released a statement revealing he had requested a trade. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner has four years left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck is trying to pressure Cheveldayoff into trading him. The Jets GM will likely cite breach of contract when addressing this issue today. The suspension will likely be without pay as per the collective bargaining agreement. Hellebuyck won’t feel that right away because NHL players don’t start getting paid until the regular season begins.

It’ll be interesting to hear what Cheveldayoff has to say. If he bends and moves Hellebuyck quickly for a poor return, it could encourage other unhappy players to follow suit. It could also cost him his job.

Given Cheveldayoff’s history of dealing with players who want to be traded, he won’t make a move until he gets a decent offer, something he reportedly hasn’t received yet. That could change if injuries strike any team interested in Hellebuyck. A poor start by one of those teams could make them willing to meet Cheveldayoff’s asking price.

This could backfire on Hellebuyck. Cheveldayoff can afford to wait patiently for better offers. If the Jets struggle in Hellebuyck’s absence, fans will blame him more than the general manager. If the club copes well, that strengthens Cheveldayoff’s position. It could leave the 33-year-old Hellebuyck at risk of missing the entire season, which might not be a good idea at this stage of his career.

ESPN.COM: The Los Angeles Kings named defenseman Drew Doughty as their new captain. He replaced Anze Kopitar, who retired at the end of last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Color me unsurprised. The 36-year-old Doughty was expected to inherit the “C” from Kopitar. He’s starting his 19th season, all of them with the Kings.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice will not have Matthew and Brady Tkachuk on the same line as the brothers start their first NHL training camp together. Maurice is thinking about putting Brady alongside center Aleksander Barkov and winger Sam Reinhart.

“I don’t want to give everybody what they want with the two Tkachuk brothers together with Sam Bennett up the middle,” Maurice said with a grin. “They’ll be in jail before the puck drops.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t be surprised if the Tkachuks and Bennett wind up on the same line at some point this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes released a statement that restricted free agent defenseman Alexander Nikishin will not attend training camp. GM Eric Tulsky said that the 24-year-old Nikishin is not under contract and there would be no further comment at this time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nikishin requested a trade earlier this summer and hasn’t changed his mind. Tulsky could be working on a sign-and-trade scenario for the sophomore blueliner, who’s been linked to the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers GM Stan Bowman addressed the pushback from some of the team’s fans for signing Alex Formenton. The 27-year-old winger was among the five former Canadian junior players acquitted last year of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018 in London, Ontario.

Bowman said he understood that signing Formenton might not be universally accepted by the Oilers fans. He claimed the club conducted due diligence to ensure that signing the winger would be the right decision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers hiring personnel with controversial histories (including Bowman and new head coach Mike Babcock) has raised concerns from some fans and pundits about the team’s direction and the values of those doing the hiring. Their defenders argue that they deserve a second chance, but they could change their tune if the Oilers perform poorly.

INJURY ROUNDUP

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings center Dylan Larkin will miss the start of training camp with an upper-body injury that he suffered during off-ice training.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Is the upper-body injury a jaw wired shut? Okay, I borrowed that one-liner from my Bleacher Report colleague Sara Civian, but it would explain why we haven’t heard Larkin publicly address his messy trade request yet.

Speaking of the Red Wings, interim GM Shawn Horcoff said the club has no desire to rebuild its roster. “We have too many good players in that lineup,” he said, pointing to how close they’ve come to making the playoffs during the last three seasons. Horcoff said his goal, and that of his players, is to keep looking forward.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar will miss the start of training camp with a lower-body injury. It’s uncertain when the superstar blueliner will be ready, but head coach Jared Bednar doesn’t believe it’s a cause for concern. He also indicated that Makar’s injury isn’t related to the one he suffered in the postseason.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal will be sidelined for the next two weeks due to inflammation from a previous injury. He could be sidelined for the start of the regular season.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle will miss the next four to five weeks due to minor surgery this summer to repair an adductor muscle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guhle’s injury opens a spot for one of the Canadiens’ promising young defensemen like David Reinbacher or Adam Engstrom to prove they’re ready to make the jump to the NHL.

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs forward Max Domi failed his training camp physical and will be sidelined indefinitely. He suffered complications from offseason back surgery.

Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has a virus and could miss at least their first preseason game. He is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

TSN: Buffalo Sabres forward Jason Zucker is expected to miss the start of the season after undergoing sports hernia surgery.

