NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2026

by | Jan 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2026

Recapping the New Year’s Day games, injury updates, and the three stars and Rookie of the Month for December are revealed in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews tallied his 14th career NHL regular-season hat trick to rally the Toronto Maple Leafs from a 4-1 deficit to a 6-5 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Matthews’ third goal snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period, and he also collected an assist for the 19-15-6 Maple Leafs, who’ve won four of their last five games. Mark Scheifele scored two goals and picked up an assist for the Jets (15-20-4) as their winless skid reached eight games (0-5-3).

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 419 NHL career regular-season goals, Matthews needs one more to tie Mats Sundin for the franchise goals record. The Maple Leafs replaced goaltender Joseph Woll with Dennis Hildeby after Woll gave up 4 goals on 17 shots. Since Nov. 11, the Jets have won only six times in their last 24 games.

Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther collected his first NHL hat trick and picked up an assist as his club thumped the New York Islanders 7-2. Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, and Mikhail Sergachev each had three-point performances as the Mammoth improved to 19-19-3. Calum Ritchie and Matthew Schaefer replied for the 22-15-4 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Bo Horvat left this game in the third period with a lower-body injury. He will see a doctor on Friday. Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka stopped 20 shots for the win as he returned to action after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang celebrated his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game by scoring in overtime in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Sidney Crosby scored twice and collected an assist for the 18-12-9 Penguins, who have won three straight games. James van Riemsdyk, Andrew Copp, and Alex DeBrincat scored for the Red Wings (24-14-4), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson had two assists to reach 900 career NHL regular-season points. The last time the Red Wings were in first place in the Eastern Conference at this stage or later in the season was Feb. 7, 2015.

The Montreal Canadiens picked up their first win in Carolina since 2016 by defeating the Hurricanes 7-5. Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, and Sammy Blais each had a goal and an assist, and Cole Caufield sniped his 20th goal of the season for the Canadiens (22-12-6) as they extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2). Sebastian Aho had two goals and three assists for the 24-13-3 Hurricanes, who slipped out of first place in the Eastern Conference but hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson missed this game with an upper-body injury, while winger Josh Anderson left in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov collected two assists to become the first rookie to reach 35 points this season.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Anthony Cirelli, Gage Goncalves, and Nikita Kucherov lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Kucherov finished with three points, and Brandon Hagel scored twice for the 24-13-3 Lightning, who extended their win streak to six games. Corey Perry picked up three assists for the Kings (16-14-9), who have only two wins in their last 10 contests.

The Ottawa Senators overcame a 2-0 deficit to nip the Washington Capitals 4-3. Fabian Zetterlund snapped a 3-3 tie late in the third period while Tim Stutzle collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games for the 19-15-1 Senators, ending their three-game winless skid. Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (21-15-5), who have only two wins in their last seven games (2-4-1).

Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev tallied twice in a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars. Spencer Knight stopped 22 shots while Ryan Donato and Andre Burakovsky each had two assists for the 15-18-7 Blackhawks. Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, and Matt Duchene each had a goal and an assist for the slumping Stars (25-9-7), who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers scored two goals in a 4-1 victory against the Nashville Predators. Philipp Grubauer made 24 saves for the Kraken (17-14-7), who are 5-0-1 in their last six contests. Roman Josi replied for the 18-18-4 Predators.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, and San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini are the league’s three stars for December 2025. Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov was the Rookie of the Month.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forwards Conor Garland and Marco Rossi have been sidelined for at least a week due to injuries.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry is out until at least mid-January with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Miles Wood is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta and Gavin Brindley are day-to-day with injuries.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2025

by | Dec 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2025

Recapping Tuesday’s games, Sharks sophomore Macklin Celebrini could make Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team, Flames re-sign Devin Cooley, and more in the final NHL Morning Coffee Headlines for 2025.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The injury-depleted Toronto Maple Leafs got a 33-save shutout from Joseph Woll to blank the New Jersey Devils 4-0. Bobby McMann and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who extended their points streak to four games (3-0-1) and improved their record to 18-15-6. Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom allowed three goals on 29 shots for the slumping Devils (20-17-2), who are winless in their last four contests (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs played without Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Chris Tanev, and Dakota Joshua, who are currently sidelined by injuries. Following the game, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe called out his players’ “lack of balls” after team captain Nico Hischier lost a lopsided scrap to Leafs power forward Matthew Knies in the third period.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored the tying and winning goals to lead his club to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers. Cole Caufield also scored for the Canadiens (21-12-6), who overcame a 2-0 deficit to extend their points streak to six games (4-0-2). Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart tallied for the 21-15-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers honored Marchand for his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game in a pregame ceremony. He also took a roughing penalty in overtime that led to Suzuki’s game-winning goal.

