NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2026

by | Sep 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2026

The Canucks sign Zeev Buium to a lucrative extension, clarity on Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau’s status, the latest on Avalanche winger Artturi Lehkonen’s contract talks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Zeev Buium to an eight-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $9.38 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buium, 20, is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He joined the Canucks last December as part of the return from the Minnesota Wild in the Quinn Hughes trade.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (NHL Images)

A skillful puck-moving defenseman, Buium had a promising rookie campaign with 26 points in 76 games, including 12 in 45 games with the Canucks.

The Canucks are taking a big gamble on Buium reaching his potential as an elite offensive blueliner. He’s only 20 years old, and there’s no certainty he’ll play up to the massive expectations that come with this contract. He’s shown promise, but hasn’t done enough to deserve such an expensive deal.

If Buium becomes a superstar, Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson will be praised for his foresight with this big investment. If he doesn’t, it could become one of the worst contracts in the league, derailing Johnson’s plans to rebuild this club into a contender.

SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy clarified the status of Jonathan Huberdeau’s recovery from hip resurfacing surgery in March.

Earlier this week, Conroy said that Huberdeau suffered “a little bit of a setback” with his skating about two weeks ago. The Flames GM now says it was “a poor choice of words” on his part.

“It’s not that there was a setback. It was more in the hope in me that he was going to be ready for camp.” Conroy said. “What I meant was it was a setback that he probably won’t be ready for the first day of camp. That’s where I made my mistake”.

Huberdeau is skating with his teammates and appears close to returning, but there is no timeline yet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy hopes that Huberdeau might rejoin his teammates at some point during training camp. However, he stressed that it will be when the 33-year-old winger feels 100 percent.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche GM Joe Sakic said contract extension talks with Artturi Lehkonen could stretch into the regular season.

Lehkonen, 31, is in the final season of his five-year contract with a $4.5 million AAV. He’s scored 20 goals three times over the past four seasons, but his availability is in question as he’s been frequently sidelined by injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehkonen can become an unrestricted free agent next July. His future in Colorado depends on how many years and how much salary he’s seeking on his next deal. The Avalanche have a projected $11.646 million in salary cap space for 2027-28 with 18 active roster players signed. Nicolas Roy, Brent Burns, and Scott Wedgewood are also UFA-eligible next year.

TORONTO SUN: NHL insider Elliotte Friedman is believed to be closer to returning to Sportsnet. However, it’s rumored that Rogers Communications, which owns Sportsnet, doesn’t want Friedman to also work on Amazon Prime’s midweek games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman’s contract with Sportsnet expired on Aug. 31, prompting speculation that he could be joining Amazon Prime. Fellow NHL analyst Kevin Bieksa’s contract also expired on Monday, but there’s no indication whether Amazon Prime might be wooing him too.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Arizona State University defenseman and St. Louis Blues prospect Matthew Mayich “needs a miracle” after being hospitalized following a training incident last month, his family’s lawyer said.

Mayich collapsed from heat stroke during an outdoor bootcamp-style workout on Aug. 20. Lawyer Robert Carey said the 21-year-old is in a coma, adding that his body has ceased functioning in a fundamental way, and his condition is irreversible.

The university issued a statement on Sept. 3 that the school’s vice-president is reviewing “the workout and related university policies, procedures, and training protocols”.

Leonard Aragon, another attorney representing the Mayich family, claimed a former Green Beret led the workout, pushing the student-athletes beyond their limits. He also alleged the athletes would be punished for stopping or drinking water.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The more details revealed about what led to Mayich’s hospitalization, the worse it sounds. His family is pushing the school to do more than conduct a review.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken signed winger Jacob Melanson to a three-year contract with a $1.45 million AAV.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres signed defenseman Zach Metsa to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth $900,000.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs inked forward Brendan Brisson to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 at the NHL level.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 31, 2026

by | Aug 31, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 31, 2026

The questions facing the Canucks this season, the latest on Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko and Adam Fantilli, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks face three big questions entering 2026-27.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

The biggest is whether Elias Pettersson can regain his high-scoring ways. It’s been three years since his career-best 102-point performance. He had 89 points in 2023-24, 45 points in 64 games in 2024-25, and 51 points in 74 games last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries and a well-publicized rift with now-former teammate J.T. Miller hampered the 28-year-old center’s play over the past two years. He’s also been under pressure to meet the expectations that come with the expensive contract he signed over two years ago, and has faced criticism for his poor offseason training and preparation.

