NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

by | Jan 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, injury updates, contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Utah Mammoth’s 3-2 win over the New York Rangers was overshadowed by a lower-body injury suffered by Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin with seven minutes remaining in the first period. Following the game, head coach Mike Sullivan said the former Vezina Trophy winner was undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi scored in overtime for the 20-20-3 Mammoth, who got regulation goals from Dylan Guenther and Michael Carcone. Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck tallied for the 20-18-6 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing Shesterkin for a significant period of time could be devastating for the Rangers’ efforts to secure a playoff berth. Following the game, the Mammoth traded defenseman Juuso Valimaki to the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations.

The Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Minnesota Wild 4-2. Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves while Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who improved to 18-14-9. Jared Spurgeon had a goal and an assist for the 25-11-8 Wild, as their six-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Kings as captain Anze Kopitar left the game with a lower-body injury and winger Joel Armia departed with an upper-body injury. After the game, it was reported that Kopitar left the dressing room without any apparent limp. There was no update on Armia’s status.

Washington Capitals rookie winger Justin Sourdif tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Sourdif also collected two assists to finish the night with five points, while Alex Ovechkin scored twice and Connor McMichael picked up four assists for the 22-15-6 Capitals. Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Jacob Trouba, and Beckett Sennecke replied for the Ducks (21-18-3) as their winless skid reached six games (0-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger Tom Wilson missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, the Ducks have two wins in their last dozen games. They’ve tumbled from first place to fifth in the Pacific Division, leaving them clinging to the final Western Conference wildcard berth.

The Seattle Kraken got a 41-save performance from goaltender Philipp Grubauer to defeat the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-1. Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist for the 19-14-7 Kraken, who extended their points streak to eight games (7-0-1). Adam Klapka scored for the Flames (18-20-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle played in his 1,100th career NHL regular-season game. Speaking of the Flames, prospect defenseman Zayne Parekh set a record for most points by a Canadian blueliner in a World Junior Championship tournament, finishing with 13 as Canada took home the bronze medal in the 2026 WJC.

A three-goal first period powered the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. John Gibson made 35 saves while James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists for the 25-15-4 Red Wings, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Tim Stutzle collected two assists to extend his point streak to 13 games for the Senators (20-16-5).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews were the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 4, 2026.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn will miss the start of the club’s six-game road trip due to facial injuries suffered during the third period of Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

SPORTSNET/TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was placed on injured reserve. Defenseman Jake McCabe will be sidelined for a week with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The Panthers hope he’ll return to action before the Olympic break in February.

BOSTON.COM: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm will miss some time due to an undisclosed injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman John Klingberg on injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed Christian Dvorak to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.15 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dvorak has played a key role in the rebuilding Flyers improvement this season. The 29-year-old two-way center has nine goals and 25 points in 39 games, putting him on track for a career-best 18 goals and 50 points.

Dvorak might not be able to maintain that level of production throughout this new contract. Nevertheless, the Flyers see him as a key part of their future. He’s currently on a one-year, $5.4 million contract. With the salary cap rising significantly over the next two seasons, his new cap hit won’t take a significant chunk out of the Flyers’ cap payroll.

TSN: The St. Louis Blues signed forward Alexey Toropchenko to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $2.5 million.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed defenseman Egor Zamula on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zamula could sign with another NHL club once his contract is officially terminated on Tuesday.

TSN: Defenseman Jack Johnson officially retired as an NHL player, joining the Vancouver Canucks as a pro scout.

In 19 NHL seasons (2006-07 to 2024-25), Johnson had 342 points in 1,128 regular-season games with the Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks. He also had 21 points in 57 playoff games and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

NHL.COM: Former player, coach, and general manager Bob Pulford died on Monday at age 89.

