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 – March 3, 2026

by | Mar 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 3, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week, the Oilers acquire Connor Murphy from the Blackhawks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars and Jason Robertson achieved notable milestones in their 6-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. The Stars picked up their franchise-record ninth straight win, while Robertson had a goal and an assist to reach the 70-point plateau for the fifth consecutive season. With a record of 37-14-9, the Stars are second in the overall standings with 83 points. Evander Kane scored for the 18-35-7 Canucks.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

Gabriel Landeskog and Martin Necas each had a goal and two assists for the Colorado Avalanche as they doubled up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. With the win, the Avalanche (40-10-9, 89 points) holds a six-point lead over the Stars for first place in the overall standings. Brandt Clarke and Angus Booth replied for the Kings (24-12-14), who are 1-5-1 in their last seven games and four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen left this game with an upper-body injury. Kings center Quinton Byfield missed this game with an upper-body injury. The Kings also placed forward Joel Armia (upper body) on injured reserve.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord made 35 saves as his club held off the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 2-1. Kaapo Kakko and Ben Meyers scored for the 29-22-9 Kraken, who moved into third place in the Pacific Division with 67 points. Nikolaj Ehlers tallied for the Hurricanes (38-16-6), who sit first overall in the Eastern Conference with 82 points.

Detroit Red Wings forwards Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Detroit goaltender Cam Talbot made 18 saves in relief of John Gibson, who left the game after the first period with an upper-body injury. With the win, the Red Wings (35-20-6) moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 76 points. Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault scored for the 27-25-8 Predators (62 points), who are four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Raymond reached the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time in his five-season NHL career. He also collected his 200th regular-season assist. Before the game, the Red Wings placed defenseman Erik Gustafsson on waivers.

The Columbus Blue Jackets blew a 4-0 lead but defeated the New York Rangers 5-4 on an overtime goal by Kirill Marchenko, who finished with two goals and an assist. Gabe Perreault also had two goals and an assist for the 23-29-8 Rangers. With the win, the Blue Jackets improved to 30-21-8 (68 points), moving within three points of the idle Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An illness kept Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski out of this game.

A shootout goal by Trevor Zegras lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2. Noah Cates had a goal and an assist for the 28-21-7 Flyers (67 points), who are four points back of an Eastern wild-card spot. William Nylander netted his 20th goal of the season for the 27-24-10 Maple Leafs, who are seven points out of that wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Travis Konecny missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Defenseman Nick Seeler left this contest with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs, and Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 1.

EDMONTON JOURNAL/CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Edmonton Oilers acquired defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a second-round pick in 2028. The Blackhawks retained half of Murphy’s $4.4 million salary-cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers had to shore up the depth on the right side of their defense corps. They’ve addressed that issue with Murphy, who was acquired by Oilers general manager Stan Bowman during his tenure as the Blackhawks GM.

Bowman freed up additional cap space for this move by sending Andrew Mangiapane and Alec Regula to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, and placing winger Mattias Janmark (shoulder) on long-term injury reserve. Janmark will undergo surgery and is expected to be finished for the season.

The Oilers might not be done making moves before Friday’s trade deadline. I’ll have more about that in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter will be sidelined for four to six weeks following surgery for a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Wild claimed winger Robby Fabbri off waivers from the St. Louis Blues.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 22, 2026

by | Feb 22, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 22, 2026

The latest on Blues center Robert Thomas, and an update on the Blue Jackets in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup

SPORTSNET: With the March 6 trade deadline on the horizon, St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas acknowledged the trade rumors swirling around him and his teammates.

The Blues are near the bottom of the standings. That has led to rumors involving several Blues, such as defenseman Justin Faulk and forwards Brayden Schenn, Pavel Buchnevich, and Jordan Kyrou. They also include the 26-year-old Thomas, who has a full no-trade clause.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (NHL Images).

Thomas is in the third season of an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $8.125 million.

Elliotte Friedman reports the Blues seek a high asking price for Thomas, who declined to say if he’ll waive his NTC. “I don’t really want to talk too much about it now. We’ll talk about it later,” Thomas said. “I have one. That’s kind of where we’re at.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues management has probably spoken to Thomas about whether he’d agree to waive his clause if a rival club is willing to meet their price for him. The fact that it’s expensive suggests few teams are willing to do so, and perhaps even fewer would be on Thomas’ list of preferred destinations.

Thomas could be moved before March 6, but that’s not a certainty. The Blues aren’t under any pressure to move him as they would be if he were a pending free agent. If no one meets their price by March 6 (assuming Thomas agrees to a trade), they’ll revisit it in the offseason.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reported on Thursday that the Columbus Blue Jackets had not engaged in serious contract talks with UFA-eligible players Charlie Coyle, Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, and Erik Gudbranson.

However, general manager Don Waddell said he spoke with the players and their agents to gauge their feelings about staying in Columbus. “Everybody wants to stay here,” Waddell said. We’ve got something going here.”

Coyle and Marchment could be Waddell’s biggest priorities. He’ll have to decide if he’ll keep them or trade them if they’re still unsigned by the March 6 deadline.

NHL.COM: Waddell also indicated that he’s not interested in acquiring rental players if his club remains in playoff contention by the deadline.

“If we could trade for somebody that has term, that we like going forward, that’s a different value that we look at,” Waddell said. “We’ll see. All the UFAs right now on our team on our team play a good role for our team, so if you take anybody off, you’re going to have to replace them because of the positions that they play.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets have over $45 million in projected trade deadline cap space, so they have room to add if Waddell wishes to. They also have over $46 million in projected space for next season with 14 active roster players under contract.

Re-signing Coyle, Marchment, Jenner, and Gudbranson shouldn’t take up too much room, leaving space to re-sign RFAs such as Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger, and Jet Greaves. It should also leave enough space to add a player or two signed beyond this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 12, 2026

by | Feb 12, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 12, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Roundup: the latest speculation on Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, and a look at possible trade targets for the Penguins.

WHERE COULD THE RANGERS SEND VINCENT TROCHECK AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh and Vincent Z. Mercogliano recently listed potential trade destinations for Vincent Trocheck.

The 32-year-old New York Rangers winger is under contract for three more years, with an average annual value of $5.625 million. He also has a 12-team no-trade list.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Several of the teams listed (Minnesota, Carolina, Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Colorado) have been previously mentioned and analyzed. Baugh and Mercogliano also listed the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Utah Mammoth, and New York Islanders.

The Penguins are more interested in acquiring younger talent to fit into their long-range plans. They’re unlikely to go after Trocheck. Sending him to the Islanders would be an entertaining swerve, but given the rivalry between the two clubs, don’t hold your breath waiting for that one to occur.

The Mammoth have the cap space and plentiful trade assets (draft picks, prospects, young players) to make a competitive bid for Trocheck. However, they might not be among his preferred destinations, and they could prefer adding a player who isn’t closing in on his mid-thirties.

Trocheck might not fit into the Bruins’ retooling plans as they appear to favor younger talent.

WHAT WILL THE PENGUINS DO AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski recently reported “multiple reports and confirmations” indicating Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is attempting to acquire more young NHL players.

Kingerski also pointed out that the Penguins could use a right-handed defenseman and a scoring top-nine winger if they hope to clinch a berth in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Luke Schenn of the Winnipeg Jets or Erik Gudbranson of the Columbus Blue Jackets could be options on the blueline if those teams remain out of playoff contention. Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner or Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine could be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets surged in the standings in the weeks leading up to the Olympic break. If they pick up where they left off, they could be buyers instead of sellers.

Schenn could be an option, but he will also draw interest from other clubs. The Canadiens are expected to peddle Laine and are reportedly willing to retain half of his $8.7 million cap hit. He has a 10-team no-trade list, but the Penguins might not be on it.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2026

by | Feb 12, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2026

Juraj Slafkovsky leads Slovakia to an upset over Finland, Italy throws a scare into Sweden, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky scored two goals and collected an assist as Slovakia upset Finland 4-1 in the opening game of the 2026 Olympic Men’s hockey tournament. St. Louis Blues rookie center Dalibor Dvorsky also scored, and Minnesota Wild goalie prospect Samuel Hlavaj stopped 39 shots for Slovakia. Eeli Tolvanen scored, and Juuse Saros made 21 saves for Finland.

Slovakia winger Juraj Slafkovsky (AP.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slafkovsky picked up from where he left off four years ago when he was named tournament MVP after leading Slovakia to a bronze medal, the country’s first in Olympic Men’s ice hockey. He silenced the critics who felt he would struggle against deeper clubs in these Olympics, as they overlooked the fact that Slafkovsky has four NHL seasons under his belt and is becoming a scoring star with the Canadiens.

Hlavaj was outstanding for Slovakia between the pipes. He tended to slide around a bit in his crease, but his acrobatic style and quick glove hand made the difference, making him the star of this game.

The questions that dogged Finnish goalie Juuse Saros since last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off persist. He looked shaky at times in this contest and could be replaced in the next game by Vancouver Canucks netminder Kevin Lankinen. However, Saros didn’t get much help from his teammates, who managed to get only one shot past Hlavaj.

