NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2026

by | Mar 19, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2026

Sidney Crosby returns to action for the Penguins, Alex Ovechkin ties another scoring record, the latest from the general managers’ meetings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A seven-goal third period set the stage for Sean Walker’s overtime goal from a beautiful set-up by Sebastian Aho as the Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5. Jackson Blake had a goal and two assists while Nikolaj Ehlers collected three assists for the Hurricanes (43-19-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 92 points. Erik Karlsson scored twice and picked up an assist, and Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist in his return to action for the 34-18-16 Penguins, who are in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby suffered a lower-body injury during the Olympics that sidelined him for 11 games. Before this game, the league fined Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis $5,000 for high-sticking Columbus Blue Jackets winger Conor Garland on Tuesday.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 25th goal of the season, and Cole Hutson scored in his NHL debut in a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Logan Thompson made 34 saves for the Capitals (34-27-8). Tim Stutzle replied for the 34-24-9 Senators (77 points), who remain five points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin reached the 25-goal plateau for the 20th time, tying him with Gordie Howe for the most in league history. In case you’re wondering, he holds the record for the most 30-goal seasons with 19. Hutson is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson.

A shootout goal by Wyatt Johnston lifted the Dallas Stars over the Colorado Avalanche 2-1. Jake Oettinger stopped 33 shots, and Jason Robertson scored for the 43-15-10 Stars, who sit in second place in the overall standings with 96 points. Cale Makar tallied his 20th goal of the season for the Avalanche (44-13-10), who hold first overall with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Entering 2026, the Avalanche were so far ahead in the overall standings that some observers wondered if they’d break the Boston Bruins’ 2022-23 record for the most wins (65) and points (135). However, they’ve stumbled since Jan. 4 with a record of 13 wins, 11 losses, and three overtime losses.

The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on an overtime goal by Noah Cates. Dan Vladar kicked out 34 shots while Luke Glendening and Owen Tippett scored in regulation for the 32-23-12 Flyers. Cutter Gauthier had a goal and an assist for the 37-27-4 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Trevor Zegras’ first game in Anaheim since being traded last summer to the Philadelphia Flyers. He spent five seasons with the Ducks and received a loud ovation from the fans when a tribute video was played during a TV timeout.

Before this game, the Ducks announced that forward Ross Johnston will miss the next three to four weeks with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Ducks play-by-play man Steve Carroll will retire at the end of this season. He’s been calling their games for 27 seasons.

A shootout goal by Joel Farabee gave the Calgary Flames a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Blues. Connor Zary scored in regulation while Devin Cooley turned aside 26 shots for the 27-34-7 Flames. Dylan Holloway replied for the 27-30-11 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues matched a league record with three successful coach’s challenges.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes had a goal and two assists to lead his team over the New York Rangers by a score of 6-3. Connor Brown also had a goal and two assists for the 35-31-2 Devils. Mika Zibanejad, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Conor Sheary scored for the 28-32-8 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Hughes, he wasn’t happy that his Olympic “golden goal” puck and that of Team USA women’s team scorer Megan Keller were being held in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He called it “bulls**t” and felt the pucks belonged to the players who scored those goals.

Hughes walked back his comments on Thursday, claiming he’s honored that the puck is in the Hall. “It’s like the most special place in hockey,” Hughes said. “So yeah, I’m honored that it’s there. Obviously, I think things were taken crazy (this week). That’s just the way I felt.”

Meanwhile, Hockey Hall of Fame curator Phillip Pritchard said the puck “was never Jack’s to own.” He explained that the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation stage the Olympic Games. Since 1998, the IIHF has been responsible for collecting, authenticating, and preserving items from the Olympic and world championship tournaments. It was the IIHF that officially donated Hughes’ golden goal puck to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Players who score milestone goals in the NHL are typically allowed to keep the pucks and gear for themselves. The Hall will frequently request items for its collection, but there’s no guarantee that the player or team will donate them.

That’s why Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin kept the puck from his record-breaking 895th goal last season. However, he donated his gear from that game to the Hall last summer.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman continues to swat aside calls for changes to the playoff format, claiming he’s “more than comfortable” with the current setup. Bettman made those remarks to reporters as this week’s three-day meetings of general managers wrapped up on Wednesday.