Pulford spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings from 1956-57 to 1971-72. He spent 14 of those seasons with the Leafs, winning four Stanley Cups. He had 281 goals and 643 points in 1,079 regular-season games, and 51 points in 89 playoff games. In 1991, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Following his playing career, Pulford went on to spend five seasons coaching the Kings, winning the Jack Adams Award in 1974-75. He went on to spend five years coaching the Chicago Blackhawks and served as their general manager during four different periods between 1977 and 2005.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2026

by | Jan 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2026

Recapping Sunday’s action, the Sharks re-sign Alexander Wennberg, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi netted a hat trick, including the winner in overtime, to lift his club to a 3-2 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Andre Burakovsky collected two assists as the Blackhawks are 3-0-1 in their last four games, improving their record to 17-18-7. Brandon Saad and Mark Stone replied for the Golden Knights (17-11-12), who are winless in five games (0-3-2), but hold first place in the Pacific Division with 46 points.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi (NHL Images).

The Florida Panthers nipped the Colorado Avalanche 2-1, snapping the latter’s 10-game win streak. Daniil Tarasov stopped 27 shots while Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad scored for the 22-16-3 Panthers. Scott Wedgewood made 23 saves, and Artturi Lehkonen replied for the Avalanche (31-3-7), who lead the league with 69 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury after crashing into the Panthers’ net. After the game, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Landeskog is going to miss some time. The Avs played without defenseman Devon Toews, who is sidelined with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Lane Hutson gave the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky each finished with a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (23-13-6), who completed their seven-game road trip with a record of 4-1-2. Wyatt Johnston tallied twice for the 25-9-8 Stars, who are winless in their last five contests (0-2-3).

The Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 in overtime. Sidney Crosby tallied the winning goal, finishing the game with two points as his Penguins (20-12-9) extended their win streak to five games. Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko each scored a goal and an assist for the 18-16-7 Blue Jackets.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Brandon Bussi made 28 saves for the 25-14-3 Hurricanes as they ended a three-game losing skid. Dawson Mercer replied for the Devils (22-18-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes was dejected after being booed by Devils fans for a pair of costly mistakes that ended up in his own net. However, his teammates (especially goaltender Jake Allen) defended the young blueliner following the game.

HEADLINES

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed forward Alexander Wennberg to a three-year, $18 million contract extension. The average annual value is $6 million, and comes with a full no-trade clause through the first two seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move indicates a shift for the Sharks. They’ve been rebuilding over the past several seasons, which would’ve meant trading a veteran on an expiring contract (such as Wennberg) to a playoff contender for draft picks and prospects. Instead, they’ve opted to re-sign the 31-year-old center, who has played a key role as the Sharks challenge for a postseason berth in the Western Conference, sitting fifth among their scorers with 26 points.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev could miss the remainder of the regular season with an undisclosed injury. He’s slated to meet with a surgeon soon, and could be sidelined until late April or early May.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries limited the 36-year-old Tanev to just 11 games this season. His recent return to action was among the reasons behind the Maple Leafs’ improvement in late December.

CBC.CA: The NHL’s department of player safety suspended Calgary Flames forward John Beecher and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley one game each for separate roughing incidents on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The incidents referred to were Beecher’s sucker punch of Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron and Stanley doing the same to Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.

TSN: Former Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan has been hired by Hockey Canada to lead a review of men’s junior hockey in Ontario.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 4, 2026

by | Jan 4, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 4, 2026

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews set a franchise goal record, the Avalanche made history as they extended their win streak to 10 games, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews scored twice to become the Toronto Maple Leafs’ all-time goal-scoring leader (421) in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders. Matthew Schaefer tallied twice, including the winning goal, for the 23-15-4 Islanders, while the Maple Leafs (19-15-7) extended their points streak to six games (4-0-2).

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews moved past Mats Sundin, who held the previous record of 420 goals for 18 seasons. It was also a milestone game for Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who played in his 1,100th NHL regular-season game.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists to rally his club from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3. Brock Nelson scored two goals for the league-leading Avalanche (31-2-7, 69 points), as they extended their win streak to 10 games. Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist for the 24-14-3 Hurricanes, who have lost three straight games but remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche became the fourth team in NHL history to post two double-digit win streaks in one season, joining the 2019-20 Tampa Bay Lightning, the 1970-71 Boston Bruins, and the 1929-30 Bruins. Meanwhile, Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns played his 965th straight NHL regular-season game, which is the third-most in league history.

