NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 16, 2026

by | Mar 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 16, 2026

Oilers star Leon Draisaitl injured against the Predators, the Ducks take over first place in the Pacific Division, the Kraken regain the final Western wild-card spot, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Nashville Predators 3-1, but lost forward Leon Draisaitl as he left the game after the first period with an apparent injury. Draisaitl opened the scoring, and Connor McDavid collected three assists for the 33-26-9 Oilers, who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 75 points. Fedor Svechkov replied for the 29-28-9 Predators (67 points), who are four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Draisaitl’s injury didn’t seem too bad, and he’s not expected to be sidelined long term. Meanwhile, McDavid sits atop the NHL scoring race with 114 points.

McDavid also called out the league over the wrist-slap suspension handed down to Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas for injuring Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews. While he understands that the department of player safety has a difficult job, he felt that the level of frustration around the league about the suspension process suggests there’s room for improvement.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry each had three points as their club overcame a 3-2 deficit for a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Cutter Gauthier tallied the winning goal for the Ducks (37-27-3), as they regained first place in the Pacific Division with 77 points. Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for the 36-20-10 Canadiens, who cling to third place in the Atlantic Division with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored his 39th goal of the season. He’s second to Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, who leads all goal scorers this season with 44. Meanwhile, Canadiens forward Kirby Dach left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no word postgame regarding his condition.

Ducks center Mason McTavish was a healthy scratch from this game. He had two assists in his last 12 games.

The Seattle Kraken regained the final Western wild-card spot (71 points) with a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. Kaapo Kakko had a goal and two assists while Bobby McMann was among five other Kraken players with a goal and an assist as they improved their record to 32-27-9. Vinnie Hinostroza and Eetu Luostarinen scored for the 33-30-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McMann had three goals and two assists for five points in his first two games with the Kraken. Meanwhile, the Panthers played without Sam Reinhart, who is sitting out their current four-game road trip recovering from an undisclosed injury.

Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson tallied twice, including the game-winner, in a 7-4 win over the San Jose Sharks. Brady Tkachuk, Fabian Zetterlund, and Warren Foegele each had a goal and an assist for the 34-23-9 Senators (77 points), who are three points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Tyler Toffoli and Mario Ferraro each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (32-27-6), as they slipped one point behind the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks played without forward Alex Wennberg, who is nursing an upper-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bo Groulx scored twice for his first multipoint NHL game in a 4-2 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Anthony Stolarz kicked out 36 shots for the 29-27-12 Maple Leafs. Vladimir Tarasenko scored both goals for the Wild (38-18-12), who sit third in the Central Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Maple Leafs signed goaltender Artur Akhtyamov to a three-year, $2.7 million contract extension.

The Winnipeg Jets kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Haydn Fleury had a goal and an assist while Eric Comrie made 29 saves for the 28-28-10 Jets (66 points), who are five points behind the Kraken. Dalibor Dvorsky and Dylan Holloway scored for the 27-30-10 Blues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2026

by | Mar 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2026

Anze Kopitar is the Kings’ all-time points leader, the Stars tie their franchise points streak record, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour reaches a coaching milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar scored twice to become the franchise points leader in a 6-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Kopitar passed Marcel Dionne with his 1,308th career NHL regular-season point.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists, and Brandt Clarke had three assists for the 27-24-15 Kings (69 points), who slipped one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Nico Hischier scored twice and set up two others for the Devils (33-31-2).

The Dallas Stars blew a 2-0 lead, but Thomas Harley’s overtime goal gave them a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings to tie their franchise-record points streak of 15 games. Wyatt Johnston had a goal and an assist, while Michael Bunting scored his first goal since being acquired by the Stars at the March 6 trade deadline. Simon Edvinsson and Lucas Raymond replied for the 36-23-8 Red Wings, who cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 80 points. Meanwhile, the Stars (42-14-10) hold second place in the Western Conference with 94 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings activated winger David Perron off injured reserve for this game. He’d been recovering from a sports hernia since Jan. 20. The Wing acquired Perron from the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho each had a goal and an assist to double up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 in Rod Brind’Amour’s 600th career NHL regular-season game as a head coach. Jordan Martinook tallied the winning goal for the 42-18-6 Hurricanes as they sit atop the Eastern Conference with 90 points. Yanni Gourde and Charle-Edouard D’Astous scored for the 40-21-4 Lightning, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning announced that defenseman Declan Carlile will miss the next four to five weeks with a lower-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist to reach the 30-goal plateau for the eighth time in his career in a 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Mark Scheifele collected two assists, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 28 shots for the 27-28-10 Jets. Martin Necas scored for the Avalanche (44-12-9), who sit first in the overall standings with 97 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns played in his 990th consecutive NHL regular-season game, moving into second place on the league’s Ironman rankings. Phil Kessel leads with 1,064.

The Buffalo Sabres got the game-tying goal from Jack Quinn, who also scored the shootout winner to nip the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2. Owen Power also scored in regulation for the 41-20-6 Sabres, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 88 points. Dakota Joshua and Max Domi scored for the 28-27-12 Maple Leafs.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev tallied twice and collected an assist as his club blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Adin Hill turned in a 21-save shutout while Mitch Marner and Mark Stone each had two assists for the Golden Knights (31-22-14), who regained first place in the Pacific Division with 76 points. Spencer Knight stopped 28 of 32 shots for the 25-30-11 Blackhawks.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin kicked out 46 shots in a 4-2 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Vladislav Gavrikov had a goal and two assists for the 28-30-8 Rangers. Matt Boldy and Danila Yurov scored for the Wild (38-17-12), who sit third in the Central Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild captain Jared Spurgeon played in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game. He’s spent his entire 16-season NHL career with the Wild. Meanwhile, the Rangers activated team captain J.T. Miller off injured reserve for this game.

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. Macklin Celebrini had two goals and an assist, and Collin Graf had a goal and two assists for the Sharks (32-26-6), as they regained the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 70 points. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki replied for the 36-19-10 Canadiens, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forward Igor Chernyshov left the game in the first period when his face struck the ice following a hit from Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation and travelled with the club to Ottawa following the game for their Sunday game against the Ottawa Senators.

Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher was a healthy scratch for the first time in his 14-season NHL career. He’s expected to return to the lineup for Sunday’s matchup with the Anaheim Ducks.

Speaking of the Senators and Ducks, Linus Ullmark had a 23-save shutout to give Ottawa a 2-0 win over Anaheim. Michael Amadio and Thomas Chabot scored for the Senators (33-23-9). Ville Husso stopped 27 of 29 shots for the 36-27-3 Ducks, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 75 points.

A shootout goal by Fraser Minten gave the Boston Bruins a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Charlie McAvoy tallied twice for the 37-23-6 Bruins, who moved into the first Eastern wild-card spot with 80 points. Matt Roy and Rasmus Sandin replied for the Capitals (33-27-8).

New York Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom scored twice as his club held off the Calgary Flames 3-2. Casey Czikas also scored while David Rittich turned aside 30 shots for the Islanders (38-24-5), who remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points. Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman scored for the 26-33-7 Flames.

The Pittsburgh Penguins downed the Utah Mammoth 4-3. Noel Acciari broke a 3-3 tie while Anthony Mantha had a goal and an assist for the 33-18-15 Penguins, who hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points. Dylan Guenther scored two goals for the Mammoth (34-27-6) as they hold the first Western wild card with 74 points.

Bobby McMann scored twice and picked up an assist in his debut with the Seattle Kraken in a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. McMann was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline. Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle each had three points for the Kraken (30-26-9) as they ended a four-game losing skid and sit one point behind the Sharks for the final Western wild-card berth. Evander Kane and Marco Rossi replied for the 20-38-8 Canucks.

The Columbus Blue Jackets pushed their points streak to nine games with a 2-1 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kirill Marchenko scored in regulation and also tallied the game-winner for the 34-21-11 Blue Jackets, who are one point behind the Red Wings for the final Eastern wild card. Alex Bump replied for the 31-23-12 Flyers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2026

by | Mar 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2026

The Kings defeat the Islanders, the Blues upset the Oilers, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is done for the season as Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas is suspended, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar scored to move within one point of Marcel Dionne’s franchise points record in a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Trevor Moore and Adrian Kempe also scored, and Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots for the 27-23-15 Kings, who moved into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 69 points. Emil Heineman scored both goals for the 37-24-5 Islanders, who remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dionne has 1,307 regular-season points while Kopitar has 1,306. Kopitar leads the franchise with 1,504 regular-season games and 858 assists. With 17 games left in the regular season, Kopitar has plenty of time to set the Kings’ points record.