Pettersson’s been a fixture in the NHL rumor mill, but the steep drop in his production and his contract make him almost impossible to move. He and the Canucks are stuck with each other for better or worse.

Another big question is how many games oft-injured starting goaltender Thatcher Demko can play during the 2026-27 campaign. A Vezina Trophy finalist in 2023-24, he’s played 43 games over the past two seasons, and there’s no timeline as to when he’ll be ready to play this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks signed free-agent goalie Chris Driedger to a professional tryout offer last week. That move suggests Demko won’t be ready when the regular season begins a month from now.

Another question is whether a young defenseman like Zeev Buium, Tom Willander, Elias Nils Pettersson, or Victor Mancini will step up this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buium is the blueliner Canucks fans will be focused on this season. He was part of the return in the Quinn Hughes trade last season and is ranked No. 2 among their top prospects by The Athletic.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger reports Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said he expects winger Kirill Marchenko to play for the club starting on Sept. 16 when training camp opens.

Marchenko, 25, became the subject of trade rumors after ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported he wasn’t interested in signing a contract extension. He’s slated to become a restricted free agent next July, and is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent in July 2028.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A report out of Russia claiming the Blue Jackets were working on trading Marchenko last month created a stir for several days. However, Waddell quickly denied the speculation, insisting that the young winger would be with the Blue Jackets when this season began.

Hedger also reports that Waddell remains confident of signing Adam Fantilli to a new contract before training camp begins.

The 21-year-old center is a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level contract. Waddell said there is a “little difference of opinion” between the two sides, but they “remain in communication”.

Re-signing Fantilli got more expensive after the Philadelphia Flyers signed Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson to a five-year, $90-million contract on July 3 ($18 million AAV), which the Ducks matched less than a week later.

Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks signed a five-year deal last month worth $15 million AAV, leaving Fantilli as the lone unsigned player among the top-three picks in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Fantilli’s numbers are nearly identical to Carlsson, meaning the Blue Jackets center is due for a significant raise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fantilli won’t get what Carlsson got, and he probably won’t get a deal similar to Bedard’s. Nevertheless, he could receive around $13 million annually on a five-year contract.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar has put a stronger emphasis on his conditioning during the offseason. He shares teammate Alex Vlasic’s belief that the rebuilding club can push for a playoff berth this season, and has spent time studying new teammate Patrick Kane’s stickhandling abilities.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 22, 2026

by | Jul 22, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 22, 2026

The Stars and Jason Robertson avoid arbitration, the Mammoth re-sign John Marino, the Blue Jackets and Jett Greaves remain apart in contract talks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars and winger Jason Robertson avoided salary arbitration, agreeing on Tuesday to a one-year, $12 million contract.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

Robertson, 26, was a restricted free agent coming off a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $7.75 million. He was slated for an arbitration hearing on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson was reportedly seeking $14 million annually while the Stars countered with $12 million.

This contract buys time for both sides. Robertson wants to remain with the Stars, vetoing a trade to the Seattle Kraken after refusing their offer of an eight-year deal worth $15 million annually. The Stars want to keep him, especially as they push for a Stanley Cup in 2026-27, but at their price.

Robertson was due for a substantial raise after leading the Stars in scoring last season with 45 goals and 96 points. He’s also been consistently among their top scorers since his rookie season during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, finishing no lower than second in each of those seasons.

Another high-scoring season will ensure that Robertson will get a big pay bump on his next deal. He’ll either get that lucrative new contract with the Stars or another club as an unrestricted free agent next July. Given the rise in the salary cap to $113.5 million for 2027-28, his asking price could be more than $14 million annually.

The Stars will have more salary-cap space next summer ($41.163 million as per PuckPedia) to re-sign Robertson. They can open contract extension talks on Jan. 1.

Robertson was the subject of frequent trade speculation last season. The longer he goes without an extension, the more rumors will arise about his future in Dallas.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Utah Mammoth signed defenseman John Marino to an eight-year contract extension worth an AAV of $6.75 million. He’s in the final season of a six-year deal with an AAV of $4.4 million.

Marino, 29, is coming off a career-best 36-point performance in 80 games last season. He’s been among their best all-around defensemen, playing a key role in the Mammoth’s improvement as they reached the playoffs last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong believes Marino can become an elite puck-moving defenseman. They consider him to be an invaluable part of their blueline corps. Given the steady rise of the salary cap, this could become a cost-effective contract.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets and goaltender Jet Greaves appear to be far apart in contract negotiations as his July 23rd arbitration hearing approaches.

Both sides submitted their briefs to the arbitrator on Tuesday on a one-year contract. Greaves is seeking $7.5 million while the Blue Jackets offered $2.8 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If this goes to arbitration, Greaves could get an amount somewhere around the midpoint of those two submissions. However, he and the Jackets could also reach an agreement before Thursday’s scheduled hearing, which is usually the outcome as these cases rarely go before an arbitrator.

THE ATHLETIC: The New York Rangers hired two former players for development roles.

Jonathan Quick will become the Rangers’ new director of goaltending development. Derick Brassard becomes a player development assistant.

Quick, 40. retired at the end of 2025-26 after 19 seasons as a goaltender, 16 of those with the Los Angeles Kings. He spent the past three seasons as the Rangers’ backup.

Brassard spent 16 seasons in the NHL as a center, with four of those as a Ranger.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium is hoping for a breakout performance this season. The 20-year-old finished third among rookie blueliners last season with 26 points in 76 games. He’s spending the offseason focused on improving his stamina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buium was part of the return the Canucks received in the trade that sent superstar rearguard Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild. He’s expected to become an important part of the club’s rebuild.

ESPN.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues will have their games produced and distributed by NHL Productions this season.

The four clubs had agreements with Main Street Sports, which operated regional channels under the FanDuel Sports Network brand and went out of business at the end of last season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2026

by | Jan 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2026

Mattias Ekholm scored his first hat trick as the Oilers set a league record, the Rangers traded Carson Soucy, the three stars of the week, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Leon Draisaitl collected four assists while Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist for the 27-19-8 Oilers. Ducks forward Mikael Granlund also netted a hat trick as his club dropped to 28-22-3, and their seven-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a record-setting performance for the Oilers, becoming the first team in league history to have defensemen score hat tricks in consecutive games, with Evan Bouchard scoring three goals in a six-point performance in the Oilers’ previous game.

Those three-goal performances by Ekholm and Granlund bring the number of hat tricks scored in January to 27, matching the third-most in a single month (December 1981) in league history. The record is 29, set in December 1985.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images)

The New York Rangers nipped the Boston Bruins 4-3 on an overtime goal by Matthew Robertson. Will Cuylle, J.T. Miller, and Will Borgen also scored for the 22-25-6 Rangers, snapping a three-game losing skid. David Pastrnak collected three assists to reach the 900-point plateau, and Elias Linholm netted two goals for the Bruins (30-20-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak is the sixth player in Bruins history to record 900 points, joining Raymond Bourque (1,506), Johnny Bucyk (1,339), Patrice Bergeron (1,040), Phil Esposito (1,012), and Brad Marchand (976).

Before this game, the Rangers held defenseman Carson Soucy out of the lineup. They subsequently announced they had traded Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick.

Soucy, 31, is in the final season of his three-year contract with an AAV of $3.25 million and is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status this summer. He’s a short-term fix for the Islanders’ blueline with Alexander Romanov on long-term injury reserve, and Ryan Pulock sidelined with an upper-body injury.

As for the Rangers, the Soucy trade is expected to be the first of what could be several moves this season by the retooling franchise before the March 6 trade deadline.

Speaking of the Islanders, they got a 21-save shutout from Ilya Sorokin to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored twice, and Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who improved to 28-19-5. Samuel Ersson turned aside 19 of 23 shots for the Flyers (24-18-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers activated defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who had been sidelined since Jan. 14 with an upper-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy turned in a 28-shot shutout in a 2-0 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Darren Raddysh and Anthony Cirelli scored for the Lightning (33-14-4), who regained first place in the Eastern Conference with 70 points. Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 shots for the 27-21-4 Mammoth as their five-game win streak ended.

The game between the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets at Columbus’ Nationwide Arena was postponed due to inclement weather. It has been rescheduled for March 9.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, and Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal are the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 25, 2026.

TSN: Marc-Andre Fleury said a couple of NHL teams have contacted him about coming out of retirement, but the 41-year-old goaltender and future Hall of Famer has no plans to return to action. He still hangs out with his former club, the Minnesota Wild, and has skated with them in several practices, but his next role could be working in their front office.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury has until the March 6 trade deadline to sign an NHL contract if he intends to unretire. Even then, it would likely take several weeks of intense training for him to return to game shape.

Fleury said there were several reasons why he’ll remain retired. One of them is probably the wear and tear of his 21 NHL seasons on his aging body. He alluded to a sore hip during his one-period appearance in a preseason game with the Pittsburgh Penguins in September as he brought his NHL career full circle.

RG.ORG: DJ Siddiqi reports Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito believes the health of the players his club is sending to the Olympics next month will be a factor in their attempt to win a third-straight Stanley Cup.

The defending champion Panthers have been battered by injuries, leaving them four points out of the final wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference as of Jan. 27. Managing fatigue, ice time, and emotional drain, as well as avoiding further injuries, will be crucial to their playoff hopes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers are sending eight players to the Olympics, including core players Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell.

PUCKPEDIA: Speaking of the Olympics, the trade and assignment regulations for the NHL’s break period (Feb. 4-22) have been revealed. No trades will be permitted during that period.

TORONTO SUN: The league has fined Maple Leafs winger William Nylander $5,000.00 for flipping off a TSN camera during Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Nylander made the gesture while watching the game in the press box with several other sidelined teammates.

THE PROVINCE: The Canucks placed winger Brock Boeser and defenseman Zeev Buium on injured reserve.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Bryan Rust faces a hearing on Tuesday with the league’s department of player safety regarding his high hit on Boeser during Sunday’s game between the two clubs.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson is out until the end of next month’s Olympic break with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2025

by | Dec 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2025

Quinn Hughes and Zeev Buium debut with their new clubs, the Mammoth stage a three-goal comeback win, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Quinn Hughes scored in his debut game with the Minnesota Wild in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman each had three points for the Wild (19-9-5) as they picked up their fourth straight win. Alex Steeves and Andrew Peeke replied for the 19-14-0 Bruins as their four-game win streak ended.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild acquired Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. He’s not committed to signing a contract extension, but the 26-year-old superstar defenseman said he will be “extremely open-minded” about it before his deal expires in 2027.

Meanwhile, Kaprizov reached the 20-goal plateau for the sixth consecutive season. Bruins winger Viktor Arvidsson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Zeev Buium had a goal and an assist in his first game with the 12-17-3 Canucks. Luke Hughes scored for the Devils (18-14-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buium, Marco Rossi, and Liam Ohgren were part of the return the Canucks received from the Wild in exchange for Hughes. All three played in this game.

Earlier in the day, the Canucks placed center Elias Pettersson on injured reserve and activated Rossi off IR. They also sent winger Lukas Reichel to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford after he cleared waivers.

An overtime goal by Dylan Guenther completed a 5-4 comeback by the Utah Mammoth over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Mammoth overcame a 3-0 deficit in the third period and took a 4-3 lead before the Penguins’ Justin Brazeau tied it to force overtime. Michael Carcone tallied twice for the Mammoth, who improved to 16-15-3. Brazeau had two goals and Ben Kindel had a goal and two assists for the Penguins (14-8-9), as their winless streak extended to 0-1-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second game in as many days that the Penguins blew a big lead, having fallen 6-5 in overtime to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Penguins rookie goalie Sergei Murashov gave up five goals on 37 shots.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov tallied in the shootout to lift the Carolina Hurricanes over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Hurricanes rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi made 24 saves to extend his win streak to nine games, giving him 11 in 12 games this season. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist as the 16-9-6 Flyers extended their winless skid to 0-0-3, while the Hurricanes (21-9-2) have won four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 44 points. Their blueline got a boost with the return of Jaccob Slavin, who missed 29 games with a lower-body injury.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 27-save performance from Jakub Dobes for a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson each collected two assists for the Canadiens, who improved to 17-11-4. Zach Hyman scored for the 15-12-6 Oilers.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson extended his goal streak to four games as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots for the Sabres, who have won three straight games and improved to 14-14-4. Chandler Stephenson scored for the 12-12-6 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Mason Marchment missed this game with the flu.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway suffered a lower-body injury during practice on Sunday.

ESPN.COM: The NHL Board of Governors would like to have more games in which both home and road teams wear solid-colored jerseys.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2025

by | Dec 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2025

The Canucks trade Quinn Hughes to the Wild, Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is injured against the Blues, Lightning captain Victor Hedman is sidelined until February, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

CANUCKS SHIP QUINN HUGHES TO THE WILD IN A BLOCKBUSTER TRADE

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks traded defenseman Quinn Hughes on Friday to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for center Marco Rossi, left wing Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium, and a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The retooling of the Canucks roster is underway. Management reportedly knew for some time that Hughes wouldn’t sign a contract extension next summer.

Vancouver Canucks trade Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild (NHL Images).

The fault lies not with Hughes, one of the greatest players in Canucks history, but on a front office that failed to build a stable, winning roster around him. This move seemed inevitable following the drama between centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller, resulting in the latter’s trade to the New York Rangers in January.

The Canucks didn’t get full value from the Wild in this return, but no team ever does when they trade a superstar. What they got was three players who could have a positive long-term effect on their roster.

Rossi will fill the second-line center position and has the skills to become a reliable two-way forward. Ohgren and Buium are promising youngsters who could blossom into stars. They also get an unprotected first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, which they can keep for themselves or use as a trade chip to add another NHL-ready player to their roster.

Meanwhile, there’s no question that Minnesota is the immediate winner of this trade. General manager Bill Guerin has signaled his intent to turn the Wild into a Stanley Cup contender.

Hughes is a superstar, a Norris Trophy winner who brings a high level of skill to the Wild’s already deep defense core. He’ll also provide a significant measure of offense from the blueline, especially on the power play. His playmaking talent should mesh well with scoring stars Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy.

Guerin also hopes that Hughes will agree to a contract extension before his eligibility for unrestricted free agent status on July 1, 2027. The earliest he can sign it is next July, when the Wild would have an opportunity to sign him an eight-year, front-loaded, bonus-laden deal before the rules change for those types of contracts on Sept. 15, 2026.

At the very worst, the Wild have Hughes for two playoff runs. If he helps turn them into a Stanley Cup champion, or at least a Cup Finalist, they will consider it a worthwhile investment.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Chicago Blackhawks lost 3-2 to the St. Louis Blues, and they also lost franchise star Connor Bedard in the final second of the game.

Bedard injured his right shoulder after being checked by Blues captain Brayden Schenn off the faceoff in what Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill called “a freak accident”. Bedard left the ice immediately, gripping his shoulder in obvious pain.

Before the injury, Bedard assisted on both Blackhawks’ goals. He won’t play in Saturday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, and an update on his condition is expected on Monday. Blues defenseman Logan Mailloux scored his first of the season, and Robert Thomas set up two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is tied for third in league scoring (44 points) with San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini. His performance this season is the biggest reason why the rebuilding Blackhawks are jockeying for a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. A lengthy absence could send them into a tailspin. It could also jeopardize Bedard’s chances of playing for Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Utah Mammoth picked up their third win in their last 10 games by downing the Seattle Kraken 5-3. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth as they snapped a three-game losing skid. Mason Marchment scored twice for the Kraken, who’ve lost seven of their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken played without winger Jared McCann, who is sidelined for three weeks with a lower-body injury. He’s only appeared in 11 of his club’s 29 games this season.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman will undergo a procedure on his elbow that will sideline him until early February. The 34-year-old defenseman missed 12 games with the injury, returning to action last Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hedman is expected to be ready when the 2026 Winter Olympics begin in February. He will be playing for Sweden.

SPORTSNET: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat is expected to miss one to three weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Ducks, they activated goaltender Lukas Dostal off injured reserve on Friday.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Jets winger Nino Niederreiter will become the first Switzerland-born player to appear in 1,000 NHL regular-season games when his club faces the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forward Arseny Gritsyuk will be sidelined this weekend with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed defenseman Matt Dumba on waivers Friday. The move is a result of their acquisition of blueliner Brett Kulak as part of the return in yesterday’s trade that sent goaltender Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers for netminder Stuart Skinner.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators traded defenseman Spencer Stastney to the Oilers in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers added Stastney to fill the gap left by Kulak’s departure to Pittsburgh.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Sharks rookie center Michael Misa is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. It’s the second time he’s been sidelined in just over a month. He will miss the start of Canada’s training camp for the upcoming 2026 World Junior Championship.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes signed rookie defenseman Joel Nystrom to a four-year, $4.9 million contract extension.