A shootout goal by Bo Horvat lifted the New York Islanders over the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-2. Horvat also scored in regulation, and rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer collected an assist for the 22-14-4 Islanders. Oliver Moore collected two assists for the Blackhawks, who slipped to 14-18-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shaefer’s assist made him the youngest defenseman in NHL history to reach 25 career regular-season points.

Goalie Stuart Skinner made 27 saves for his first win with the Pittsburgh Penguins as his club downed the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1. Anthony Mantha tallied two goals while Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Justin Brazeau each had two points for the Penguins (17-12-9). Mark Jankowski netted the only goal for the Hurricanes (24-12-3), who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 51 points.

The Philadelphia Flyers got two-point performances from Noah Cates, Bobby Brink, Trevor Zegras, and Travis Konecny in a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. David Kampf and Drew O’Connor each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks, who dropped to 16-20-3. The Flyers (20-11-7) have won three of their last four games.

HEADLINES

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: According to a report by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, Sharks sophomore center Macklin Celebrini had made Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team. The formal announcement of Canada’s roster will be made on Dec. 31.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be a well-deserved honor for Celebrini. The 19-year-old Sharks center is having an outstanding season, sitting third among NHL scorers with 60 points in 39 games. He’s on pace to eclipse Joe Thornton’s single-season franchise record of 114 points in 2006-07.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports that sidelined Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson will not be available for Sweden’s Men’s Olympic hockey team. He has been absent since Nov. 8 with a lower-body injury.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed goaltender Devin Cooley to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cooley’s been a solid backup for Dustin Wolf in the Flames’ crease this season. He has a record of 4-4-2 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers could get Adam Fox back in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Washington Capitals. The 27-year-old defenseman has been sidelined since Nov. 29 with a shoulder injury.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel could return to action against the Nashville Predators on Dec. 31. He’s missed six games with an illness and a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: The Los Angeles Kings activated goaltender Darcy Kuemper from injured reserve.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres goalie Alex Lyon is being evaluated for a lower-body injury suffered on Monday against the St. Louis Blues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2025

by | Dec 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2025

Recapping Saturday’s action and the most notable headlines during the holiday break in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists, and also scored the winning goal in the shootout, as the league-leading Colorado Avalanche nipped the Vegas Golden Knights 6-5. Martin Necas scored twice, and Sam Malinski collected three assists for the 28-2-7 Avalanche, who sit atop the overall standings with 63 points. Alexander Holtz and Noah Hanifin each had two points for the Golden Knights (17-8-11), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 45 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon continues to lead the league with 31 goals, but now sits second in points (64) to Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (68).

Speaking of McDavid, he scored to extend his points streak to 12 games, but his Edmonton Oilers fell 3-2 to the Calgary Flames. Dustin Wolf stopped 29 shots while Yegor Sharangovich, Ryan Lomberg, and Blake Coleman scored for the 16-18-4 Flames. Evan Bouchard also scored for the Oilers (19-14-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other Oilers news, they reached a mutual agreement with David Tomasek to terminate his contract to enable the 29-year-old forward to return to Europe. He had five points in 22 games this season.

Los Angeles Kings forward Alex Laferriere tallied his first career NHL hat trick to lead his club over the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 6-1. Anze Kopitar collected three assists for the Kings, who improved to 16-12-9. Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks (21-15-2), who have dropped six of their last eight games (2-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Ross Johnston was fined over $2,800.00 by the league’s department of player safety last week for roughing Seattle Kraken forward Tye Kartye