OTTAWA SUN: Sidelined Senators defenseman Artem Zub and winger Warren Foegele won’t be full participants in training camp. That could lead to a free agent like Ben Hutton being signed to a professional tryout offer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde (offseason hip surgery) and Dominic James (broken right hand) could miss the start of the regular season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning signed center Luke Glendening to a PTO contract.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Long-time Blue Jackets president Mike Priest will retire on Sept. 30 after 30 years with the team.

SPORTSNET: The Seattle Kraken hired Chuck Fletcher as a senior advisor to the general manager. Fletcher served as a general manager with the Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils named Bryan McCabe as vice president of prospect personnel and assistant GM of their AHL affiliate in Utica. Jessica Campbell was named manager of player development.

TSN: The Boston Bruins signed center Matt Poitras to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 at the NHL level.

ASSOCIATED PRESS: Winger Ryan Reaves announced his retirement.https://apnews.com/article/ryan-reaves-retires-78450b7c42360ea0bcf2f7da0bf927c6

The 39-year-old enforcer spent 16 seasons in the NHL (2010-11 to 2025-26) with the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, and San Jose Sharks. In 962 regular-season games, Reaves had 140 points and 1,137 PIMs. He also had nine points and 116 PIMs in 113 playoff games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 16, 2026

by | Sep 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 16, 2026

The Ducks re-signed Cutter Gauthier, the Blackhawks name Connor Bedard captain, the Red Wings make Shawn Horcoff interim GM, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks re-signed Cutter Gauthier to a six-year contract worth an average annual value of $13.5 million, making the 22-year-old winger the second-highest-paid player on the team.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gauthier completed his entry-level contract last season. He’s coming off a breakout performance in which he led the Ducks with 41 goals and 69 points.

After matching Leo Carlsson’s five-year contract offer ($18 million AAV) from the Philadelphia Flyers in July, the Ducks had little choice but to pay Gauthier a substantial raise. However, they had to terminate the final year of veteran winger Chris Kreider’s contract ($6.5 million AAV) to free up the necessary cap space, which could adversely affect their top-six forward depth this season.

The Ducks got Gauthier signed for slightly less than expected. Projections had him receiving between $14 million and $15 million after he reportedly rejected a four-year offer worth $13 million annually.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings named assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff as their interim GM while they continue their search for a permanent one. Horcoff has been handling day-to-day operations since Steve Yzerman was removed as GM in mid-July. He can now make personnel decisions and negotiate contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s puzzling why the Wings didn’t do this earlier, considering that team captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request had to be addressed, and restricted free-agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson had to be re-signed. Those two factors should be Horcoff’s priority with training camp opening on Thursday.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks named Connor Bedard as team captain. He’s the 37th captain in franchise history and the second-youngest behind Jonathan Toews.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Patrick Kane and Tyler Bertuzzi will serve as alternate captains. Bedard is currently recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and will be sidelined until November.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals responded to requests for comment regarding team captain Alex Ovechkin’s appearance in an ad video for Russian president Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party.

In a statement, the team said that Ovechkin is a Russian citizen who lives in Moscow with his family during the offseason and will continue to do so when he retires. They claimed he was asked by his country to appear in the video. The statement cited Ovechkin as the longest-serving pro athlete in Washington and a pillar of the community before concluding that the team is focused on the upcoming season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin was getting roasted on social media for his appearance in the video because of Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, with Hockey Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek among those leading the charge. The Capitals’ “word salad” statement only intensified the criticism.

Speaking of the Capitals, winger Ryan Leonard was signed to an eight-year contract extension with an AAV of $10.5 million. They also signed forward Justin Sourdif to an eight-year extension worth $6.35 million AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yesterday was the final day for teams to re-sign eligible players to eight-year maximum term contracts. As of today, the maximum term for re-signings is seven years and six years for unrestricted free agents.

