NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

by | Dec 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

Four-point performances for Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Drasaitl, the Islanders snap the Avalanche’s 17-game point streak, Rangers winger Artemi Panarin reaches a scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each collected four points as the Edmonton Oilers thumped the Seattle Kraken 9-4. McDavid had a hat trick and collected an assist, while Draisaitl had a goal and three assists as the Oilers improved to 12-11-5. Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko picked up two assists as his club dropped its fourth straight game, slipping to 11-8-6.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Mason Marchment missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day.

The New York Islanders ended the league-leading Colorado Avalanche’s 17-game points streak with a 6-3 victory. Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 35 shots for the 15-10-3 Islanders. Martin Necas netted a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (19-2-6), who suffered their first regulation loss since Oct. 25, when they fell 5-1 to the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders honored Avalanche center Brock Nelson with a tribute video in his first game back as a visitor. He spent 12 seasons with the Isles from 2013-14 to 2024-25, scoring 310 goals and 294 assists for 604 points in 901 games before being traded to the Avs last March. Nelson collected an assist in this game.

Meanwhile, Islanders winger Jonathan Drouin was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist to reach 900 career NHL regular-season points as his club doubled up the Ottawa Senators by a score of 4-2. J.T. Miller had three assists, and Mika Zibanejad scored to extend his points streak to five games as the Rangers improved to 15-12-2. Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson each had two points for the 13-10-4 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Shane Pinto left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and will be reevaluated on Friday. Before the game, the Senators indicated that defenseman Thomas Chabot will be out for another 10 days with an upper-body injury, while blueliner Artem Zub (lower body) and forward Lars Eller (undisclosed) are day-to-day.

Evgeni Malkin scored two goals (including the game-winner) and picked up an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Rookie winger Ville Koivunen tallied his first career NHL goal for the Penguins (14-7-5). Brandon Hagel potted two goals for the 16-9-2 Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Islanders.

Before the game, the Lightning announced the signing of Ryan McDonagh to a three-year contract extension. Beginning in 2026-27, the 36-year-old defenseman will earn an average annual value of $4.1 million.

Meanwhile, Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports a source has dismissed rumors that the sale of the Penguins by Fenway Sports Group to the Hoffman Family of Companies had fallen through. According to Kingerski’s source, the transaction remains in process, but has been held up due to “complications” on external details.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McCann scored twice in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who picked up their third straight win and improved to 13-11-3. Seth Jarvis tallied for the Hurricanes (16-8-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll left this game after the second period with a lower-body injury. The severity of the injury remains unclear.

The Nashville Predators got an overtime goal from Steven Stamkos in a 2-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Ryan O’Reilly tied the game in the third period for the 10-13-4 Predators, who’ve won four of their last five games. Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers, as the struggling Stanley Cup champions have lost four straight, falling to 12-13-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos scored with the Panthers’ net knocked off its moorings. However, the goal was allowed based on rule 63.7, which states that a goal can be awarded on a dislodged net if there’s an imminent scoring chance for the attacking team.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored for the third straight game as his club held off the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 2-1. Wyatt Kaiser’s first of the season held up as the game winner for the Blackhawks (12-9-6). Trevor Moore replied for the 12-8-7 Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty returned to action for the first time since being sidelined with an injured left foot in mid-November.

The Columbus Blue Jackets clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-5 on a shootout goal by Kirill Marchenko. Adam Fantilli scored two goals (including the tying goal late in the third period), while Sean Monahan and Zach Werenski each had three assists for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 13-9-5. Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane each had a goal and an assist for the 14-12-2 Red Wings, who’ve lost five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchenko returned to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha had two goals in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Morgan Geekie and Elias Lindholm each had three points, and Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the 16-13-0 Bruins. Pavel Buchnevich and Pius Suter replied for the Blues, who dropped to 9-12-7.

The Calgary Flames tallied three unanswered third-period goals to upset the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves, while Matt Coronato and Rasmus Andersson each had a goal and an assist for the 10-15-4 Flames. Yakov Trenin replied for the 15-8-5 Wild.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE GAZETTE: The Winnipeg Jets will host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 NHL Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.

DAILY FACEOFF: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

San Jose Sharks winger Jeff Skinner returns to action on Friday against the Dallas Stars. He’s been sidelined for 10 games with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said rookie winger Justin Sourdif will miss “a little bit of time” with a lower-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: The criminal case against former NHL player Ryan Kesler is headed to trial in Michigan. Kesler is charged with two misdemeanour counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree. He has pleaded not guilty.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2025

by | Dec 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2025

Lopsided victories for the Capitals and Mammoth, an update on Tyler Seguin’s injury, three former NHL stars to be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame, and more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals rookie Ryan Leonard had two goals and two assists in a 7-1 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Alex Ovechkin tallied twice, and Matt Roy collected three assists for the Capitals (17-9-2), who picked up their sixth straight win and sit atop the Eastern Conference with 36 points. Pavol Regenda replied for the Sharks, who slipped to 13-12-3.

Washington Capitals forward Ryan Leonard (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals’ John Carlson and Justin Sourdif missed this game due to injuries, while Nic Dowd returned to action after missing eight games with an injury. Meanwhile, the Sharks sent rookie center Michael Misa to their AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint.

The Utah Mammoth crushed the Anaheim Ducks 7-0. JJ Peterka led the way with two goals and two assists, Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists, and Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves for the shutout as the Mammoth (13-12-3) snapped a four-game losing skid. The Ducks dropped to 16-10-1, but remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 33 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks’ regular goalie tandem of Lukas Dostal and Petr Mrazek is sidelined by injuries, forcing the club to turn to call-ups Ville Husso and Vyacheslav Buteyets.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger turned in a 30-save shutout to blank the New Jersey Devils 3-0, extending the Stars’ road point streak to 12 games. Miro Heiskanen, Jamie Benn, and Esa Lindell each collected two points, and Roope Hintz picked up an assist for his 400th career NHL regular-season point. The Stars improved to 18-5-5, while the Devils (16-10-1)dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Stars announced that forward Tyler Seguin could miss the remainder of the regular season with an ALC injury in his right knee.

A shootout goal by Cole Caufield lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Caufield also collected an assist in regulation to extend his points streak to nine games, and Jakub Dobes made 29 saves for the Canadiens (14-9-3), ending a two-game losing skid. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist, and Eric Comrie also had 29 saves as the Jets (13-12-1) have lost six of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens honored former defenseman Andrei Markov with a pregame ceremony. Markov played 990 games for the Canadiens in his 16-season NHL career, and has the second-most career assists (453) among their defensemen. He received a standing ovation from Montreal fans that lasted over two minutes.

Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Neal Pionk returned to action after being sidelined for a week with a lower-body injury.

The Philadelphia Flyers scored three first-period goals in less than a minute as they defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Bobby Brink, Travis Konecny, and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist for the 15-8-3 Flyers, who’ve won six of their last eight games. Jason Zucker and Bowen Byram replied for the Sabres, who dropped to 11-12-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin was ejected from this game late in the second period for boarding Flyers forward Trevor Zegras. Flyers defenseman Cam York left the game after the second period for undisclosed reasons.

IN OTHER NEWS…

IIHF.COM: Former NHL forwards Thomas Vanek (Austria), Patrice Bergeron (Canada), and defenseman Niklas Kronwall (Sweden) are among seven players to be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in the Class of 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved honor for Vanek, Bergeron, and Kronwall, who represented their countries in various international tournaments.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said there won’t be any NHL players participating in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics if the arena is not completed in time for the Games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team Canada assistant coach Pete DeBoer raised eyebrows earlier this week when he said that the rink surface would be smaller than those in NHL arenas. It’s been reported that there is no “Plan B” if the arena isn’t ready.

CNBC’s Mike Ozanian reports Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is close to selling a significant stake in the team, which is currently valued at $2 billion. Dundon is in the process of purchasing the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers for over $4 billion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No indication yet how big that share will be, but Dundon is likely to remain the majority owner of the Hurricanes.










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 – October 7, 2025

by | Oct 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2025

The regular season opens on Tuesday, reaction to the Oilers re-signing Connor McDavid, the Oilers also re-sign Jake Walman, the Bruins will retire Zdeno Chara’s number, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The 2025-26 regular season opens with a triple-header on ESPN on Tuesday.

It begins with the Florida Panthers raising their second straight Stanley Cup championship banner in a pregame ceremony before facing off with the Chicago Blackhawks. New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan faces his former club as his team hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Los Angeles Kings welcome the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadian hockey fans can watch these games on Sportsnet1 or TVA Sports.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychowski believes Connor McDavid put his money where his mouth is when he signed a two-year contract extension with the Oilers worth an average annual value (AAV) of $12.5 million.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

McDavid’s contract is remarkably low as he maintains the same AAV of his current deal, illustrating his seriousness about winning a Stanley Cup with the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most NHL pundits shared that opinion. With the salary cap set to rise significantly over the next two seasons, McDavid has provided the Oilers with the cap flexibility to maintain a Stanley Cup contender. It’s now up to general manager Stan Bowman to do so.

The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun believes some NHL teams will try to use McDavid’s new contract as an argument for why their best players should follow his example. However, it’s unlikely to have much of an effect.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been underpaid for years, partly because of his superstition about the number 87, but that didn’t prevent other superstars from seeking top dollar.

The McDavid contract wasn’t the only extension announced by the Oilers on Monday. They also signed defenseman Jake Walman to a seven-year deal worth an AAV of $7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can already see the positive effect that McDavid’s contract is having on the Oilers’ cap space for 2026-27. Had he taken a more expensive deal, they might have had more difficulty re-signing Walman.

Acquired by the Oilers at the March trade deadline, the 29-year-old Walman quickly established himself as an invaluable member of their blueline.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins will retire Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 in a ceremony before their game against the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 15, 2026.

Chara becomes the 13th player in Bruins history to have their number retired. He spent 14 of his 24-season NHL career with the Bruins, captaining them to the 2011 Stanley Cup and the 2013 and 2019 Stanley Cup Finals. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2008-09 and will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A fitting tribute for one of the greatest defensemen in Bruins history.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and J.T. Miller are good to go for their season opener against the Penguins on Tuesday. Both players were nursing injuries during the preseason.

TSN: The Rangers also signed forward Conor Sheary to a one-year contract on Monday. He joined the team in training camp and preseason on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

CALGARY SUN: Forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Martin Pospisil will miss the Flames’ season opener on Wednesday. Both players are on injured reserve.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer earned a roster spot for the start of the regular season. Schaefer, 18, was chosen first overall by the Islanders in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders can return Schaefer to his OHL’s Erie Otters after nine games without those contests counting against his entry-level contract. However, it’s expected he’ll be a full-time part of the Isles’ lineup this season.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes and forward Sammy Blais from the Montreal Canadiens.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators made promising defenseman Carter Yakemchuk their final roster cut on Monday. He’ll start the season with their AHL affiliate in Belleville, Ontario.

They also placed sidelined forward Drake Batherson (upper body) and defenseman Tyler Kleven (ankle) on injured reserve.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Veteran forward Luke Glendening is expected to sign a one-year contract with the Devils after attending their training camp on a PTO contract.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers defenseman Cam York (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety suspended Tampa Bay Lightning forward Scott Sabourin for boarding Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad during their preseason game on Saturday. Lightning defenseman JJ Moser received a two-game suspension for roughing Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist during that game.

The Lightning was fined $100,000, and head coach Jon Cooper was fined $25,000 for their club’s actions during that game.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2025

by | Jul 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2025

Oilers winger Zach Hyman could miss the start of this season, the Hurricanes considered an offer sheet for Evan Bouchard, Matias Maccelli hopes to rebound with the Maple Leafs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman is hoping his fractured wrist won’t keep him out of the lineup when the 2025-26 regular season begins in October.

Hyman, 33, suffered the playoff-ending injury during Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars. He is still wearing a cast from the surgery on his wrist.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

The Oilers forward said he doesn’t have a timeline for the completion of his recovery, but didn’t rule out the possibility of missing the start of the regular season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman’s absence from the Stanley Cup Final contributed to the Oilers being beaten by the Florida Panthers for the second straight year.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman claiming that the Carolina Hurricanes were a factor in the Oilers signing Evan Bouchard to a four-year, $42-million contract extension last month.

Friedman claimed the threat of an offer sheet from the Hurricanes spurred the Oilers to move quickly on re-signing Bouchard. Leavins sees this as proof of what other teams (especially an elite club like the Hurricanes) think of the puck-moving Edmonton blueliner, who often faces criticism from Oilers fans for his defensive miscues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing Bouchard to the Hurricanes through an offer sheet, nearly a year after the St. Louis Blues signed away Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, would’ve left Oilers management facing a firestorm of criticism. Re-signing him is also critical to their hopes of convincing franchise player Connor McDavid to sign an extension before his free-agent eligibility next July.

TORONTO SUN: Matias Maccelli is hoping to regain his scoring touch with the Maple Leafs. The 24-year-old winger was acquired from the Utah Mammoth last month. Maccelli tallied a career-high 57 points in 2023-24, but his production dropped to 18 points in 55 games last season, making him a frequent healthy scratch over the second half of the schedule.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs management is also hoping Maccelli can bounce back. They’re trying to replace the offense of playmaking winger Mitch Marner, who was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights last week.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Mammoth, they signed Jack McBain to a five-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $4.25 million.

McBain is a physical forward who plays center or left wing. In a statement following the signing, Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong praised the 25-year-old forward’s versatility, toughness and competitiveness.

This signing comes a day after the Mammoth had filed to take McBain to salary arbitration.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McBain fills the third-line center position with the Mammoth. His play is comparable to a young Nick Bjugstad.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed defenseman Cam York to a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.15 million. Despite some inconsistency in his play, the 25-year-old York plays big minutes skating alongside Travis Sanheim on the Flyers’ top defense pairing. Given the club’s limited depth on the left side of their blueline, re-signing York was critical.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s hoped that the stability of a new long-term contract and the presence of Rick Tocchet as the Flyers’ new head coach can improve York’s performance going forward.

SPORTSNET: Gavin McKenna is reportedly planning to play for Penn State University for the 2025-26 season.

The presumed top prospect in the 2026 NHL Draft, the 17-year-old winger spent last season with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, netting 129 points in 56 games. The Tigers were the WHL champions, and McKenna was named the CHL’s Player of the Year for 2024-25.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings hired former NHL goaltender Michael Leighton as their new goalie coach. Now 44, Leighton spent 10 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers from 2002-03 to 2016-17. For the past three years, he served as goaltending coach for the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars named Toby Petersen as head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. From 2000-01 to 2012-13, Petersen spent nine seasons as an NHL forward with the Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers. Over the past two years, he served as a skills coach for the Colorado Avalanche.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning named Jeff Tambellini as their new assistant general manager. He spent the past three seasons as player development director for the Seattle Kraken. Tambellini is also a former NHL player, having spent six seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, and Vancouver Canucks from 2005-06 to 2010-11.

Speaking of the Lightning, two-time Stanley Cup champion Tyler Johnson announced his retirement after 13 NHL seasons. The 35-year-old is calling it a career after battling injuries in recent years.

Johnson began his NHL career with the Lightning, spending nine seasons with them from 2012-13 to 2020-21. He spent three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and played briefly for the Boston Bruins last season. Johnson finishes with 433 points in 747 regular-season games and 65 points in 116 playoff contests.

TSN: NHL journeyman forward Zac Dalpe has retired. From 2010-11 to 2022-23, the 35-year-old spent 12 seasons in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers, mostly spent bouncing between those respective clubs and their AHL affiliates. He had 32 points in 168 regular-season games and one goal in 16 playoff games.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2025

by | Apr 1, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2025

The latest Predators speculation, a Sabres forward is suggested as an offer-sheet target, and Cam York’s future with the Flyers in today’s (no foolin’) edition of the NHL Rumor Mill.

WHO SHOULD THE PREDATORS MOVE THIS SUMMER?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli asked Carter Hutton which veteran player he would pick to trade this summer.

Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

Hutton thinks it should be Steven Stamkos or Jonathan Marchessault. Both players were signed to four-year contracts last summer. He doesn’t think they can move away from long-time Predators like Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi. Hutton also sees them sticking with goaltender Juuse Saros now that Yaroslav Askarov is gone.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutton acknowledged moving either player would be tricky.

Stamkos, 35, has a full no-movement clause and an average annual value of $8.5 million on his contract. The 34-year-old Marchessault has a more affordable AAV ($5.5 million) and a 15-team no-trade list. He also carries a no-movement clause that prevents him from being sent to the minors.

The Predators will likely hang onto both players and hope for a bounce-back performance next season. If they attempt to trade one of them, interested clubs could squeeze them to retain some salary in the deal.

COULD SABRES FORWARD JJ PETERKA BECOME AN OFFER-SHEET TARGET?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Carter Hutton discussed which player they would target with an offer sheet this summer.

Seravalli believes JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres would be a prime candidate. The 23-year-old forward is completing a three-year entry-level contract.

Hutton believes Peterka is someone the Sabres will have to pay a significant raise to prevent him from becoming an offer-sheet target.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Peterka has steadily improved since his 2022-23 rookie campaign. He had 32 points in 77 games that season, 28 goals and 50 points in 82 games in 2023-24, and 23 goals and 59 points in 68 games this season.

The Sabres have a projected cap space for next season of over $22 million with 17 active roster players under contract. Bowen Byram, Jack Quinn, Ryan McLeod and Jacob Bernard-Docker are also restricted free agents.

They should have enough space to sign everyone if they spend to the cap ceiling. Otherwise, things could get interesting if a rival club makes Peterka a tempting offer.

DOES CAM YORK STILL HAVE A FUTURE WITH THE FLYERS?

SPORTSNET: Last week, Elliotte Friedman talked about Cam York’s future with the Philadelphia Flyers following the firing of head coach John Tortorella.

Friedman said Flyers management and York’s representatives discussed a contract extension earlier this season but it didn’t happen. There were times this season when the 24-year-old defenseman came up in trade talks, but Friedman doesn’t believe the Flyers made him available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: York was benched for part of last Tuesday’s loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, which was Tortorella’s final game with the Flyers. He was also benched for Thursday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Interim coach Brad Shaw said the benching for the Canadiens game was for “disciplinary reasons”. It was subsequently reported that there was a heated exchange between York and Tortorella during the Leafs game. The blueliner declined to discuss it, saying he took full responsibility for his actions.

York is part of a young core of players who were supposed to play significant roles for the rebuilding Flyers. However, two of them (Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee) were traded to the Calgary Flames in January, raising questions about his place with the club.

A restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer, York has struggled this season with 15 points in 60 games, down significantly from last season’s career-high of 30 points. His situation could be worth monitoring during the offseason.