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to seven games in a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Rookie winger Igor Chernyshov scored his first NHL goal, and William Eklund also had a goal and an assist for the 18-17-3 Sharks, who snapped a three-game losing skid. Conor Garland and Filip Hronek each had two points, and Marco Rossi netted his first goal for the Canucks, who slipped to 15-19-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini’s goal was his 20th of the season. He’s well ahead of last season’s pace, when he finished with 25 in 70 games. The Sharks played without forward Will Smith, who is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Canucks center Elias Pettersson returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning doubled up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Nikita Kucherov scored two goals, and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 24 shots as the Lightning picked up their third straight win, improving their record to 21-13-3. Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand replied for the 20-15-5 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning announced the signing of defenseman J.J. Moser to an eight-year, $54-million contract extension. The annual average value is $6.75 million, which is double his current AAV of $3.375 million. Moser has played well for the Lightning since joining them in a trade from Utah in the summer of 2024. He has 12 points in 34 games this season with a plus/minus of plus-24, logging over 21 minutes per game.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson had a goal and two assists as his club beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 to pick up their eighth straight win. Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn, and Peyton Krebs each had two points for the surging Sabres (19-14-4). David Pastrnak scored for the 20-18-1 Bruins, who have dropped five straight games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forward Tanner Jeannot missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Minnesota Wild downed the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 4-3. Matt Boldy scored two goals (including the winner in overtime), while Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes each picked up three points for the 23-10-6 Wild. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist for the struggling Jets (15-17-4), who are winless in their last five contests (0-2-3).

Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies each had three points in a 7-5 win over the Ottawa Senators. Max Domi collected three assists for the Maple Leafs (17-15-5). Claude Giroux, Jordan Spence, and Stephen Halliday each had two points for the 18-14-5 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux played in his 1,300th career NHL regular-season game. Meanwhile, Maple Leafs forward William Nylander left this game with a lower-body injury in the second period, but he will be traveling with the Leafs to Detroit for Sunday’s game against the Red Wings.

Last week was a busy one for the Maple Leafs. They fired Marc Savard as their power-play coach, replacing him with Steve Sullivan. The club has no plans to replace general manager Brad Treliving or head coach Craig Berube. They also welcomed back defenseman Chris Tanev, who’d been sidelined since Nov. 1 with an upper-body injury.

The New York Islanders got a 27-save shutout from David Rittich to blank the New York Rangers 2-0. Anders Lee and Simon Holmstrom were the goal scorers as the Islanders improved to 21-13-4 on the season. Igor Shesterkin stopped 24 of 25 shots for the 19-17-4 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rittich got the call as Islanders starter Ilya Sorokin is on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Isles center Bo Horvat returned to action after missing five games. Meanwhile, Rangers captain J.T. Miller missed this game as he was placed on IR last week.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The Hurricanes ended a three-game winless skid (0-2-1) and improved to 23-11-3, leading the Eastern Conference with 49 points. Michael Rasmussen and Andrew Copp scored for the 22-14-3 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes played without forward Seth Jarvis and defenseman Jaccob Slavin. Both are listed as week-to-week with upper-body injuries.

An overtime goal by Jakob Chychrun gave the Washington Capitals a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Aliaksei Protas had a goal and two assists, and Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (20-13-5) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Jesper Bratt tallied twice for the 20-16-2 Devils, who are winless in their last three (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals forward Ryan Leonard was activated off IR on Dec. 23.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi tallied twice, and Nick Lardis scored the shootout winner in a 4-3 upset of the Dallas Stars. Arvid Soderblom made 28 saves for the 14-17-6 Blackhawks, who ended a six-game losing streak. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists for the Stars (25-7-7) as their points streak extended to six games (4-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was fined over $2,600.00 last week for cross-checking Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle.

The St. Louis Blues beat the Nashville Predators 3-2, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Pavel Buchnevich scored two goals, and Robert Thomas collected two assists for the 15-16-8 Blues. Tyson Jose and Fedor Svechkov replied for the Predators (16-17-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Dec. 23, Predators forward Steven Stamkos played in his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game.

IN OTHER NEWS…

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Jake Evans will be sidelined for four to six weeks with an injured left knee. Goaltender Sam Montembeault has been recalled from his conditioning stint in Laval. Rookie netminder Jacob Fowler gets the start on Sunday against the Lightning.

TSN: Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour underwent hand surgery last week and is out for four weeks.

