NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2026

by | Mar 28, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2026

The Red Wings move closer to a wild-card berth, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings regained some ground in the race for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and two assists, Patrick Kane scored and picked up an assist, and John Gibson made 28 saves for the 39-25-8 Red Wings (86 points), who moved to within one point of the New York Islanders for the final Eastern wild card. Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin replied for the Sabres (44-21-8), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres missed an opportunity to take over sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference from the Carolina Hurricanes, who hold two games in hand. Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day. The Wings called up Michal Postava to back up Gibson.

New York Rangers rookie goalie Dylan Garand stopped 27 shots for his first NHL win as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1. Rookie winger Adam Sykora tallied his first NHL goal, J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists, and Jonny Brodzinski tallied twice for the 29-35-9 Rangers. Nick Lardis scored for the 27-33-13 Blackhawks.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: The date for the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery was officially confirmed for Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson suffered an upper-body injury during Thursday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. He is listed as week-to-week.

CALGARY SUN: Flames forward Samuel Honzek has returned to practice with his teammates for the first time since suffering an upper-body collision after colliding with teammate Mikael Backlund. However, the 21-year-old will not return to action this season.

TORONTO STAR: The Maple Leafs returned forward Bo Groulx to their AHL affiliate. If he played one more game with the Leafs, he couldn’t return to the Marlies without passing through waivers. The Leafs want Groulx to take part in this year’s Calder Cup playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Groulx played well during his brief call-up. The 26-year-old center had three goals and two assists for five points in nine games, which could earn him a permanent spot with the Maple Leafs next season. He has 50 points in 52 games with the Marlies.

CBS SPORTS: The Colorado Avalanche reassigned winger Gavin Brindley to their AHL affiliate. With the Avalanche finally sporting a healthy roster, Brindley had been a recent healthy scratch. He’ll get more playing time with their farm club.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Peter Chiarelli and Kevin Maxwell are leaving the St. Louis Blues organization. Chiarelli was their vice president of hockey operations, and Maxwell served as a pro scout.

Chiarelli is reportedly among the candidates to replace Barry Trotz as general manager of the Nashville Predators. Maxwell is returning to the Rangers in a management role.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars promoted Rich Peverley to assistant GM. He’d served as their director of player personnel.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2026

by | Mar 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2026

Connor McDavid reaches another milestone as he regains the scoring lead, the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin and the Ducks’ Mikael Granlund have hat-trick performances, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists to regain the lead in the scoring race in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Evan Bouchard scored in overtime and collected an assist while Zach Hyman netted his 30th goal of the season for the 36-28-9 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 81 points. Mark Stone tallied twice for the Golden Knights (32-26-15), who sit two points behind the Oilers in third place.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is tied with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov with 121 points, but he holds the lead with 41 goals. He also became the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach the 800-assist plateau, doing so in 785 regular-season games. He’s behind Wayne Gretzky (527 games) and Mario Lemieux (661 games)

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin set a league record by tallying a hat trick against his 21st NHL team to lead his club over the Utah Mammoth 7-4. Ivan Miroshnichenko scored two goals for the Capitals (36-28-9). Dylan Guenther tallied twice while Clayton Keller collected three assists for the 37-30-6 Mammoth, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 29 goals, Ovechkin is poised to reach the 30-goal mark for what will be a league-record 20th time. He also has 34 career hat tricks, passing Brett Hull for fourth place on the all-time list behind Gretzky (50), Lemieux (40), and Mike Bossy (39).

Mammoth forward Barrett Hayton missed this game as he’s considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of hat tricks, Mikael Granlund had one in the Anaheim Ducks’ 3-2 overtime win over the Calgary Flames. John Carlson picked up two assists for the 41-27-4 Ducks as they hold first place in the Pacific Division with 86 points. Blake Coleman and Matvei Gridin replied for the Flames (30-34-8).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice to widen his lead in the goal-scoring race as his club downed the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. The Avalanche (48-13-10) extended its win streak to four games as they hold first place in the overall standings with 106 points. Mark Scheifele scored both goals for the Jets (30-30-12) as they sit five points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon has 48 goals, sitting four ahead of Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield. With 117 points, he’s third in the race for the Art Ross Trophy behind McDavid and Kucherov. Meanwhile, Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen collected an assist as he returned to action after being sidelined for 11 games with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of Kucherov, he had an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Seattle Kraken. Defenseman Brandon Montour scored twice (including the game-winner) while Kaapo Kakko and Bobby McMann each had a goal and an assist for the 32-29-10 Kraken (74 points), who are three points out of the final Western wild card. Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (44-21-6), who hold second place in the Atlantic Division with 94 points.