Nikita Kucherov had a goal and four assists, and teammate Darren Raddysh tallied his first career NHL hat trick, as the Tampa Bay Lightning rolled to a 7-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Pavol Regenda scored all three goals for the Sharks (20-18-3) as their three-game win streak ended. The Lightning picked up their seventh straight victory, improving to 25-13-3 and taking over first place in the Eastern Conference with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin left this game with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update regarding his status.

The Buffalo Sabres’ 10-game win streak ended in a 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Denton Mateychuk had a goal and an assist, and Jet Greaves stopped 31 shots for the Blue Jackets (18-16-6), who’ve won four of their last five games. Josh Doan replied for the 21-15-4 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno’s shootout goal lifted his club over the Washington Capitals by a score of 3-2. Spencer Knight made 32 saves for the 16-18-7 Blackhawks. Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard scored for the Capitals (21-15-6), who have only four wins in their last 14 games (4-6-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Washington winger Tom Wilson left in the first period with an injured right leg. Following the game, head coach Spencer Carbery said he thought Wilson’s injury wasn’t too bad, and they’ll know more on Sunday. Meanwhile, Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas was a late scratch with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators doubled up the Winnipeg Jets 4-2. Thomas Chabot scored two goals, and Tim Stutzle picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games for the 20-15-5 Senators. Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the Jets (15-21-4) as their winless skid reached nine games (0-6-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Logan Stanley got into a tussle with Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, ending with Stanley dropping Tkachuk with a sucker punch. Stanley received two roughing penalties, while Tkachuk was handed a misconduct penalty.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Yegor Chinakhov scored his first goal for Pittsburgh since being acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets last week, as the Penguins (19-12-9) have won four straight games. Alex DeBrincat replied for the 24-15-4 Red Wings, who were limited to 12 shots in this contest.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of recently-acquired Penguins, Egor Zamula was suspended by the team for failing to report to its AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 31.

The Philadelphia Flyers defeat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2. Travis Sanheim and Owen Tippett each had a goal and an assist, and rookie forward Denver Barkey tallied his first NHL goal for the 21-12-7 Flyers. Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to 15 games for the Oilers (20-16-2), who remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 46 points.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington made 25 saves for his first shutout of the season in a 2-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens, ending the latter’s points streak at seven games. Jonatan Berggren and Robert Thomas scored for the 17-18-8 Blues, while Jacob Fowler turned aside 17 shots for the 22-13-6 Canadiens.

A shootout goal by Brandt Clarke gave the Los Angeles Kings a 5-4 victory against the Minnesota Wild. Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist for the Kings as they improved to 17-14-9 on the season. Brock Faber had a goal and an assist, and Jesper Wallstedt made 35 saves for the 25-10-8 Wild.

The Boston Bruins got an overtime goal from Vancouver native Fraser Minten for a 3-2 win over the Canucks. Minten finished with two goals against his hometown club, and Jeremy Swayman kicked out 31 shots for the Bruins (22-18-2). Filip Hronek had a goal and an assist for the 16-20-5 Canucks, who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist as his club defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-1. Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 shots while Jack Hughes and Brett Pesce each had two assists for the Devils (22-17-2). Michael Carcone replied for the 19-20-3 Mammoth.

Nashville Predators forward Michael Bunting had a goal and three assists as his club nipped the Calgary Flames by a score of 4-3. Erik Haula tallied two goals for the Predators, who improved to 19-18-4. Dustin Wolf stopped 32 shots, and Matt Coronato collected two assists for the Flames (18-19-4) as their three-game win streak ended.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2026

by | Jan 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2026

Mika Zibanejad had a record-setting performance at the 2026 Winter Classic. The Winter Olympics men’s hockey rosters for the United States, Sweden, and Finland were also announced, along with other notable developments, in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad had a hat trick and collected two assists in a 5-1 victory over the host Florida Panthers at the 2026 NHL Winter Classic before a sellout crowd of 36,153 fans at loanDepot Park in Miami.