TSN: The ECHL has a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Hockey Players Association (PHPA) to end a two-day-old strike by the players.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 21, 2025

by | Dec 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 21, 2025

Recapping Saturday’s games, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler turned in a 31-save performance for his first NHL shutout to blank the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0. Josh Anderson scored two goals, Lane Hutson collected his 100th regular-season point, and rookie center Owen Beck tallied his first NHL goal as the Canadiens improved to 19-12-4. The Penguins are winless in their last eight games (0-4-4) and dropped to 14-11-9.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson returned to action after missing two games with an injury. Jayden Struble was a healthy scratch to make way for Matheson. The Canadiens placed defenseman Kaiden Guhle and center Kirby Dach on long-term injury reserve to free up salary-cap space for recently acquired center Phillip Danault, who will join the team for Tuesday’s game in Boston against the Bruins. Canadiens center Jake Evans won’t be traveling with the team on their road trip after leaving Saturday’s game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

The New York Rangers overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 on shootout goals by Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Panarin tallied twice in regulation, and Mika Zibanejad had a goal and an assist for the 18-15-4 Rangers. Rookie Denver Barkey collected two assists for their first two NHL points for the Flyers (17-10-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Rangers as team captain J.T. Miller left the game in the third period with an upper-body injury following a hit from Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler. Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar and center Christian Dvorak missed this contest with injuries and are listed as day-to-day.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel scored two third-period goals as his club overcame 3-0 and 4-3 deficits to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-4. Ryan McDonagh had a goal and an assist as the Lightning (19-13-3) snapped a three-game losing skid. Hurricanes rookie Bradly Nadeau scored his second career NHL goal for the Hurricanes (22-10-3), who blew a three-goal lead for the second straight game. They remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nadeau was called up as Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least a week. Meanwhile, Lightning winger Brandon Hagel (upper body) was placed on IR.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 5-2. Moritz Seider had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 20-13-3 (43 points). Aliaksei Protas and Martin Fehervary replied for the Capitals (19-12-4), who’ve lost four of their last five contests.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle scored a shorthanded goal and picked up two assists in a 6-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Brady Tkachuk and David Perron each scored twice as the Senators have won three straight and improved to 17-13-4. Ilya Mikheyev tallied two goals for the Blackhawks (13-16-6), who dropped their fourth straight game and slipped into last place in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The news got worse for the Blackhawks as center Frank Nazar left the game in the first period after taking a puck to the face. After the game, head coach Jeff Blashill said Nazar will be sidelined for four weeks, joining superstar Connor Bedard on the sidelines.

Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with an oblique muscle injury. However, they lost blueliner Tyler Kleven day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy scored twice as the Minnesota Wild won their seventh straight game by downing the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 5-2. Mats Zuccarello and Vladimir Tarasenko each had two points for the surging Wild (22-9-5). Leon Draisaitl had two assists for the Oilers (17-13-6).

A shootout goal by Josh Norris lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders. Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to six games as the Sabres collected their fifth straight victory and improved to 16-14-4. Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (19-13-4), who’ve dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Sabres announced they’ve parted company with assistant general manager Jason Karmanos. They also recalled forward Isak Rosen from their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas scored twice and set up another goal in a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers, snapping the latter’s win streak at four games. Jake Neighbours tallied two goals, and Jonatan Berggren had a goal and two assists for the Blues (14-15-8). A.J. Greer and Sam Reinhart replied for the 19-14-2 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Mackie Samoskevich missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Vancouver Canucks got a shootout goal from Liam Ohgren to upset the Boston Bruins 5-4. Linus Karlsson led the way for the Canucks with two goals and an assist as they picked up their fourth straight win and improved to 15-17-3. Morgan Geekie scored his 25th goal of the season and picked up an assist for the 20-15-1 Bruins.

Nashville Predators winger Luke Evangelista snapped a 3-3 tie as his club defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3, handing the latter their fourth loss in their last five games. Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist for the 14-16-4 Predators. Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson each picked up two points for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 15-14-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Max Domi was a healthy scratch for this game. He’s mired in a 22-game goal drought and has a team-worst plus/minus of minus-13.

The Calgary Flames upset the Vegas Golden Knights 6-3. Mikael Backlund scored twice and had an assist while MacKenzie Weegar and Connor Zary each collected three assists for the 15-17-4 Flames. Mark Stone had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (16-7-10).