The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 2-1. Jayden Struble and Zach Bolduc snapped their lengthy scoring droughts for the Canadiens (40-21-10), who picked up their third straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 90 points. Damon Severson replied for the 38-23-11 Blue Jackets, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer collected two assists in a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Bo Horvat tallied his 30th goal of the season, and Calum Ritchie also scored for the 41-27-5 Islanders, who regained the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 87 points. Matt Duchene replied for the Stars (43-18-11), who remain in second place in the overall standings with 97 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders played without defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who will be out for one to two weeks with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by rookie forward Ben Kindel lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Rickard Rakell had two goals and an assist, and Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for the 36-20-16 Penguins, who moved back into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points. Drake Batherson tallied twice for the Senators (38-24-10), as they slipped out of the final Eastern wild card by one point behind the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left this game early in the second period with a lower-body injury. There was no post-game update regarding his condition. Crosby recently returned to action after missing 11 games with a torn MCL in his right knee.

The Senators will be without Thomas Chabot for the next six to eight weeks after he suffered a broken forearm during Monday’s win against the New York Rangers.

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek snapped a 2-2 tie with five seconds remaining in the third period to give his club a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers. Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman also scored for the Wild (41-20-12) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 94 points. Daniil Tarasov kicked out 47 shots, and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist for the 35-33-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Foligno returned to action after missing the last 12 games with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues left this game after suffering a broken finger and could be out for the remainder of the season.

The New Jersey Devils doubled up the Nashville Predators 4-2, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Nico Hischier scored two goals, and Jesper Bratt had a goal and two assists for the 37-32-2 Devils. Steven Stamkos scored his 36th goal of the season for the Predators (34-29-9) as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Arseny Gritsyuk is out for the rest of this week after suffering an undisclosed injury during their 6-4 win over the Stars on Tuesday.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 4-0. Quinton Byfield and Trevor Moore each had a goal and an assist for the Kings (29-25-18), who remain one point behind the Predators. Kevin Lankinen stopped 34 of 37 shots for the 21-42-8 Canucks.

The Philadelphia Flyers kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Bump, Christian Dvorak, and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist for the 35-24-12 Flyers (82 points), leaving them five points out of the final Eastern wild card. Connor Bedard netted his 30th goal of the season for the 27-32-13 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers forward Nikita Grebenkin missed this game as he’s out for at least a week with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Dylan Holloway gave the St. Louis Blues a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Holloway also collected the primary assist on Dalibor Dvorsky’s second-period goal for the 30-30-11 Blues. Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks (32-31-7), who are 0-5-1 in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2026

by | Mar 25, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2026

​Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches two scoring milestones, the Blue Jackets, Senators, and Predators keep climbing in the playoff standings, the Panthers’ Paul Maurice reaches a coaching milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored twice to reach his 400th career regular-season goal and his 1,200th career regular-season point in a 5-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Jack Roslovic also tallied two goals while Evan Bouchard collected three assists for the 35-28-9 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 79 points. Alexander Kerfoot and Lawson Crouse replied for the Mammoth (37-29-6), who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 80 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is the third-fastest player to reach the 1,200-point plateau, doing so in 784 games. Wayne Gretzky is the fastest (504 games), followed by Mario Lemieux (593 games).

As for the Mammoth, they signed prospect forward Caleb Desnoyers to a three-year entry-level contract on March 23. The 18-year-old center was chosen fourth overall by the Mammoth in last year’s draft. He’s hoping to earn a spot on their roster and one day play a top-six role.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (38-22-11) rose to second place in the Metropolitan Division (87 points) by holding off the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Zach Werenski and Mason Marchment each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who are 19-3-4 since hiring Rick Bowness as head coach on Jan. 12. Sean Couturier and Jamie Drysdale replied for the 34-24-12 Flyers (80 points), who remain five points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couturier, Denver Barkey, and Luke Glendening returned to the Flyers lineup after being sidelined by injuries.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Carter Yakemchuk had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut in a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Brady Tkachuk also had a goal and an assist, and Linus Ullmark stopped 32 shots as the Senators (38-24-9) have won 15 of their last 20 games to move into the final Eastern Conference wild card with 85 points. Dominik Shine and Dylan Larkin each scored for the struggling Red Wings (38-25-8), who’ve dropped two games in a row and sit one point behind the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin was returning from a seven-game absence with a lower-body injury.