The St. Louis Blues overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on an overtime goal by Robert Thomas. Cam Fowler had a goal and an assist while Joel Hofer kicked out 36 shots for the 27-29-10 Blues, who are 6-0-1 in their last seven contests. Kasperi Kapanen and Connor McDavid replied for the Oilers (32-26-9), who sit third in the Pacific Division with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins missed this game for personal reasons. The Oilers placed Colton Dach on long-term injury reserve.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews will miss the remainder of this season with a Grade 3 tear of his medial collateral ligament in his left knee, the result of a knee-on-knee hit by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas on Thursday.

The NHL’s department of player safety suspended Gudas for five games.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver, called Gudas’ suspension “laughable and preposterous.”

“This decision results in a further loss of confidence in the disciplinary process for all players,” Moldaver said. “Players and fans deserve better. The player safety department should be suspended.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moldaver is correct. Gudas went out of his way to deliberately injure an opponent. He had been suspended four times before this incident, and he received a slap on the wrist for ending Matthews’ season.

The so-called “department of player safety” has been a joke for years. Players like Gudas contribute nothing to the league. He and his ilk are an embarrassment, and have no place in a supposedly professional league.

Sadly, this is just more of the same from a league with a “player safety” department that lets perpetrators off lightly for deliberately injuring opponents.

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators will face the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2026 NHL Global Series in Germany. The two-game regular-season series will be played in Dusseldorf on Dec. 18 and Dec. 20.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns tied Keith Yandle for the second-most consecutive games with 989. Burns, 41, reached that mark during Thursday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Phil Kessel holds the NHL Ironman record with 1,064 regular-season games.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres winger Alex Tuch (day-to-day, lower-body injury) could return for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, defenseman Mattias Samuelsson could miss that game with an undisclosed injury.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens made a minor-league trade that will have implications for their goaltending. On Friday, they acquired goaltender Hunter Shepard and forward Jake Chiasson from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Riley Kidney.

Shepard will be reporting to the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate in Laval. That means that recently recalled goalie Jacob Fowler will likely remain with the Habs for the rest of this season.

RATINGS.COM: Speaking of Fowler, he had an interview with Marco D’Amico before the Canadiens recalled him. The 21-year-old netminder spoke about his 10-game tenure with the Habs earlier this season and was hoping to return to the club as soon as he could.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Samuel Montembeault struggling and no help coming from the trade market, the Canadiens need someone reliable to share the goaltending duties with Jakub Dobes. Fowler played well in his return on Thursday with a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The San Jose Sharks recalled goaltender Laurent Brossoit from their AHL affiliate. Starter Yaroslav Askarov suffered a lower-body injury before Thursday’s game against the Boston Bruins. The injury isn’t considered serious or long-term, but it’s uncertain if he’ll be ready to return for Saturday’s game against the Canadiens or Sunday’s matchup with the Ottawa Senators.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Speaking of the Sharks, they signed forward Ty Dellandrea to a two-year, $3.25 million extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2026

by | Mar 13, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2026

Lightning stars Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy reach notable career milestones, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is injured by a knee-on-knee hit, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to reach the 1,100 regular-season points milestone in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Jake Guentzel and Gage Goncalves each scored twice for the Lightning (40-20-4, 84 points), who moved within two points of the Buffalo Sabres for first place in the Atlantic Division. J.T. Compher replied for the 36-23-7 Red Wings, who’ve dropped four of their last five games and cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 79 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy became the second netminder in NHL history to record nine consecutive 30-win seasons. Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur holds the record with 12 consecutive seasons.

The slumping Red Wings were without Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp. Both centers will be sidelined by injuries for at least the next two weeks.

Speaking of the Sabres, their eight-game win streak ended as they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Washington Capitals. Jakob Chychrun snapped a 1-1 tie late in the third period while Logan Thompson stopped 29 shots for the 33-27-7 Capitals. Sam Carrick scored for the 40-20-6 Sabres, who sit second in the Eastern Conference with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres winger Alex Tuch missed this game with a lower-body injury. He’s considered day-to-day.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 6-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks was overshadowed by an injury to Auston Matthews. The Maple Leafs captain left the game in the second period following a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas, who received a major penalty and a game misconduct.