New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad (NHL Images).

Artemi Panarin tallied twice and had an assist, Alexis Lafreniere picked up three assists, and Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves for the Rangers (20-18-5), who ended a three-game winless skid. Sam Reinhart replied for the 21-16-3 Panthers, who have one win in their last four games (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a record-setting game for Zibanejad. He netted the first hat trick and the most points (five) in an outdoor NHL game. He also tied the Rangers’ record for the most power-play goals with 116.

Panarin is in a four-way tie for the most points (seven) in outdoor NHL games. The Rangers are 6-0-0 in outdoor NHL games, and 3-0-0 in the Winter Classic.

Panthers defenseman Seth Jones left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn snapped a 3-3 tie late in the third period to lift his club over the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 4-3. Alexey Toropchenko and Oskar Sundqvist each had a goal and an assist as the Blues held a 3-1 lead before the Golden Knights rallied on goals by Mark Stone and Pavel Dorofeyev. The Blues improved to 16-18-8 while the 17-11-4 Golden Knights have one win in their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel returned to action after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. However, teammate Brayden McNabb is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes tied his career high of four assists as his club rolled to a 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Danila Yurov scored two goals for the 25-10-7 Wild, who extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2). Beckett Sennecke and Troy Terry scored for the Ducks (21-17-3), who have dropped five straight games and have two wins in their last 11 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Dec. 9, the Ducks led the Pacific Division (19-10-1, 39 points) and had the third-best record in the Pacific Division. They had avoided the struggles that plagued other rising young clubs such as the Montreal Canadiens, Utah Mammoth, and Chicago Blackhawks through the opening two months of this season. However, it appears they were not as immune to growing pains after all.

A shootout goal by Matty Beniers lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Jake DeBrusk had a goal and two assists for the Canucks, who are 16-20-4. The Kraken improved to 18-4-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canucks placed center Marco Rossi (lower body) on injured reserve, and signed forward Linus Karlsson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $2.25 million.

HEADLINES

The United States, Sweden, and Finland officially unveiled their men’s rosters for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina in February.

TEAM USA

Forwards

Matt Boldy (Minnesota Wild)
Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets)
Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights)
Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils)
Clayton Keller (Utah Mammoth)
Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings)
Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)
J.T. Miller (New York Rangers)
Brock Nelson (Colorado Avalanche)
Tage Thompson (Buffalo Sabres)
Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators)
Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers)
Vincent Trocheck (New York Rangers)

Defensemen

Brock Faber (Minnesota Wild)
Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights)
Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild)
Seth Jones (Florida Panthers)
Charlie McAvoy (Boston Bruins)
Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators)
Jaccob Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes)
Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Goaltenders

Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets)
Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars)
Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Four notable players who weren’t chosen were Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield, New York Rangers defenseman Alex Fox, and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies.

By the way, I’ve noticed that the players who weren’t selected are considered “snubbed”. The dictionary defines a snub as an act of showing disdain or a lack of cordiality by rebuffing or ignoring someone or something.

That’s not what happened here. There were only so many roster spots, and the management and coaching staffs made difficult choices after careful consideration. It’s fine to disagree with their decisions or try to make the case why the players who didn’t make the cut should be there, but they weren’t snubbed.

TEAM SWEDEN

Forwards

Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils)

Leo Carlsson (Anaheim Ducks)

Joel Eriksson Ek (Minnesota Wild)

Filip Forsberg (Nashville Predators)

Pontus Holmberg (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Adrian Kempe (Los Angeles Kings)

Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche)

Elias Lindholm (Boston Bruins)

William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks)

Rickard Rakell (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings)

Alexander Wennberg (San Jose Sharks)

Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers)

Defensemen

Rasmus Andersson (Calgary Flames)

Philip Broberg (St. Louis Blues)

Jonas Brodin (Minnesota Wild)

Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres)

Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Gustav Forsling (Florida Panthers)

Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Goaltenders

Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota Wild)

Jacob Markström (New Jersey Devils)

Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota Wild)

TEAM FINLAND

Forwards

Joel Armia (Los Angeles Kings)
Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes)
Mikael Granlund (Anaheim Ducks)
Erik Haula (Nashville Predators)
Roope Hintz (Dallas Stars)
Kaapo Kakko (Seattle Kraken)
Oliver Kapanen (Montreal Canadiens)
Joel Kiviranta (Colorado Avalanche)
Artturi Lehkonen (Colorado Avalanche)
Anton Lundell (Florida Panthers)
Eetu Luostarinen (Florida Panthers)
Mikko Rantanen (Dallas Stars)
Teuvo Teravainen (Chicago Blackhawks)
Eeli Tolvanen (Seattle Kraken)

Defensemen

Miro Heiskanen (Dallas Stars)
Henri Jokiharju (Boston Bruins)
Mikko Lehtonen (ZSC Lions, Switzerland)
Esa Lindell (Dallas Stars)
Olli Maatta (Utah Mammoth)
Nikolas Matinpalo (Ottawa Senators)
Niko Mikkola (Florida Panthers)
Rasmus Ristolainen (Philadelphia Flyers)

Goaltenders

Kevin Lankinen (Vancouver Canucks)
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo Sabres)
Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators)

SPORTSNET: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat is out for at least a week with a lower-body injury.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche placed goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets activated defenseman Zach Werenski from injured reserve.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks blueliner John Klingberg is doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2026

by | Jan 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2026

Recapping the New Year’s Day games, injury updates, and the three stars and Rookie of the Month for December are revealed in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews tallied his 14th career NHL regular-season hat trick to rally the Toronto Maple Leafs from a 4-1 deficit to a 6-5 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Matthews’ third goal snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period, and he also collected an assist for the 19-15-6 Maple Leafs, who’ve won four of their last five games. Mark Scheifele scored two goals and picked up an assist for the Jets (15-20-4) as their winless skid reached eight games (0-5-3).

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 419 NHL career regular-season goals, Matthews needs one more to tie Mats Sundin for the franchise goals record. The Maple Leafs replaced goaltender Joseph Woll with Dennis Hildeby after Woll gave up 4 goals on 17 shots. Since Nov. 11, the Jets have won only six times in their last 24 games.

Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther collected his first NHL hat trick and picked up an assist as his club thumped the New York Islanders 7-2. Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, and Mikhail Sergachev each had three-point performances as the Mammoth improved to 19-19-3. Calum Ritchie and Matthew Schaefer replied for the 22-15-4 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Bo Horvat left this game in the third period with a lower-body injury. He will see a doctor on Friday. Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka stopped 20 shots for the win as he returned to action after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang celebrated his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game by scoring in overtime in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Sidney Crosby scored twice and collected an assist for the 18-12-9 Penguins, who have won three straight games. James van Riemsdyk, Andrew Copp, and Alex DeBrincat scored for the Red Wings (24-14-4), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson had two assists to reach 900 career NHL regular-season points. The last time the Red Wings were in first place in the Eastern Conference at this stage or later in the season was Feb. 7, 2015.

The Montreal Canadiens picked up their first win in Carolina since 2016 by defeating the Hurricanes 7-5. Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, and Sammy Blais each had a goal and an assist, and Cole Caufield sniped his 20th goal of the season for the Canadiens (22-12-6) as they extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2). Sebastian Aho had two goals and three assists for the 24-13-3 Hurricanes, who slipped out of first place in the Eastern Conference but hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson missed this game with an upper-body injury, while winger Josh Anderson left in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov collected two assists to become the first rookie to reach 35 points this season.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Anthony Cirelli, Gage Goncalves, and Nikita Kucherov lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Kucherov finished with three points, and Brandon Hagel scored twice for the 24-13-3 Lightning, who extended their win streak to six games. Corey Perry picked up three assists for the Kings (16-14-9), who have only two wins in their last 10 contests.

The Ottawa Senators overcame a 2-0 deficit to nip the Washington Capitals 4-3. Fabian Zetterlund snapped a 3-3 tie late in the third period while Tim Stutzle collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games for the 19-15-1 Senators, ending their three-game winless skid. Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (21-15-5), who have only two wins in their last seven games (2-4-1).

Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev tallied twice in a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars. Spencer Knight stopped 22 shots while Ryan Donato and Andre Burakovsky each had two assists for the 15-18-7 Blackhawks. Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, and Matt Duchene each had a goal and an assist for the slumping Stars (25-9-7), who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers scored two goals in a 4-1 victory against the Nashville Predators. Philipp Grubauer made 24 saves for the Kraken (17-14-7), who are 5-0-1 in their last six contests. Roman Josi replied for the 18-18-4 Predators.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, and San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini are the league’s three stars for December 2025. Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov was the Rookie of the Month.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forwards Conor Garland and Marco Rossi have been sidelined for at least a week due to injuries.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry is out until at least mid-January with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Miles Wood is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta and Gavin Brindley are day-to-day with injuries.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2026

by | Jan 1, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2026

The Predators’ Steven Stamkos and the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon reach scoring milestones, the Sabres tie their franchise wins record, Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey roster is announced, and more in the first NHL Morning Coffee Headlines of the New Year.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Steven Stamkos tallied his 600th career NHL regular-season goal as the Nashville Predators overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Luke Evangelista collected two assists for the 18-17-4 Predators, who’ve won five of their last six games. Mark Stone and Ben Hutton scored for the Golden Knights (17-10-11), who have one win in their last seven contests (1-4-2).

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is the 22nd player in NHL history to reach the 600-goal plateau. He can overtake Jarri Kurri (601), Dino Ciccarelli (608), and Bobby Hull (610) to move into 19th place before the end of this season. Stamkos also has a chance to surpass Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic (625 each), but at his current rate of production, he might have to wait until next season to do so.

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, including his 400th career NHL regular-season goal, and Valeri Nichushkin netted a hat trick in a 6-1 drubbing of the St. Louis Blues. MacKinnon also collected two assists as the league-leading Avalanche (67 points) won their ninth straight game, becoming the first time this season to reach 30 wins. Dalibor Dvorsky replied for the 15-18-8 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is tied with Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid for the points lead (70), but he’s running away with the goal-scoring lead with 34, sitting nine ahead of Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy and Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie.

The Buffalo Sabres tied a franchise record with their 10th straight win by upsetting the Dallas Stars 4-1. Tage Thompson scored twice and picked up an assist for the 21-14-4 Sabres. Mavrik Bourque netted the only goal for the Stars (25-8-7), who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Sabres finished 2025 holding the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. When they began the month, they were only one point out of last place in the Conference. Before this game, the Sabres announced that goalie Alex Lyon had returned to Buffalo for further evaluation for a lower-body injury and activated goalie Colten Ellis from injured reserve.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had two goals and an assist as his club ended a six-game losing skid with a 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Elias and Hampus Lindholm each had a goal and an assist while Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves for the 21-18-2 Bruins. Zach Hyman and Jack Roslovic scored for the Oilers (20-15-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 14 games.

An overtime goal by Darren Raddysh lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 4-3. Raddysh and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist, while Brandon Hagel collected three assists for the 23-13-3 Lightning, who have won five straight games. Jansen Harkins, Beckett Sennecke, and Mason McTavish tallied for the Ducks (21-16-3), who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the 1,000th career NHL regular-season game for Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, making him the 32nd bench boss in league history to achieve that milestone. Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak returned to action after missing 17 games with an injured hand.

Before this game, the Ducks announced that forward Frank Vatrano suffered a shoulder fracture during their Dec. 27 game against the Los Angeles Kings and is out for six weeks.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson scored twice and picked up an assist in a 6-3 win over the New York Rangers. Justin Sourdif also had two goals for the Capitals, who improved to 20-14-5. Adam Fox had a goal and an assist in his first game since Nov. 29 as his Rangers (19-18-5) have one win in their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forwards Conor Sheary and Noah Laba left this game with injuries.