The Nashville Predators widened their lead for the final Western Conference wild card by defeating the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists while Jonathan Marchessault collected three assists for the 34-28-9 Predators (77 points), who picked up their fifth straight win. Will Smith had two goals for the fading Sharks (32-31-6), who’ve lost five straight games.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice reached the 2,000-game coaching milestone in a 5-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Panthers (35-32-3) blew a 4-1 lead, but got the win on a shootout goal by Vinnie Hinostroza. Jordan Eberle had a goal and an assist for the 31-29-10 Kraken (72 points), who sit five points back of the Predators.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche got two goals from Martin Necas to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2. Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves for the win while Nathan MacKinnon tallied his league-leading 46th goal of the season for the 47-13-10 Avalanche, who hold a seven-point lead over the Dallas Stars in the overall standings with 104 points. Egor Chinahkov and Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins (35-20-16), who slipped to third place in the Pacific Division with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang picked up an assist to reach 800 career regular-season points. He’s the highest-scoring blueliner in franchise history, sitting fifth among their all-time points leaders. Teammate Evgeni Malkin missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor made his season debut after being sidelined by offseason hip surgery and an undisclosed issue.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked out 41 shots in a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Ivan Demidov each had a goal and an assist for the 39-21-10 Canadiens, who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 88 points. Nikolaj Ehlers and Jordan Staal scored for the Hurricanes (45-20-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield tallied his 44th goal of the season, sitting two behind MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s top goal scorer.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Erik Cernak, Brandon Hagel, and Pontus Holmberg gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (44-21-5) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 93 points. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist for the 40-20-12 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 92 points.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored two goals as his club held off the Dallas Stars 6-4. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist for the 36-32-2 Devils. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson each had three-point performances for the Stars (43-17-11), who sit second in the West with 97 points.

Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish scored his first goal in 15 games to snap a 3-3 tie as his club went on to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. Mikael Granlund tallied twice for the 40-27-4 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 84 points. Center Elias Pettersson and defenseman Filip Hronek each had two assists for the 21-41-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas returned to action after serving a five-game suspension for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who is out for the season as a result. Gudas expressed remorse for injuring Matthews, claiming he “felt terrible about the outcome.”

Actions speak louder than words, and Gudas’ actions definitely speak louder than his empty words. The fact that he got off with a five-game suspension remains a disgraceful decision by the league’s so-called “department of player safety”.

Meanwhile, the Canucks are raising ticket prices for next season by 10 percent. Teams charge what they believe their market will bear, but they might be unwilling to bear that increase when the team is coming off a dreadful season as they rebuild their roster.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 triumph over the Vegas Golden Knights. Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the 30-29-12 Jets, as they sit five points back of the Predators with 72 points. Rasmus Andersson scored for the 32-26-14 Golden Knights, who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 78 points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs (30-29-13) got two goals from Matthew Knies to double up the Boston Bruins 4-2. Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves in his return to action after being struck in the throat by a puck during warmups on Saturday. Elias Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy replied for the 39-24-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild card with 86 points.

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Anton Frondell collected an assist in his NHL debut as his club upset the New York Islanders 4-3. Nick Lardis had a goal and two assists for the 27-31-13 Blackhawks. Anders Lee, Simon Holmstrom, and Calum Ritchie scored for the Islanders (40-27-5), as they slipped out of the final Eastern wild card with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold that wild card with a game in hand. Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer set an NHL record for the most single-game ice time by a teenager at 31:59. Isles defenseman Tony DeAngelo left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Yegor Sharangovich lifted the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Olli Maatta and Zayne Parekh scored in regulation for the 30-34-7 Flames. Quinton Byfield netted both goals for the Kings (28-25-18), who set three points behind the Predators.

The St. Louis Blues got a 21-save shutout from Joel Hofer in a 3-0 win over the Washington Capitals. Jimmy Snuggerud, Otto Stenberg, and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues (29-30-11). Logan Thompson stopped 24 of 26 shots for the 35-28-9 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois received a match penalty for a deliberate attempt to injure Blues center Robert Thomas. The two collided, and Dubois appeared to grab Thomas as they fell to the ice, with the latter’s head striking the ice. The Blues center left the game, but head coach Jim Montgomery said afterwards that Thomas was fine and had passed the concussion protocol.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 23, 2026

by | Mar 23, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 23, 2026

Alex Ovechkin reaches 1,000 combined career goals, the Stars clinch a playoff berth, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 1,000th career goal (regular season and playoffs combined), but his club dropped a 3-2 decision to the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. Brock Nelson scored in overtime, and Martin Necas collected two assists for the 46-13-10 Avalanche (102 points). Justin Sourdif also scored for the Capitals (35-27-9).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin joins Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky as the only players to score 1,000 combined NHL goals. Gretzky has 1,016, which the 40-year-old Ovechkin could break if he returns next season. Meanwhile, Capitals forward Ethen Frank left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog scored in his first game since being sidelined on March 6 when he was struck in the groin by a puck. “I took a 96-mile-per-hour slapshot in the nuts, and it hurt,” Landeskog said. “So yeah, had a quick surgery to fix some things and we’re good to go”.