Things got a bit spicy during the GM meetings when Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek sought further clarification on a controversial goaltender interference ruling that went against his team in a recent game against the Ottawa Senators. He reportedly didn’t sound very satisfied with what he heard.

Russia’s participation in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey remains in doubt if that country’s war with Ukraine continues. Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly denied a report from Czechia claiming Sweden, Finland, and Czechia wouldn’t participate if Russia does.

Bettman also defended the department of player safety after it received widespread criticism for the five-game suspension handed to Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who is out for the rest of the season as a result.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bettman and Daly discussed other topics, but these were the main points worth passing along. Nothing of any real surprise, other than Verbeek raising a stink about the goaltender interference rule.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers placed winger Brad Marchand on long-term injury reserve with an undisclosed injury. He’s been sidelined since March 6, raising doubts as to whether he’ll return before the end of the season.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Islanders signed winger Cole Eiserman to an entry-level contract.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed forward Zachary L’Heureux to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $875,000.

HOCKEY 24/7: Penn State forward and potential 2026 first-overall draft pick Gavin McKenna is among the 10 candidates for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2026

by | Mar 4, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2026

A five-point game for Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov sets a franchise goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl scored twice and collected three assists as the Edmonton Oilers nipped the Ottawa Senators 5-4 on an overtime goal by Evan Bouchard. Connor McDavid had two assists to record his eighth 70-assist season as the Oilers (30-24-8) hold third place in the Pacific Division with 68 points. Drake Batherson tallied two goals for the Senators (29-22-9).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid tied Mario Lemieux for the second-most 70-assist seasons. Wayne Gretzky holds the record with 16 seasons. McDavid sits first in this season’s scoring race with 105 points.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar had a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Parker Kelly scored twice, and Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist to become the second player to reach 100 points this season. Cutter Gauthier replied for the Ducks (33-24-3), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 69 points. The league-leading Avalanche (91 points) improved to 41-10-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played without forward Artturi Lehkonen, who is sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored to set the franchise record of 220 goals in a 5-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Matt Boldy had three assists for the 36-16-10 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 82 points. Nikita Kucherov scored for the Lightning (38-17-4), who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 80 points, but have lost three straight games.

The Dallas Stars collected their 10th straight win as they thumped the Calgary Flames 6-1. Matt Duchene had four assists, and Sam Steel scored two goals and an assist for the 38-14-9 Stars, who sit second in the Western Conference with 85 points. Morgan Frost replied for the 24-29-7 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz missed this game as he’s on injured reserve with an illness.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini scored his 30th goal of the season and collected three assists in a 7-5 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens overcame a 5-2 deficit to tie the game. However, Kiefer Sherwood tallied the winning goal with 3:26 remaining in the third period for the 30-25-4 Sharks (64 points), who sit three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Mike Matheson had three assists, and Alex Newhook tallied twice for the Canadiens (33-18-9), who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 75 points.

Unanswered third-period goals by Sean Monahan and Charlie Coyle lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Nashville Predators by a score of 3-2. The Blue Jackets improved to 31-21-8 (70 points), sitting three points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card berth. Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators (27-26-8), sitting five points out of the final Western wild-card with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly left the game in the third period after being accidentally struck in the left eye by Coyle’s stick during a faceoff. Following the game, the Predators released a statement indicating that O’Reilly will be ok. He is returning with the team to Nashville, where the club’s medical team will evaluate him.

The Predators were also busy in the trade market before this game. They shipped forward Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild for a 2028 second-round pick, and forward Cole Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2028 third-round pick and minor-league defenseman Cristoffer Sedoff.

Moving those two pending UFA depth players shouldn’t adversely affect the Predators’ efforts to secure a playoff berth. However, that could change if they ship out more significant UFA-eligible players such as Erik Haula, Michael Bunting, and Nick Blankenburg.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres, who picked up their fourth straight win. Jason Zucker, Owen Power, and Tage Thompson scored for the 36-19-6 Sabres, who are two points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Lightning with 78 points. Ivan Barbashev and Pavel Dorofeyev replied for the Golden Knights (28-19-14), who cling to first place in the Pacific Division with 70 points.