IIHF.COM: Third-period goals by Mika Zibanejad and Victor Hedman lifted Sweden over Italy 5-2. Rasmus Dahlin collected three assists while Zibanejad and Gustav Forsling each had a goal and an assist for Sweden, who outshot Italy 60-22 in this contest.

Italian goalie and Anaheim Ducks prospect Damien Clara was outstanding for Italy, making 46 saves before leaving with an injury with 14 minutes remaining in the third period. Luca Frigo and former Canadiens prospect Matt Bradley scored for the Italians.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thanks to Clara’s heroics, the gritty Italians threw a scare into the heavily favored Swedes in this game. They opened the scoring, tied the game at 2 in the second period, and hung tough in this one until Zibanejad made it 4-2.

Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm came off injured reserve, enabling him to play for Sweden in this game.

NHL.COM: Switzerland officially named Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi as their team captain for this tournament. New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier, Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala, and Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter were named alternate captains.

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu believes the Olympic neck guard mandate is a major opportunity for NHL adoption. He interviewed several NHL players in this tournament who had different opinions on the subject, but it could be a matter of time before they’re worn more frequently.

CHL.CA: The Canadian Hockey League announced its top-50 players of the past 50 years. Fans can vote from Feb. 10 to March 10 to determine the final ranking of these players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The list includes current NHL stars such as Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Connor Bedard, and Hall of Famers like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Patrick Roy. Follow the link above for the full list and details on how you can vote to determine the final ranking.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The postponed Jan. 26 game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Blue Jackets is scheduled for Monday, March 9, at 4 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That start time isn’t sitting well with some Blue Jackets fans, who pointed out they’ll be at work when that game begins.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2026

by | Feb 11, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2026

Check out the latest on the Flyers, Maple Leafs, and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHICH FLYERS COULD BECOME TRADE BAIT?

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James recently looked at the Philadelphia Flyers’ potential plans for the March 6 trade deadline.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images).

James dismissed a recent rumor suggesting the Flyers could shake things up by trading Travis Konecny. He pointed out that the 27-year-old winger has a full no-movement clause, is a respected team leader, and will be part of the Flyers’ plans to get better sooner rather than later.

Owen Tippett was also mentioned as a trade candidate. James believes the Flyers would prefer to keep him, but their surplus of wingers could force their hand. Tippett could be someone they could include in a package deal if they were to pursue someone such as St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas.

Bobby Brink could also become a trade chip. He’s slated to become a restricted free agent in July and might have to make room for younger wingers in the Flyers’ system.

As for their defensemen, James suggested moving Rasmus Ristolainen as one option before March 6. He also wondered about Noah Juulsen, Emil Andrae, and Nick Seeler.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ recent slide in the standings likely killed off their chances of reaching the playoffs. Management will likely be sellers at the deadline, seeking returns that could accelerate their development, such as young NHL players.

The Flyers could use a first-line center, and Thomas would fit the bill. However, he has a full no-trade clause and might not be keen on joining a retooling/rebuilding club. If he is willing to join the Flyers, Tippett could be part of the deal, but it would cost perhaps another good young player, along with the Flyers’ 2026 first-rounder, and one of their top prospects. The Blues are setting high asking prices for guys like Thomas.

WHICH MAPLE LEAFS ARE THE MOST LIKELY TRADE CANDIDATES?

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel believes forwards Calle Jarnkrok, Scott Laughton, and Bobby McMann are the most likely trade candidates for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The trio is due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Siegel also wouldn’t be surprised if defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Troy Stecher, and winger Nick Robertson end up getting moved by March 6.

Ekman-Larsson has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $3.5 million and a 16-team no-trade list. Stecher is UFA-eligible on July 1, while Robertson is due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McMann, Ekman-Larsson, and Laughton would likely fetch the best returns. McMann is considered their best trade chip because of his style of play and affordable contract.

WHAT WILL THE BLUE JACKETS DO BEFORE THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell and his staff will be busy during the Olympic break attempting to sign forwards Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle, Mason Marchment, and defenseman Erik Gudbranson. The four are UFA-eligible on July 1.

Given the Blue Jackets’ surge in the standings before the Olympic break, Waddell wants to help his club by the trade deadline. If he can find an offensive finisher with term left on his contract, Waddell could go for it. He could also make depth moves, perhaps by targeting Chicago Blackhawks captain (and former Blue Jacket) Nick Foligno.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell’s trade deadline plans will also depend on whether the Blue Jackets can maintain the hot streak they were on before the Olympics. If they struggle and end up sliding in the standings, he could attempt to move any unsigned UFAs.