Matthew Knies had a goal and three assists, and winger Matias Maccelli had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs (28-27-11). Cutter Gauthier tallied his team-leading 33rd goal of the season for the 36-26-3 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gudas could receive supplemental discipline for that hit on Matthews, who may have suffered a serious injury to his left knee. The Ducks blueliner has had four suspensions in his NHL career, with the last being in 2019.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored twice and collected two assists in a 7-2 drubbing of the Edmonton Oilers. Wyatt Johnston had a goal and two assists, Miro Heiskanen collected three assists, and Jamie Benn scored two goals for the Stars (41-14-10), who hold second place in the Western Conference with 92 points. Evan Bouchard and Jason Dickinson scored for the Oilers (32-26-8), who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars extended their points streak to 14 games.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists to lead his club over the Seattle Kraken 5-1. Martin Necas tallied his 30th goal of the season, and Nazem Kadri scored his first goal with the Avalanche since being acquired from the Calgary Flames last Friday. Ryker Evans replied for the 29-26-9 Kraken, who’ve lost four straight games and slipped out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 67 points. The Avalanche (44-11-9) holds first place in the overall standings with 97 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the league announced it had rescinded the game misconduct penalty handed to MacKinnon during Tuesday’s game against the Oilers.

The San Jose Sharks vaulted over the Kraken into the final Western wild card by doubling up the Boston Bruins 4-2, handing the latter its first home loss since December. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic kicked out 39 shots while William Eklund, Tyler Toffoli, and Michael Misa each had a goal and an assist for the 31-26-6 Sharks, who sit one point ahead of the Kraken. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (36-23-6), who cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 78 points.

An overtime power-play goal by Sam Reinhart gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sam Bennett also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves for the 33-29-3 Panthers. Adam Fantilli scored for the 33-21-11 Blue Jackets, who extended their points streak to eight games, sitting one point behind the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fantilli was unhappy about being whistled for tripping Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk in overtime. He and his teammates believe Tkachuk dove after losing control of the puck to draw the penalty.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2. Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice and collected an assist while Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for the 30-22-14 Golden Knights, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 74 points. Rickard Rakell and Ben Kindel replied for the Penguins (32-18-15), who hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone returned to action after missing the last five games with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, Marner told reporters that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain while playing for Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Crosby remains sidelined but is expected to return to action before the end of March.

St. Louis Blues winger Jimmy Snuggerud tallied two goals while Jordan Binnington turned aside 31 shots for a 3-1 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Pavel Buchnevich also scored, and Dylan Holloway collected two assists for the 26-29-10 Blues, who are 5-0-1 in their last six games. Mark Jankowski scored for the Hurricanes (41-18-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon sold a portion of the club to three new minority owners. One of them is former NHL winger Bobby Farnham, who had eight goals and 10 points in 67 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and Montreal Canadiens from 2014-15 to 2016-17. He went on to Harvard Business School and co-founded the investment group Fourth Line Capital.

The Philadelphia Flyers nipped the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on a shootout goal by Travis Konecny. Owen Tippett tied the game for the Flyers (31-23-11) with a shorthanded goal. Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov scored for the 38-16-17 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild’s Quinn Hughes collected two assists, becoming the first defenseman to collect 60 assists in 60 games since Hall of Famer Paul Coffey in 1992-93.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored in overtime to defeat the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi each had a goal and an assist for the 25-29-11 Blackhawks. Dylan Guenther and JJ Peterka scored for the 34-26-6 Mammoth, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 74 points, but are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the Nashville Predators 4-3. Jake DeBrusk scored the shootout winner, Marco Rossi had a goal and two assists, and Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek each had a goal and an assist for the 20-37-8 Canucks. Tyson Jost scored twice for the Predators (29-27-9), who remain one point out of the Western wild-card berth with 67 points.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere scored for the third straight game as his club downed the Winnipeg Jets 6-3. Gabe Perreault had his third straight multipoint game with a goal and an assist for the Rangers (27-30-8). Isak Rosen scored his first goal with the Jets (26-28-10) since being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres last Friday.

The Calgary Flames nipped the New Jersey Devils 5-4. John Beecher scored twice for his first NHL multi-goal game while Dustin Wolf made 28 saves for the 26-32-7 Flames. Jack and Luke Hughes each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (32-31-2).

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators will receive the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after the league modified the disciplinary sanction originally imposed on the club for a botched trade involving Evgenii Dadonov by former Senators management in 2022.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2026

by | Mar 12, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2026

The Canadiens nip the Senators, the Flyers defeat the Capitals, the Mammoth re-sign Nick Schmaltz, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov had a goal and an assist, and Jacob Fowler made 32 saves for a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, ending the latter’s seven-game points streak. Demidov snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period for the Canadiens (36-18-10), who’ve won three straight and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 82 points. Drake Batherson tallied twice for the 32-23-9 Senators (73 points), who remain five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Juraj Slafkovsky also scored for the Canadiens, setting a franchise record for the most points by a player before the age of 22 (164 points), passing Hall of Famer Henri Richard.

Recalling Fowler from the farm team in Laval and naming him the starter for this game was a surprising move by the Canadiens. It’s a clear sign that the Habs have run out of patience with struggling Samuel Montembeault, who lost his role as starting goalie to Jakub Dobes

Canadiens winger Cole Caufield missed this game with the flu, ending his consecutive games streak at 227.

The Philadelphia Flyers tallied four unanswered goals to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-1. Owen Tippett had a goal and an assist for the 30-23-11 Flyers. Ryan Leonard replied for the 32-27-7 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Travis Konecny celebrated his 29th birthday with a goal, marking the second time that he’s done so in his NHL career. He joined Eric Lindros, Ross Lonsberry, Daniel Briere, Rick Tocchet, and Bill Clement among the Flyers to score multiple times on their birthdays.

HEADLINES

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: The Utah Mammoth signed forward Nick Schmaltz to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scratch another notable name from this summer’s depleted list of unrestricted free agents.

Schmaltz, 30, is in the final season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $5.85 million. PuckPedia indicates he’ll earn an AAV of $8 million on his new contract, with full no-movement protection during the first two years, a full no-trade clause for the next two years, a 16-team NTC for two years after that, followed by an eight-team NTC for the final two years.

Schmaltz has consistently been among the Mammoth’s leading scorers. As their first-line center, he’s played a crucial role in turning this rising young team into a playoff contender this season.

Given Schmaltz’s role, the annual average value of his new contract isn’t unreasonable, especially with the projected significant increases of the NHL salary cap in the coming years. However, this deal won’t age well as his performance inevitably declines in the final four years.

Nevertheless, the Mammoth are willing to bank on Schmaltz being productive enough in the first half of this new contract to make it worthwhile if it elevates them into Stanley Cup contenders.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz is on the road to recovery after being accidentally struck in the face by the skate of Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins on Saturday.

Schwartz is sidelined indefinitely and could miss the Kraken’s remaining 19 games of the regular season.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Kraken, recently-acquired winger Bobby McMann said Toronto can be a difficult market to play in, especially when the Maple Leafs are struggling as they have this season.

The Kraken acquired the 29-year-old winger from the Maple Leafs before last Friday’s NHL trade deadline.

“Yeah, it can be (difficult). When things aren’t going well, it’s that much harder to play there, I think,” McMann said. “We’re all human, and I think that all NHL players at times get put on a pedestal. Everybody lets things get to them to a certain extent, some more than others.”

McMann said players are already self-critical when things aren’t going well, but it becomes amplified when it comes from the media and fans, especially in a big hockey market like Toronto.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 11, 2026

by | Mar 11, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 11, 2026

Check out the recaps of Tuesday’s action in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored the go-ahead goal as the Edmonton Oilers nipped the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 4-3, ending the latter’s five-game win streak. McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had two points, and Ryan Nugent Hopkins tallied twice for the 32-28-8 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Ross Colton, Martin Necas, and Valeri Nichushkin replied for the Avalanche (43-11-9), who sit in first place in the overall standings with 95 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was ejected from this game in the second period for goaltender interference after colliding with Oilers netminder Connor Ingram, who was cut and had to leave the game. Tristan Jarry stopped 11 of 12 shots in relief of Ingram.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Quinn (NHL Images).

The red-hot Buffalo Sabres picked up their eighth straight victory by downing the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Jack Quinn tallied his first NHL hat trick and picked up an assist while Rasmus Dahlin and Ryan McLeod each collected three assists for the Sabres (40-19-6), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 86 points. Alex Wennberg had a goal and an assist for the 30-26-6 Sharks (66 points), who sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the Eastern Conference. Sharks center Macklin Celebrini scored for the fourth straight game.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they recovered from blowing a 4-2 lead to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on a shootout goal by Jackson Blake. Alexander Nikishin had a goal and an assist for the 41-17-6 Hurricanes, who sit first overall in the Eastern Conference with 88 points. Bryan Rust scored twice and added an assist for the Penguins (32-17-15), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (lower-body injury) is with the team on their five-game road trip and participated in Tuesday’s full morning skate without a non-contact jersey. Head coach Dan Muse said Crosby isn’t ahead of schedule in his recovery, but he’s moving in the right direction.

Muse also told reporters that Penguins forward Justin Brazeau is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Samuel Girard and winger Kevin Hayes both have upper-body injuries, with Girard listed as day-to-day.

The Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1, leaving the latter winless in their last eight games (0-6-2). Rookie center Oliver Kapanen tallied his 20th goal of the season for the Canadiens (35-18-10), who have points in 10 of their last 11 games as they leapfrogged the Detroit Red Wings into third place in the Atlantic Division with 80 points. William Nylander scored for the 27-27-11 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected his 116th career NHL assist, setting the league record for the most by a defenseman within their first 150 regular-season games. Meanwhile, Canadiens winger Cole Caufield sat out the first half of the third period with an illness. He travelled with the club to Ottawa for Wednesday’s game against the Senators.

Speaking of the Red Wings, they suffered a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. Carter Verhaeghe tallied twice within the final 1:30 of the third period for the 32-29-3 Panthers. Justin Faulk had a goal and an assist for his first points since being acquired by the Red Wings (36-22-7) at the trade deadline. Detroit holds the first Eastern wild-card spot with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Andrew Copp left this game in the second period with an injured left leg. He will be evaluated on Wednesday.

An overtime goal by Charlie McAvoy lifted the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Mason Lohrei also scored for the 36-22-6 Bruins, who hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with 78 points. Drew Doughty replied for the Kings (26-23-15), who sit behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western wild-card spot with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following this game, the Bruins lined up and shook hands with Kings captain Anze Kopitar, who is retiring at the end of this season.

The Kraken, meanwhile, blew a 2-0 lead and fell 4-2 to the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros kicked out 43 shots, and rookie Ryan Ufko’s first NHL goal was the winner for the 29-27-8 Predators (66 points), who are one point behind the Kraken. Kaapo Kakko and Matty Beniers scored for the 29-25-9 Kraken (67 points), as they cling to that final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Monday, the Kraken activated goaltender Matt Murray from injured reserve. He has been sidelined by a lower-body injury since Nov. 15.

The Dallas Stars held off the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1. Jake Oettinger stopped 26 shots while Oskar Back and Jamie Benn scored for the 40-14-10 Stars, extending their points streak to 13 games as they hold second place in the Western Conference with 90 points. Jack Eichel scored for the Golden Knights (29-22-14), who have dropped six of their last seven games as they hold third place in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan said sidelined winger Mikko Rantanen (lower-body injury) could return to action within the next two to three weeks. Center Roope Hintz (lower-body) remains week-to-week, and it’s hoped that he’ll return in time for the playoffs.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson turned in a 25-save performance to shut out the Utah Mammoth 5-0. Kirill Kaprizov had two points while Bobby Brink scored his first goal since being acquired at the trade deadline for the 38-16-11 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 87 points. Karel Vejmelka turned aside 25 shots for the Mammoth (34-26-5), who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 73 points.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Conor Garland tallied twice for the second straight game to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2. Sean Monahan and Zach Werenski each had two assists for the 33-21-10 Blue Jackets, who extended their points streak to seven games, sitting two behind the Bruins with 76 points. Gage Goncalves and J.J. Moser replied for the slumping Lightning (39-20-4), who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 82 points, but have dropped six of their last seven games.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Alex Killorn and Ryan Poehling each had a goal and an assist to down the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. Defenseman Jackston LaCombe also had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (36-25-3), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 75 points. Morgan Barron scored for the Jets (26-27-10).

The New York Islanders (37-23-5) overcame a 3-0 deficit to nip the St. Louis Blues 4-3 on an overtime goal by Mathew Barzal, who finished with three points. The Islanders sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points. Jimmy Snuggerud had a goal and two assists for the 25-29-10 Blues.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere had a hat trick, and Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots to blank the Calgary Flames 4-0. Mika Zibanejad had two assists to reach 800 career regular-season points for the 26-30-8 Rangers. Dustin Wolf made 25 saves for the 25-32-7 Flames.