The Boston Bruins got a 34-save performance from Jeremy Swayman to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Marat Khusnutdinov and Casey Mittelstadt scored for the Bruins (34-21-5), who hold the final Eastern wild-card berth with 73 points. Erik Karlsson scored for the 31-16-13 Penguins, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Clayton Keller picked up two assists for the 32-25-4 Mammoth, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 68 points. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Ryan Leonard scored for the Capitals (31-25-7, 69 points), who are four points behind the Bruins.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton had a goal and an assist as his club tamed the Florida Panthers 5-1. Jack Hughes and Connor Brown each had two assists for the Devils (30-29-2). Anton Lundell replied for the 30-28-3 Panthers, who are ten points behind the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the Panthers’ hopes for a third straight Stanley Cup run fade, management could end up becoming sellers by Friday’s trade deadline.

An overtime goal by Mark Scheifele lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Cole Perfetti tied the game for the Jets (24-26-10) with 39 seconds remaining in regulation time. Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Greene scored for the 23-28-10 Blackhawks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The New York Rangers placed captain J.T. Miller (upper body) on injured reserve. It is unrelated to the one he suffered earlier in this season.

The Vancouver Canucks placed goaltender Thatcher Demko (hip surgery) on long-term injury reserve, and placed defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph (upper body) on IR.

CALGARY SUN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed Calgary and Edmonton have submitted bids to host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. They’re among several NHL cities to bid to host the international tournament.

An announcement is expected within the next two weeks. A European city is expected to host round-robin games, before the tournament shifts back to North America to the host city or cities.

Bettman also doesn’t see the league staging an outdoor game at Lake Louise in Banff National Park in Alberta, citing logistical and economic issues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2025

by | Dec 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 11, 2025

Recapping Wednesday’s games, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin talked about his future, injury updates, ongoing concerns about the slow construction of the 2026 Winter Olympics rinks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat scored twice and collected an assist as his club held off the Calgary Flames by a score of 4-3. John Gibson made 34 saves for the Red Wings (17-11-3), extending their win streak to three games as they moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with 37 points. Nazem Kadri had two assists for the Flames (12-16-4) as their three-game win streak ended.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Down 4-0, the Flames got three unanswered goals in the third to make it interesting, but they ultimately came up short. Speaking of Kadri, he donated $50,000.00 to a food bank in his hometown of London, Ontario.

The Chicago Blackhawks got a 21-save shutout from goaltender Spencer Knight to blank the New York Rangers 3-0. Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who improved to 13-11-6. Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots for the 15-13-4 Rangers, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Rangers placed sidelined center Adam Edstrom (lower body) on injured reserve.

Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell scored with 52 seconds remaining in the third period to lift his club to a 4-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Sam Bennett had two goals and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 27 shots for the Panthers (15-12-2), who picked up their third consecutive win. Dylan Guenther tallied two goals as the Mammoth lost its third straight game, slipping to 14-15-3.

An overtime goal by Vince Dunn capped his three-point performance as the Seattle Kraken nipped the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Matty Beniers scored with 24 seconds left in the game to force overtime for the Kraken (12-10-6) as they snapped a six-game losing skid. Alex Laferriere and Kevin Fiala scored for the 14-8-8 Kings.

HEADLINES

RG.ORG: Alex Ovechkin discussed his future in a recent interview with Andrew Knoll.

The Washington Capitals captain is in the final season of his contract. He isn’t thinking beyond this season, but hasn’t ruled out bringing his career full circle by returning to the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow in a ceremonial or competitive role.

Having surpassed 900 NHL regular-season goals, Ovechkin has shifted from chasing scoring milestones to the Capitals’ resurgence as they jockey for first place in the Eastern Conference for the second straight season.

ESPN.COM: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expressed concern about the delays plaguing the construction of the hockey rinks for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. He pointed out that constructions of rinks for previous Winter Games had never stretched on this long, calling the delays “disappointing.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Once the arenas are completed, the league will be sending its experts to determine that the ice surface is safe for its players. There are no alternate venues if the ice isn’t up to the standard expected by the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly stated the players won’t participate if the ice surface isn’t suitable.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers’ blue line will soon get a boost when sidelined defensemen Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen return to action. Ristolainen has been recovering from surgery in March to repair a ruptured triceps tendon. York has missed the past five games with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi is sidelined again with a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans will miss Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins for personal reasons.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed defenseman Dakota Mermis (lower body) on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF/TSN: The St. Louis Blues announced that center Nick Bjugstad is out for at least five days with an upper-body injury. They also signed forward Robby Fabbri to a one-year, two-way contract, and signed forward Dillon Dube to an AHL professional tryout contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2025

by | Dec 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2025

Four games see tying goals in the final seconds of regulation, Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi extends his win streak, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is the first player to reach 50 points this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on a shootout goal by Leo Carlsson. Ducks rookie Beckett Sennecke got credit for the shorthanded tying goal with 1 second remaining after Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson accidentally deflected the puck into his own net. Ville Husso kicked out 44 shots for the 19-10-1 Ducks, who picked up their third straight win to remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 39 points. Karlsson finished with two assists for the Penguins (14-7-7).

Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sennecke leads all rookie scorers with 26 points. Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens is second with 23 points, followed by New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer with 22 points.

Before this game, the Penguins placed forwards Evgeni Malkin and Blake Lizotte on injured reserve.

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch scored in overtime to lift his club to a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Connor McDavid scored twice for the 13-11-6 Oilers, including the tying goal with two seconds remaining in the third period. Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin each had three points, and Josh Doan tallied two goals for the Sabres (12-14-4), who snapped a three-game losing skid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Sabres placed winger Jason Zucker on IR after he suffered upper and lower-body injuries during Monday’s loss to the Calgary Flames. Center Josh Norris was a late scratch due to illness and muscle stiffness, and goaltender Colten Ellis was replaced by Alex Lyon in the first period after being removed by concussion spotters following a collision with Oilers winger David Tomasek.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly’s shootout goal gave his club a 4-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche. Cale Makar tied it for the Avalanche with eight seconds left in regulation time. Juuse Saros stopped 39 shots for the 11-14-4 Predators. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists for the league-leading Avalanche (21-2-7, 49 points), becoming the first player to reach 50 points this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood returned to the lineup after suffering an upper-body injury last Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. During the shootout, he was pulled by the concussion spotters after Predators winger Filip Forsberg lost his footing and accidentally collided with the Avs goalie.

The New York Islanders got a shootout goal from Emil Heineman to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 5-4 after Vegas winger Pavel Dorofeyev tied the game with 14 seconds left in the third period. Bo Horvat scored twice for the Islanders (17-11-3), as they’ve won four of their last five games. Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone each collected two points for the 14-6-9 Golden Knights as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi turned aside 23 shots to pick up his seventh straight win in a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Andrei Svechnikov collected two assists for the Hurricanes (18-9-2). Dmitri Voronkov scored for the 13-11-6 Blue Jackets as their losing streak reached three games.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh scored two goals as his club ended a four-game losing skid by thumping the Montreal Canadiens 6-1. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point each had a goal and an assist for the 17-11-2 Lightning, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 36 points. Oliver Kapanen replied for the Canadiens, who dropped to 15-11-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning captain Victor Hedman left this game after the first period with an undisclosed injury. This was his third game back after missing 12 games.

Following the game, the Canadiens called up center Owen Beck, defenseman Adam Engstrom, and goaltender Jacob Fowler from their AHL affiliate in Laval. The addition of Fowler is notable because the Canadiens’ tandem of Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes has the league’s second-worst goals-against per game (3.55) this season. He could make his NHL debut as early as Thursday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.

The Dallas Stars extended their points streak to 11 games (9-0-2) by holding off the Winnipeg Jets 4-3. Mikko Rantanen collected three assists as the Stars jumped to a 3-0 lead. The Jets rallied with two goals from Mark Scheifele before Jason Robertson scored what proved to be the winning goal for the 21-5-5 Stars. Kyle Connor had two assists for the Jets, who dropped to 14-14-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Thomas Harley was held scoreless in his first game back in action since missing the last 12 games with an injured foot.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak collected three assists in his return to action in a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Fraser Minten and Mark Kastelic each tallied twice for the 18-13-0 Bruins, extending their win streak to three games. Robert Thomas had two goals for the Blues, who slipped to 11-13-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak missed the last five games with an undisclosed injury.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist to reach his 500th career NHL point in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Christian Dvorak also had a goal and an assist for the Flyers as they improved to 16-9-3. Collin Graf replied for the 14-14-3 Sharks, who have dropped three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov missed this game due to an illness, forcing them to turn to former collegiate netminder Justin Kowalkoski to back up Alex Nedeljkovic.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Cody Glass broke a 3-3 tie in the third period for New Jersey (17-12-1) as they ended a five-game losing skid. Connor Brown and Arseny Gritsyuk each had three points for the Devils. Drake Batherson had two goals for the 13-12-4 Senators as their losing skid reached three games.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks starting goaltender Thatcher Demko is expected to return to action against the Sabres on Thursday after missing 12 games with a groin strain. That’s good news for the struggling Canucks, who are 2-7-1 in their last 10 contests.

TORONTO SUN: The NHL’s department of player safety suspended Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann for one game for high-sticking Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand on Monday.

ESPN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league projects the revenue for this season could reach $6.8 billion. He claimed it’s what the league was expecting and won’t change the salary cap figures for the next two seasons, as was agreed upon earlier this year by the NHL and the NHL Players Association.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The salary cap is $95.5 million for this season. It will rise to $104 million for 2026-27 and $113.5 million for 2027-28.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2025

by | Oct 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 16, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, injury updates, the highlights from the latest Board of Governors’ meeting, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres snapped their season-opening three-game losing streak with a convincing 8-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators, handing the latter their third straight defeat. Jason Zucker, Ryan McLeod, and Jack Quinn each tallied twice, and Zach Benson collected four assists in his season debut with the Sabres. Jordan Spence had three assists, and Jake Sanderson scored and set up another for the Senators.

Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson (NHL Images

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators played without left wing Brady Tkachuk, who is seeking a second opinion regarding his hand/wrist injury suffered on Monday against the Nashville Predators. If the Senators captain requires surgery, he could be sidelined for two months.

Meanwhile, Sabres forward Justin Danforth left this game with a lower-body injury.

Chicago Blackhawks forwards Connor Bedard and Lukas Reichel each had three points to lead their club over the St. Louis Blues 8-3. Bedard had three assists, and Reichel scored two goals and picked up an assist as the Blackhawks got their second straight win after going 0-2-1. Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist for the Blues as their win streak ended at two games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced that team captain Nick Foligno is taking a leave of absence as his daughter undergoes a follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Florida Panthers 4-1. Patrick Kane scored what proved to be the winning goal, and teammate Mason Appleton netted two goals as the Wings picked up their third straight win. Brad Marchand replied for the Panthers, who have dropped two straight after opening the season with three consecutive victories.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Panthers announced defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will be sidelined for five months following wrist surgery. As a result, the Panthers claimed blueliner Donovan Sebrango off waivers from the Senators. Kulikov joins Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, left wing Matthew Tkachuk, and winger Tomas Nosek on injured reserve.

The Red Wings played without winger Lucas Raymond, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Utah Mammoth forwards Barrett Hayton, JJ Peterka, and Kevin Stenlund scored to lead their club to a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Rasmus Andersson scored for the Flames, who have lost four straight following their season-opening win. Devin Cooley stopped 29 shots for Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth also revealed their mascot, “Tusky”.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LATEST NHL BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING.

SPORTSNET: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is concerned about the progress of the two hockey rinks under construction for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in February.

Bettman made the remarks to reporters following the NHL Board of Governors meeting on Wednesday. If the main arena isn’t ready on time, Bettman stated that the International Olympic Committee must deal with it, adding the league has made the IOC aware of its concerns. Bettman also said the NHL Players Association shares those concerns.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said plans for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey are on schedule.

Bettman said expansion was not discussed during the meeting, despite stated interest from two groups in Atlanta and another in Phoenix. Daly stated that expansion is not an initiative that the league is pursuing before 2030.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reason Daly mentioned 2030 is that is when the current CBA will expire. It’s also rumored that the league would seek an expansion fee of $2 billion for each new franchise.

Bettman indicated that no changes are expected for the projected salary-cap numbers for the next two years. The cap is projected to rise from $95.5 million to $104 million for 2026-27 and $113.5 million for 2027-28.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent media speculation suggests that the cap could be higher than expected due to greater-than-anticipated revenue. If that’s the case, we’ll likely have to wait until later in the season for confirmation.

INJURY UPDATES AND MORE

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (upper-body injury) was placed on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) on Wednesday. He’s expected to miss at least the Rangers’ next seven games.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars center Matt Duchene is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom is expected to miss the next two weeks with a lower-body injury. They have recalled netminder Nico Daws from their AHL affiliate.

DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Miles Wood is out for at least a week after suffering an eye injury during Monday’s game against the Devils.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks defensemen John Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren are day-to-day with injuries.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Vancouver Canucks placed defenseman Derek Forbort on injured reserve.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers defenseman Cam York is expected to make his season debut on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets. They have activated him from injured reserve.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Kings have reacquired goaltender Pheonix Copley from the Tampa Bay Lightning for future considerations. Copley was claimed off waivers by the Lightning earlier this month.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 17, 2025

by | Aug 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 17, 2025

Nazem Kadri believes he should have a chance to make Canada’s Olympic team, Marc-Edouard Vlasic isn’t happy over being bought out by the Sharks, an update on Flyers forward Tyson Foerster, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri recently told Julian McKenzie that he believes he deserves a chance to make Canada’s 2026 Olympic Men’s hockey team.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).

“I think over the last few seasons I’ve certainly proven that with my statistics and the winning pedigree,” Kadri said. “I think it speaks for itself.”

Kadri was left off the 42-man orientation camp roster. The Olympic roster will be finalized in early 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong performance this season could earn Kadri a place on the team, especially if injuries strike before the tournament.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Marc-Eduoard Vlasic is displeased over how his 19-season tenure with the San Jose Sharks ended this year.

The 38-year-old defenseman was under the impression he would return for the final season of his contract in 2025-26 following what he claimed was a positive exit interview. Instead, they informed him at the end of June that they were buying him out.

Vlasic isn’t considering retirement. He’s hoping to land with another NHL team this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Age and injuries led to a decline in Vlasic’s performance and a reduction in his playing time over the past three seasons. At the time of the buyout, Sharks general manager Mike Grier acknowledged it was a difficult decision, but they needed to free up a roster spot to improve their defense corps. He claimed Vlasic handled the decision well.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers general manager Daniel Briere last week said that winger Tyson Foerster should be ready for the start of the season. The 23-year-old was recovering from surgery to address an infection from an injury suffered during the 2025 World Championships.

“Everything looks good right now,” said Briere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Foerster will be crucial for the Flyers this season. He was second on the club with 25 goals as a sophomore in 2024-25.

TSN: Utah Mammoth prospect Caleb Desnoyers underwent wrist surgery last week and will be sidelined for 12 weeks. The 18-year-old forward was selected fourth overall by the Mammoth in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will affect Desnoyers’ chances of cracking the Mammoth roster this season. In all likelihood, he was slated to return to the QMJHL before suffering the injury.

SPORTICO: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman joined his NFL, NBA, and MLB peers last week to meet with members of the House Judiciary Committee regarding the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, specifically regarding blackout rules.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stick tap to “George O” for the link. Time will tell if this leads to any meaningful change to the SBA.

THE ATHLETIC: Billionaire financier Tom Dundon and a group of investors reached an agreement last week to buy the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers. Dundon is the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes.

The sale of the Trailblazers is not yet final. There is some concern in Portland that the group could move the franchise to another city. Dundon and his Hurricanes’ spokesperson didn’t respond to questions about whether he intends to keep the team in Portland.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The name of the Lightning’s home venue will change from Amalie Arena to Benchmark International Arena.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators announced last week that they will maintain their AHL affiliate in Belleville through the 2029-30 season.