The Detroit Red Wings held off the Winnipeg Jets 2-1. Dylan Larkin and Mason Appleton scored for the 24-14-3 Red Wings, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 51 points. Logan Stanley replied for the 15-19-4 Jets, who remain without a win in their last seven games (0-4-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first time that former Chicago Blackhawks teammates Patrick Kane (now with the Red Wings) and Jonathan Toews (Jets) faced each other in an NHL game. The duo was the nucleus of the Blackhawks’ three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015.

Toews stepped away from the game at the end of the 2022-23 campaign for health reasons before staging a comeback this season. Kane was shipped to the New York Rangers before the 2023 trade deadline.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist, and also netted the winning goal in a shootout to give his club a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Igor Chernyshov also had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (20-17-3) as they picked up their third straight victory. Vladimir Tarasenko, Marcus Foligno, and Mats Zuccarello replied for the 24-10-7 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini has points in nine straight games.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Nico Hischier, Arseny Gritsyuk, and Luke Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Hughes finished with two points for the 21-17-2 Devils, ending a four-game winless skid. Mason Marchment and Charlie Coyle tallied for the Blue Jackets (17-16-6).

Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund scored to extend his point streak to six games in a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Dustin Wolf stopped 26 shots, and Connor Zary had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who picked up their third straight win and improved to 18-18-4. Travis Konecny replied for the 20-12-7 Flyers.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Team Canada officially named its roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

Forwards:

Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks)
Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Bo Horvat (New York Islanders)
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Brad Marchand (Florida Panthers)
Mitch Marner (Vegas Golden Knights)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers)
Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights)
Nick Suzuki (Montreal Canadiens)
Tom Wilson (Washington Capitals)

Defensemen:

Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)
Thomas Harley (Dallas Stars)
Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche)
Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets)
Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues)
Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia Flyers)
Shea Theodore (Vegas Golden Knights)
Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche)

Goaltenders:

Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues)
Darcy Kuemper (Los Angeles Kings)
Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This roster mostly consists of players who skated for Canada in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

The biggest change is in net, as Kuemper and Thompson replaced the sidelined Adin Hill and the struggling Sam Montembeault. Nevertheless, the goaltending remains a question mark for Canada, especially given Binnington’s difficulties in goal this season.

Notable players passed over by Canada’s selection committee include Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie, and Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett.

The exclusion of Bennett was the biggest surprise. He played well for Canada in the 4 Nations tournament and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in June as the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan reports Utah Mammoth winger Clayton Keller, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson, and Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones will be named to Team USA’s Men’s Olympic roster. New York Rangers blueliner Adam Fox did not make the cut.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team USA’s roster will be officially announced on Jan. 2. Fox’s absence is a surprise, as he was part of their 4 Nations’ roster last February. Kaplan indicated that Rangers personnel involved with Team USA, including Rangers general manager Chris Drury, pushed hard for Fox but understood the decision due to Team USA’s depth at the blueline.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev is expected to miss significant time with a groin injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a difficult season for the 36-year-old Tanev. Injuries have already limited him to 11 games this season.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW/PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins traded winger Philip Tomasino to the Flyers in exchange for defenseman Yegor Zamula.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a swap of players who weren’t working out with their now-former clubs.

NHL.COM: Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Lowell MacDonald died on Dec. 28 at the age of 84. He spent seven of his 13-season NHL career with the Penguins, and also skated for the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings. He had 180 goals and 210 assists for 390 points in 506 regular-season games between 1961-62 and 1977-78, and 22 points in 31 playoff contests.

Injuries hampered MacDonald during his playing career. His best seasons were with the Penguins. He was named to the All-Star Game twice and was the first Penguins player to win an NHL award, taking home the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1972-73.

Following his playing career, MacDonald spent two decades at the University School of Milwaukee as a teacher, Athletic Director, and coach. A native of Thorburn, Nova Scotia, he was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Growing up in Nova Scotia during the 1970s, there weren’t many “Bluenoser” NHL players for me to cheer for back then. I didn’t get to see MacDonald play often unless the Penguins were playing the Montreal Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada. Nevertheless, I followed his career closely in The Hockey News and other sports publications.

MacDonald was a trailblazer for Nova Scotia-born hockey players—my condolences to his family, friends, and former teammates.