The Dallas Stars clinched a playoff berth despite a 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Wyatt Johnston set the single-season franchise record for power-play goals with 23 for the Stars (43-16-11), who sit in second place in the overall standings with 97 points. Brayden McNabb, Ivan Barbashev, and Reilly Smith scored for the 32-25-14 Golden Knights, who moved ahead of the Edmonton Oilers into second place in the Pacific Division with 78 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars clinched a postseason berth because the Utah Mammoth defeated the Los Angeles Kings. Speaking of which…

Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz tallied twice, including the overtime winner, to nip the Los Angeles Kings 4-3. Lawson Crouse scored two goals and collected an assist while Karel Vejmelka stopped 33 shots for the 37-28-6 Mammoth, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 80 points. Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist for the Kings (28-25-17, 73 points), who are two points behind the Nashville Predators for the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth recently re-signed forward Michael Carcone to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.75 million.

Speaking of the surging Predators, Filip Forsberg also had a two-goal game with an overtime winner in a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Forsberg collected an assist on Steven Stamkos’ game-tying goal for the Predators (33-28-9, 75 points), who’ve won four straight games. Nick Lardis and Connor Bedard scored for the 26-31-13 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk suffered an upper-body injury during the first period of this game. He will miss the club’s upcoming four-game road trip.

The Anaheim Ducks blew a 4-2 lead, but recovered for a 6-5 win over the Buffalo Sabres on an overtime goal by Troy Terry, who finished this game with two goals. Chris Kreider, Beckett Sennecke, and Jackson LaCombe each had a goal and an assist for the 39-27-4 Ducks, who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. Zach Benson and Owen Power each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (44-20-7), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division and second place in the Eastern Conference with 95 points.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1. Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists, and Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and an assist for the 45-19-6 Hurricanes (96 points). Egor Chinakhov replied for the Penguins (35-19-16), who cling to second place in the Metropolitan Division with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea missed this game with a facial injury suffered during Saturday’s win over the Winnipeg Jets. Earlier in the day, the Penguins announced they’ve signed 2025 first-round pick Bill Zonnon to a three-year entry-level contract.

The New York Islanders got a 26-save shutout from Ilya Sorokin to blank the Columbus Blue Jackets 1-0, snapping the latter’s 12-game points streak. Bo Horvat scored for the Islanders (40-26-5) as they moved into the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 85 points, one point ahead of the Detroit Red Wings. Jet Greaves made 21 saves for the 37-22-11 Blue Jackets, who are in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets sit ahead of the Islanders because they hold a game in hand.

An overtime goal by Ryan Strome lifted the Calgary Flames to a 4-3 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Devin Cooley stopped 32 shots for the 29-34-7 Flames, who’d held a 3-1 lead before Tampa Bay rallied on goals by Darren Raddysh and Pontus Holmberg. The Lightning (43-21-5) holds second place in the Atlantic Division with 91 points.

The Winnipeg Jets downed the New York Rangers 3-2 on a shootout goal by Kyle Connor. Adam Lowry and Gabriel Vilardi scored for the 29-29-12 Jets (70 points), who are five points out of the final Western wild-card spot. Mika Zibanejad tallied his 30th goal of the season, and Dyland Garand made 35 saves in his NHL debut for the 28-33-9 Rangers

IN OTHER NEWS…

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers forward A.J. Greer received a three-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for boarding Flames forward Connor Zary.

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild reporter Jessi Pierce, 37, died Saturday, along with her three children, in a fire at her home.

“The entire National Hockey League family sends our prayers and deepest condolences to the Pierce family on the passing of Jessi Pierce and her three children,” the league said in a statement. “Jessi loved our game and was a valued member of the NHL.com team for a decade. We will miss her terribly.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I send my sincere condolences to Jessi’s family, friends, co-workers, and the NHL.com team.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 21, 2026

by | Mar 21, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 21, 2026

Check out the latest about Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, Ducks center Mason McTavish, and Avalanche center Jack Drury in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HURRICANES INQUIRED ABOUT JORDAN BINNINGTON BEFORE THE TRADE DEADLINE

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports sources suggested the Carolina Hurricanes checked in with the St. Louis Blues about goaltender Jordan Binnington before the March 6 trade deadline. However, that’s all it was, as the talks never got serious.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (NHL Images).