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov scored the tie-breaking goal with 3:29 remaining in the third period to lift his club to a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with a record of 21-13-2. Zach Werenski had two points, and Mason Marchment scored in his first game with the Blue Jackets, who dropped to 14-15-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski left the game with a leg injury late in the game. There was no postgame update on his status. Earlier in the day, the NHL’s department of player safety fined Ducks forward Frank Vatrano $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Dallas Stars on Friday.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord stopped 35 shots as his club doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Chandler Stephenson scored to extend his goal streak to four games and his points streak to eight as the Kraken (13-14-6) snapped a four-game losing skid. Adam Gaudette and Collin Graf scored for the Sharks (17-16-3) as they’ve dropped two straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren missed this game with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2025

by | Dec 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, the Kings send Phillip Danault back to the Canadiens, the Kraken trade Mason Marchment to the Blue Jackets, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: A hat trick by Kiefer Sherwood powered the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Thatcher Demko made 22 saves, and Filip Hronek collected two assists for the 14-17-3 Canucks. Anders Lee replied for the 19-13-3 Islanders, who have dropped two straight games.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Since trading Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild last Friday, the Canucks have won three straight games. Veteran defenseman Tyler Myers played his 1,100th career NHL regular-season game.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored twice and collected an assist to lead his club to an 8-3 thrashing of the Anaheim Ducks. Roope Hintz and Thomas Harley each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (24-7-5), who picked up their third straight win. Anaheim goaltender Petr Mrazek replaced starter Lukas Dostal after the latter gave up four goals on seven shots in the first period. The Ducks (20-13-2) have lost four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars activated forward Adam Erne from long-term injured reserve. He’d been out since Nov. 14 with a lower-body injury.

Earlier in the day, they announced forward Tyler Seguin underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ACL. He has not been ruled out for the season and will be reevaluated following the Olympic break in February.

The Florida Panthers overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on a shootout goal by Evan Rodrigues. Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, and Sam Bennett each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (19-13-2), who have won seven of their last eight contests. Sebastian Aho scored twice for the 22-9-3 Hurricanes, whose five-game winning streak ended, as did goalie Brandon Bussi’s nine-game win streak.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes remain atop the Eastern Conference standings with 47 points, but it proved to be a costly victory as versatile forward Seth Jarvis is expected to miss some time after crashing into the Panthers’ net during overtime. They also played without forward Jordan Martinook, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

A third-period goal by Parker Kelly proved to be the game-winner for the Colorado Avalanche as they held off the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 3-2. Brent Burns and Martin Necas also scored for the 25-2-7 Avalanche, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 57 points. Morgan Barron and Mark Scheifele replied for the 15-17-2 Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have won four in a row and seven of their last eight games. Meanwhile, the struggling Jets have won only three of their last 15 contests.

The New Jersey Devils nipped the Utah Mammoth 2-1. Stefan Noesen broke a 1-1 tie in the third period, and Nico Hischier had two assists for the 20-14-1 Devils. Daniil But scored his first career NHL goal for the 17-17-3 Mammoth.

HEADLINES

LOS ANGELES TIMES/MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Kings traded center Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Danault is returning to the club where he spent five seasons (2016 to 2021) before signing with the Kings as a free agent. The 32-year-old two-way forward is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.5 million. His addition pushed the Canadiens over the salary cap by $1.4 million, but they could demote Owen Beck and Jared Davidson to become cap-compliant. They could also place Alex Newhook on LTIR.

Danault has struggled offensively this season with five points in 30 games. However, he’s a left-shot center whose defensive skills will take pressure off top center Nick Suzuki and help to improve the Canadiens’ defensive game, especially on the penalty kill and in the faceoff circle. He could skate on the third line between Josh Anderson and Alexandre Texier, or he could be reunited with former linemate Brendan Gallagher on their fourth line.

The Kings were reportedly seeking a player in return, and it was rumored their asking price from the Canadiens was Jake Evans. They instead settled for a second-round pick that the Canadiens received from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Patrik Laine trade in August 2024. The Kings could use that pick as a trade chip to pursue another player.

THE SEATTLE TIMES/THE ATHLETIC: The Kraken traded winger Mason Marchment to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a second-round pick in 2027 and a fourth-rounder in 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken acquired Marchment from the Dallas Stars in June, giving up a third-rounder and a fourth-round pick. The gritty 30-year-old winger was used in a top-six role, but he wasn’t a good fit with the Kraken, making him the subject of recent trade speculation. He’s in the final season of a four-year contract with a cap hit of $4.5 million.

Marchment heads to a Blue Jackets club struggling to regain the form that had them challenging for a playoff berth last season. They’re hoping he can regain his 22-goal form and provide a much-needed jolt of physical energy to their lineup.