The Capitals are betting that Leonard and Sourdif will build on the potential they showed last season. Both are coming off promising rookie seasons, with Leonard scoring 20 goals and 45 points while Sourdif had 15 goals and 35 points.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes signed team captain Jordan Staal to a one-year, bonus-laden contract extension. Staal, 38, won the 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy leading the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup. The deal carries a base salary of $900,000, with a $4 million signing bonus and other bonuses that could take him up to $5.1 million.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils signed winger Luke Evangelista to a five-year extension worth an AAV of $7.25 million. Earlier this month, the 25-year-old Evangelista was acquired from the Nashville Predators

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evangelista had a career-best 56-point performance with Nashville last season.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens signed winger Alex Newhook to a four-year contract extension ($5.5 million AAV) and inked defenseman Arber Xhekaj to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Xhekaj was the subject of considerable offseason trade speculation. This signing should silence the conjecture for now, but it’s also a “show-me” contract as the big defenseman must prove he can play a larger role on the Canadiens’ crowded blueline.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild signed head coach John Hynes to a multi-year contract extension. He was set to enter the final season of his current deal.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers invited forward Nathan Bastian to training camp on a professional tryout offer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 15, 2026

by | Sep 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 15, 2026

Senators close to re-signing Drake Batherson, Bo Horvat named Islanders captain, Sabres re-sign Noah Ostlund, Canadiens re-sign coach Martin St. Louis, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators and winger Drake Batherson are close to an eight-year contract extension. The average annual amount is believed to be between $10.5 million and $11 million, with a formal announcement expected on Tuesday.

Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators want to keep Batherson, who wants to retire as a Senator. Both sides are rushing to get this deal done because today is the deadline for teams to re-sign players to eight-year maximum term contracts. After Sept. 15, the maximum term drops to seven years, while the term for signing unrestricted free agents drops from seven years to six.

Hockey analytics guru “JFresh” reports Batherson’s new deal is for eight years with a $10.6 million AAV, but there’s been no official announcement as of this writing.

Batherson, 28, would become the highest-paid player in Senators history. He’s been a consistent offensive winger, posting 20-plus goals and 60-plus points in each of the last four seasons, including a career-high 33 goals and 71 points in 2025-26.

**UPDATE** 

The Batherson deal is now confirmed at eight years with a $10.75 million AAV. 

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders named Bo Horvat as their new team captain. He replaced Anders Lee, who departed to the Utah Mammoth this summer as an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers suggested 19-year-old wunderkind Matthew Schaefer might be tapped for the captaincy. Schaefer will likely earn that honor one day, but Horvat is the better choice for now. The 31-year-old two-way center has 12 NHL seasons under his belt, including four seasons as captain of the Vancouver Canucks.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres signed sophomore forward Noah Ostlund to an eight-year contract extension with an AAV of $6.6 million.

Ostlund, 22, is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He had 27 points in 60 games last season, but management is convinced that he’s earned this lucrative long-term extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres beat the deadline for locking up players to eight-year contracts. This deal follows a similar move by the Vancouver Canucks, who recently signed promising defenseman Zeev Buium to an eight-year deal with a $9.38 million AAV.

Like the Canucks, the Sabres are betting on a promising young player reaching his potential. Ostlund is projected to become a skillful two-way forward. If he meets or exceeds expectations, his extension will be a bargain over the long term, especially under a rapidly rising salary cap.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Montreal Canadiens signed head coach Martin St. Louis to a three-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: St. Louis has done a tremendous job with the rebuilding Canadiens, coaching them from dead last in 2021-22 to the Eastern Conference Final last season.

The Canadiens also announced that Josh Anderson will be an alternate captain. He replaced Brendan Gallagher, who was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in June.

TVA SPORTS: Speaking of the Canadiens, Renaud Lavoie reports defenseman Kaiden Guhle will miss the start of this season as he continues to rehab from offseason surgery. Lavoie believes the oft-injured Guhle will return sometime in November.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guhle’s injury opens up an opportunity for one of the Canadiens’ young defensemen to earn a roster spot. However, that could force management to trade or demote a blueliner once Guhle is ready to return.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Canadiens and Arber Xhekaj are close to agreeing to a new contract for the 25-year-old defenseman. He’s expected to be signed before training camp opens on Wednesday.

THE DENVER POST: Joe Sakic will remain as general manager of the Colorado Avalanche. Sakic, who also serves as president of hockey operations, took over the GM position from Chris MacFarland, who departed in June to become the general manager of the Nashville Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sakic is taking over the role for the second time. He initially served as GM from 2014 to 2022, building the Avalanche into a Stanley Cup champion.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed UFA goaltender Cam Talbot to a one-year, $950,000 contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talbot, 39, will fill in for Elvis Merzlikins, who is sidelined indefinitely following offseason shoulder surgery.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins hired Marcel Braithwaite as their new president of business operations. Braithwaite spent the past 14 years as senior vice president of MLB’s Houston Astros.