LeBrun’s report was part of his interview with Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky, which included a discussion about the club’s limited activity at the trade deadline. He noted that Tulsky wouldn’t comment about the Binnington-to-Carolina rumors leading up to the deadline. The Hurricanes GM indicated they tried everywhere to upgrade the roster.

The limited options in this summer’s free-agent market could send Tulsky into this summer’s trade market. He indicated that his club will be “actively pursuing any means” to bolster their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes were expected to take a big swing at a major deal before the deadline. Following the deadline, Tulsky noted that the asking prices were too high for his liking. Whether they’ll become more affordable this summer remains to be seen.

The Blues are expected to remain sellers this summer, with Binnington among the players they’re willing to move. Tulsky could revisit his interest if his current tandem of Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi fails to backstop the Hurricanes on a deep playoff run.

SHOULD THE FLYERS PURSUE DUCKS CENTER MASON MCTAVISH?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jonathan Dailey noted the Philadelphia Flyers have had a good trade history with the Anaheim Ducks, bringing in Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale. He wondered if they should continue that streak by inquiring about the availability of center Mason McTavish in the offseason.

McTavish, 23, has struggled this season with 13 goals and 32 points in 62 games, and was a recent healthy scratch against the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. He’s in the first season of a six-year contract with an average annual value of $7 million, and lacks no-trade protection until 2029-30.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is McTavish’s first season under head coach Joel Quenneville, which could explain his difficulties this season. He also missed part of training camp last fall due to his contract negotiations.

McTavish never came up in the rumor mill before the trade deadline. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean teams seeking depth at center (like the Flyers) won’t make inquiries about his availability this summer.

COULD THE AVALANCHE TRADE JACK DRURY THIS SUMMER?

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Aarif Deen was asked if the Avalanche might trade Jack Drury. They acquired Nicolas Roy from the Toronto Maple Leafs before the trade deadline, and could decide to move the 26-year-old Drury, who is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

Deen thinks trading Drury this summer is a real possibility. It could allow them to recoup some of the assets they gave up to acquire Roy and Nazem Kadri. However, they could keep him if they could get him signed to a reasonable contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2026

by | Mar 21, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2026

The Avalanche are the first club to reach 100 points and clinch a playoff spot this season, the Hurricanes regain sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche are the first team to reach the 100-point plateau and to clinch a playoff berth after defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists, and Nathan MacKinnon collected three assists for the 45-13-10 Avalanche. Wyatt Kaiser replied for the 26-31-12 Blackhawks.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 114 points, MacKinnon is tied with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov for second place in the scoring race. Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid leads the pack with 115 points. Blackhawks defenseman Louis Crevier and forward Andrew Mangiapane missed this game with unspecified injuries.

An overtime goal by Alexander Nikishin lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving them sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with 94 points. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis each collected two points for the Hurricanes (44-19-6). John Tavares and William Nylander each scored their 24th goals of the season for the 29-28-13 Maple Leafs.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-1. Alex Killorn had a goal and two assists, Ryan Poehling scored and picked up an assist, and Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for the 38-27-4 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 80 points. Dylan Guenther scored his 34th goal of the season for the Mammoth (36-28-6), who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 78 points.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson made 30 saves in a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Ryan Leonard and Aliaksei Protas scored for the Capitals (35-27-8). Jack Allen turned aside 26 shots, and Jesper Bratt scored for the 35-32-2 Devils.

The Calgary Flames downed the Florida Panthers 4-1. Victor Olofsson scored his first goal with the Flames since being acquired at the trade deadline, and Blake Coleman picked up two assists for the 28-34-7 Flames. A.J. Greer scored for the Panthers (34-32-3) before receiving a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for interference after hitting Flames forward Connor Zary from behind in the third period. Zary left the game with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no postgame update on Zary’s condition. Greer could face supplemental discipline for his actions.

Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola left the game after injuring his left leg. Panthers forwards Anton Lundell and Mackie Samoskevich miss this game with undisclosed injuries. They are considered day-to-day.

Flames forward Ryan Strome didn’t pick up any points in this game, but he’s had a positive effect on the lineup since his acquisition from the Anaheim Ducks before the March 6 trade deadline. The 32-year-old center saw limited playing time with the Ducks, putting up nine points in 33 games. He has five points in eight games with the Flames.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks forward Tyler Toffoli is expected to miss some time with a lower-body injury.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers forward Trent Frederic has been sidelined with an unspecified injury. There is no timeline for his return.

CBS SPORTS: Los Angeles Kings forward Joel Armia has been activated from injured reserve.

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Victor Mancini to a two-year, $1 million contract extension.