Both trades occurred before the annual holiday roster freeze went into effect at 11:59 pm ET on Friday, Dec. 19. The freeze is in place until 12:01 am ET on Sunday, Dec. 28.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel and defenseman Shea Theodore will not be joining their teammates during their weekend Canadian road trip. Eichel was suffering from an illness, but he’s now day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Theodore was listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, but is now considered week-to-week.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers placed goaltender Tristan Jarry on injured reserve and called up Connor Ingram from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. They also placed winger Jack Roslovic on LTIR.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: On Friday, the Penguins officially announced that the sale of the franchise to the Hoffman Family of Companies had been completed. It was reported earlier this week that the sale would soon be made official. Fenway Sports Group owned the Penguins for the past four years.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Former forward John MacLean will become the fourth member of the Devils’ Ring of Honor. He will be inducted during a pregame ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, when the club hosts the Winnipeg Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacLean spent 14 of his 18 NHL seasons with New Jersey from 1983-84 to 1997-98. During his tenure with the Devils, he scored 347 goals and 701 points in 934 regular-season games, and 75 points in 88 playoff contests. He won a Stanley Cup with them in 1995 as a player and another in 2003 as an assistant coach.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2025

by | Dec 19, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2025

The annual holiday roster freeze goes into effect at 11:59 PM ET on Dec. 19. Check out the latest rumors leading up to the freeze in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup.

RYAN O’REILLY IS NOT READY YET TO CONTEMPLATE A TRADE

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports that some teams with an interest in Ryan O’Reilly were informed that the 34-year-old Nashville Predators center isn’t ready to consider a trade yet.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (NHL Images).

O’Reilly likes living and playing in Nashville and doesn’t want to bail on the Predators, preferring to be part of the solution. LeBrun suggested that doesn’t mean a trade won’t happen by the March 6 trade deadline, but he’s skeptical that it’ll happen at all.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but the Predators are treating him as though he does. If he doesn’t want to move, it appears they will respect his wishes.

MULTIPLE TEAMS INTERESTED IN KINGS CENTER PHILLIP DANAULT

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports that sources say the Los Angeles Kings are receiving numerous calls about Phillip Danault.

The 32-year-old two-way center has been struggling this season and has had his playing time reduced. His agent, Allan Walsh, recently denied a report claiming his client had requested a trade.

Nevertheless, LeBrun said the Montreal Canadiens (Danault’s former team), New Jersey Devils, and the Utah Mammoth were among “a long list of teams” that have expressed an interest. One reason is that there aren’t many centers available in the trade market.

LeBrun noted that Danault is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.5 million. He also indicated that the Kings currently aren’t sellers because they’re a perennial playoff team that intends to reach the postseason again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings aren’t in any hurry to trade Danault, partly because good centers are difficult to find. However, that doesn’t mean they’re not willing to listen to offers. Most speculation suggests they would want a good player back in return instead of draft picks and prospects.

OILERS LINKED TO SABRES GOALTENDER ALEX LYON

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples reported several sources claim the Oilers had an interest in Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon, or were interested in him before they acquired Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins last Friday.

With Jarry injured during Thursday’s game against the Boston Bruins, Staples doubted that the Oilers have enough time to land Lyon or another goalie before the holiday roster freeze takes effect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no immediate update on Jarry’s status following last night’s game. If it’s serious, the Oilers could be stuck with backup Calvin Pickard and whoever they call up from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield until the freeze is lifted at 12:01 am ET on Dec. 28.

Lyon carries a $1.5 million cap hit, but the Oilers can’t afford it. Even if the Sabres agreed to retain up to half of it, the Oilers would have to move out some salary to take him on.

KRAKEN WINGER MASON MARCHMENT GARNERING INTEREST IN THE TRADE MARKET.

SPORTS ON PRIME: NHL insider Frank Seravalli said Seattle Kraken winger Mason Marchment has “generated real traction” in the trade market. He said teams are calling the Kraken, trying to get something done. Seravalli isn’t ruling out the possibility of the Kraken moving the 30-year-old Marchment before the holiday freeze kicks in.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the best start in franchise history, the Kraken have been in free fall in the standings with just one win in their last 11 games. Sitting seven points out of a playoff berth, they could be going into sell mode if they don’t reverse their fortunes soon.

If the Kraken are selling, it would make sense that they would peddle Marchment. A big, physical middle-six winger who tallied 22 goals in each of the last two seasons, he carries a $4.5 million cap hit and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Marchment also has plenty of recent postseason experience with the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars.