NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2026

by | Mar 13, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2026

Lightning stars Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy reach notable career milestones, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is injured by a knee-on-knee hit, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to reach the 1,100 regular-season points milestone in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Jake Guentzel and Gage Goncalves each scored twice for the Lightning (40-20-4, 84 points), who moved within two points of the Buffalo Sabres for first place in the Atlantic Division. J.T. Compher replied for the 36-23-7 Red Wings, who’ve dropped four of their last five games and cling to the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 79 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy became the second netminder in NHL history to record nine consecutive 30-win seasons. Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur holds the record with 12 consecutive seasons.

The slumping Red Wings were without Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp. Both centers will be sidelined by injuries for at least the next two weeks.

Speaking of the Sabres, their eight-game win streak ended as they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Washington Capitals. Jakob Chychrun snapped a 1-1 tie late in the third period while Logan Thompson stopped 29 shots for the 33-27-7 Capitals. Sam Carrick scored for the 40-20-6 Sabres, who sit second in the Eastern Conference with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres winger Alex Tuch missed this game with a lower-body injury. He’s considered day-to-day.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 6-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks was overshadowed by an injury to Auston Matthews. The Maple Leafs captain left the game in the second period following a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas, who received a major penalty and a game misconduct.

Matthew Knies had a goal and three assists, and winger Matias Maccelli had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs (28-27-11). Cutter Gauthier tallied his team-leading 33rd goal of the season for the 36-26-3 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gudas could receive supplemental discipline for that hit on Matthews, who may have suffered a serious injury to his left knee. The Ducks blueliner has had four suspensions in his NHL career, with the last being in 2019.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored twice and collected two assists in a 7-2 drubbing of the Edmonton Oilers. Wyatt Johnston had a goal and two assists, Miro Heiskanen collected three assists, and Jamie Benn scored two goals for the Stars (41-14-10), who hold second place in the Western Conference with 92 points. Evan Bouchard and Jason Dickinson scored for the Oilers (32-26-8), who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars extended their points streak to 14 games.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists to lead his club over the Seattle Kraken 5-1. Martin Necas tallied his 30th goal of the season, and Nazem Kadri scored his first goal with the Avalanche since being acquired from the Calgary Flames last Friday. Ryker Evans replied for the 29-26-9 Kraken, who’ve lost four straight games and slipped out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 67 points. The Avalanche (44-11-9) holds first place in the overall standings with 97 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the league announced it had rescinded the game misconduct penalty handed to MacKinnon during Tuesday’s game against the Oilers.

The San Jose Sharks vaulted over the Kraken into the final Western wild card by doubling up the Boston Bruins 4-2, handing the latter its first home loss since December. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic kicked out 39 shots while William Eklund, Tyler Toffoli, and Michael Misa each had a goal and an assist for the 31-26-6 Sharks, who sit one point ahead of the Kraken. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (36-23-6), who cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 78 points.

An overtime power-play goal by Sam Reinhart gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sam Bennett also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves for the 33-29-3 Panthers. Adam Fantilli scored for the 33-21-11 Blue Jackets, who extended their points streak to eight games, sitting one point behind the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fantilli was unhappy about being whistled for tripping Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk in overtime. He and his teammates believe Tkachuk dove after losing control of the puck to draw the penalty.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2. Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice and collected an assist while Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for the 30-22-14 Golden Knights, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 74 points. Rickard Rakell and Ben Kindel replied for the Penguins (32-18-15), who hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone returned to action after missing the last five games with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, Marner told reporters that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain while playing for Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Crosby remains sidelined but is expected to return to action before the end of March.

St. Louis Blues winger Jimmy Snuggerud tallied two goals while Jordan Binnington turned aside 31 shots for a 3-1 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Pavel Buchnevich also scored, and Dylan Holloway collected two assists for the 26-29-10 Blues, who are 5-0-1 in their last six games. Mark Jankowski scored for the Hurricanes (41-18-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon sold a portion of the club to three new minority owners. One of them is former NHL winger Bobby Farnham, who had eight goals and 10 points in 67 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and Montreal Canadiens from 2014-15 to 2016-17. He went on to Harvard Business School and co-founded the investment group Fourth Line Capital.

The Philadelphia Flyers nipped the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on a shootout goal by Travis Konecny. Owen Tippett tied the game for the Flyers (31-23-11) with a shorthanded goal. Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov scored for the 38-16-17 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild’s Quinn Hughes collected two assists, becoming the first defenseman to collect 60 assists in 60 games since Hall of Famer Paul Coffey in 1992-93.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored in overtime to defeat the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi each had a goal and an assist for the 25-29-11 Blackhawks. Dylan Guenther and JJ Peterka scored for the 34-26-6 Mammoth, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 74 points, but are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the Nashville Predators 4-3. Jake DeBrusk scored the shootout winner, Marco Rossi had a goal and two assists, and Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek each had a goal and an assist for the 20-37-8 Canucks. Tyson Jost scored twice for the Predators (29-27-9), who remain one point out of the Western wild-card berth with 67 points.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere scored for the third straight game as his club downed the Winnipeg Jets 6-3. Gabe Perreault had his third straight multipoint game with a goal and an assist for the Rangers (27-30-8). Isak Rosen scored his first goal with the Jets (26-28-10) since being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres last Friday.

The Calgary Flames nipped the New Jersey Devils 5-4. John Beecher scored twice for his first NHL multi-goal game while Dustin Wolf made 28 saves for the 26-32-7 Flames. Jack and Luke Hughes each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (32-31-2).

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators will receive the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after the league modified the disciplinary sanction originally imposed on the club for a botched trade involving Evgenii Dadonov by former Senators management in 2022.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2026

by | Mar 10, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2026

Recapping Tuesday night’s action, the three stars of the week, Lightning forward Brandon Hagel fined, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime, in a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Brian Dumoulin had a goal and two assists, while Artemi Panarin and Scott Laughton each had a goal and an assist for the 26-23-14 Kings (66 points), who are one point behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Conor Garland tallied twice for the Blues Jackets (32-21-10, 74 points), who are two points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators got a 16-save shutout from James Reimer to blank the Vancouver Canucks 2-0. Ridly Grieg and Brady Tkachuk scored, and Tim Stutzle extended his assist streak to 13 games. The Senators improved to 32-22-9, sitting three points back of the Bruins. Kevin Lankinen stopped 22 of 23 shots for the 19-37-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have won three straight and seven of their last 10 games. They got this victory without top defenseman Jake Sanderson, who is week-to-week after injuring his right shoulder during Saturday’s game against the Kraken.

An overtime goal by Frank Nazar lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 win over the Utah Mammoth. Andrew Mangiapane and Andre Burakovsky scored for the 24-29-11 Blackhawks. Dylan Guenther tallied his 30th goal of the season for the 34-25-5 Mammoth, who hold the first Western wild-card berth with 73 points.

Washington Capitals forward Connor McMichael tallied two goals in a 7-3 drubbing of the Calgary Flames. Justin Sourdif had a goal and two assists for the 32-26-7 Capitals (71 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern wild card. Matvei Gridin, Blake Coleman, and Yegor Sharangovich replied for the 25-31-7 Flames.

The New York Rangers downed the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2. Mika Zibanejad scored two goals and picked up an assist while Vincent Trocheck had three assists for the 25-30-8 Rangers. Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier replied for the 29-23-11 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forward Taylor Raddysh missed this game and will miss his club’s next game as he attends the funeral of his father, Dwayne, who passed away last Tuesday from pancreatic cancer. My condolences to the Raddysh family for their loss.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas, and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 8, 2026.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was fined $5,000 for being the aggressor in an altercation with Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin on Sunday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. He was accidentally struck in the face by the skate of Senators forward Nick Cousins during Saturday’s game between the two clubs.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman reported there was “a lot of talk” about Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry clashing with some of his teammates during a practice last week.

Friedman didn’t elaborate further, but went on to say it was symptomatic of a frustrating season for the club, pointing to comments made by former Oilers Troy Stecher and Andrew Mangiapane.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers hold third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points, but they have only four wins in their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks are only four points behind them in the playoff race.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2026

by | Mar 7, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2026

Recapping Friday’s games, fallout from the trade deadline, contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider had a goal and three assists as his club nipped the Montreal Canadiens 6-5 on a shootout goal by Alex Killorn. Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, and Jackson LaCombe each had a goal and an assist for the 35-24-3 Ducks, who took over first place in the Pacific Division with 73 points. Cole Caufield had two goals and an assist, and Lane Hutson had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (33-18-10), who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 76 points.

Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

The Golden Knights (29-20-14) dropped a 4-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild, slipping one point behind the Ducks. Filip Gustavsson made 29 saves, and Michael McCarron had a goal and an assist in his debut with the Wild after being acquired from the Nashville Predators. Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev had two points, including his 30th goal of the season. The Wild sit third in the Central Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone missed this game with an upper-body injury, but he’s not expected to be sidelined for long.

A shootout goal by Valeri Nichushkin lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Dallas Stars 5-4, snapping the latter’s 10-game win streak. Nichushkin also scored the tying goal that sent the game to overtime and the shootout, while Martin Necas had a goal and three assists for the Avalanche (42-10-9), who remain atop the overall standings with 93 points. Wyatt Johnston, Miro Heiskanen, and Justin Hryckowian each had a goal and an assist for the 38-14-10 Stars as they sit second in the Western Conference with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz left this game after injuring his left leg following a collision with Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon during the second period. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Carolina Hurricanes got two goals from Jackson Blake in a 6-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. K’Andre Miller collected three assists for the 40-16-6 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 86 points. Zach Hyman tallied twice for the Oilers (30-25-8) as they cling to third place in the Pacific Division.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk’s hat trick gave his club a 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves for the Panthers (31-29-3) as his club ended a four-game losing skid. Alex DeBrincat replied for the 35-21-7 Red Wings, who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 77 points, but have dropped seven of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin left this game with a lower-body injury in the third period. Head coach Todd McLellan doesn’t believe Larkin will be sidelined long-term, but he must have his injury attended to.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas scored twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Dylan Holloway collected three assists for the 24-29-9 Blues. Macklin Celebrini and Kiefer Sherwood replied for the 30-25-5 Sharks (65 points), who sit two points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Sharks signed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year, $6 million contract extension.

The Vancouver Canucks ended a seven-game losing skid by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3. Brock Boeser scored twice for the 19-36-7 Canucks. Frank Nazar and Ilya Mikheyev each had a goal and an assist for the 23-29-10 Blackhawks.

TRADE DEADLINE FALLOUT

THE ATHLETIC: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong expressed his displeasure regarding leaked reports of a proposed trade involving Colton Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres before the blueliner was approached about waiving his no-trade clause. Parayko ultimately refused to waive his clause, killing the deal.

Armstrong was adamant that the leak didn’t come from the Blues. He ordered a thorough examination of his staff’s phone, text, and email records. “Everyone passed the test, not surprisingly,” Armstrong said. “I knew it didn’t come from us.”

However, Armstrong is not pointing the finger at the Sabres. “There’s so many people involved in things that go on: family members, agents. It’s a never-ending cycle of people that get talked to.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals players were shocked and saddened by the trade of long-time Capitals defenseman John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks.

Team captain Alex Ovechkin said hearing the news was the toughest day of his career. “We’re very close, and it’s hard,” Ovechkin said. “We’ve been together since his Day 1 on Caps, and we’re growing up together as a person, families. It’s hard and it’s a sad day.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Getting traded is part of the business for professional hockey players, but it still takes an emotional toll, especially when they’ve spent years together as teammates.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving shouldered the blame for his club’s poor performance this season. He made the remarks after trading forwards Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton before Friday’s trade deadline. Treliving also acknowledged that more changes could be coming for the struggling Maple Leafs in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving could be among those changes. His three-year contract expires at the end of this season.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said his club’s decline after winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season starts with him. Cheveldayoff admitted that his offseason acquisitions were past their prime. He intends to play more of their younger players for the remainder of this season and is looking toward resetting in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unlike Treliving, Cheveldayoff won’t lose his job over this season’s disappointing effort. However, he must replace some of those aging players with younger talent for the Jets to bounce back next season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky was expected to make another big trade deadline move after doing so the last two years. However, his only move was acquiring rugged depth forward Nic Deslauriers. Tulsky explained his quiet trade deadline, claiming his club didn’t find any deals that made sense for them.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin received a five-game suspension from the league for slashing at the head of Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken signed captain Jordan Eberle to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders re-signed center Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a three-year extension with an AAV of $4.85 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Islanders, goaltender Semyon Varlamov is not expected to return to action this season. He’s been sidelined by a knee injury since November 2024.

TSN: Free-agent forward Mathieu Joseph signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings worth a prorated $900,000.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres forward Jiri Kulich will likely miss the remainder of the season. He’s been sidelined since November with blood-clot issues.










NHL Trade Deadline Tracker – March 6, 2026

by | Mar 6, 2026

NHL Trade Deadline Tracker – March 6, 2026

The Colorado Avalanche acquired Nazem Kadri and a 2027 fourth-round pick from the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Victor Olofsson, prospect Maxmilian Curran, a conditional first-round pick in 2028,  and a conditional second-rounder in 2027. Flames retain 20 percent of Kadri’s salary. 

Calgary Flames trade center Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche (NHL Images).

The New York Rangers traded forward Brennan Othmann to the Calgary Flames in exchange for prospect winger Jacob Battaglia

The Winnipeg Jets traded winger Tanner Pearson to the Buffalo Sabres for a 2026 seventh-round pick.

The Los Angeles Kings acquired center Scott Laughton from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a conditional third-round pick (details TBA)

The Boston Bruins acquired forward Lukas Reichel from the Vancouver Canucks for a 2026 sixth-round pick.

The Washington Capitals acquired forward David Kampf from the Vancouver Canucks for a 2026 sixth-round pick. 

The Anaheim Ducks traded forward Ryane Strome to the Calgary Flames for a seventh-round pick in 2027.

The Detroit Red Wings acquired defenseman Justin Faulk from the St. Louis Blues for a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 third-rounder, defenseman Justin Holl, and prospect winger Dmitri Buchelnikov. 

The Seattle Kraken acquire forward Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a second-round pick in 2027 and a fourth-round pick in 2026.

The St. Louis Blues traded center Brayden Schenn to the New York Islanders for a 2026 first-round pick, a third-rounder, left wing Jonathan Drouin, and goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof.

The Washington Capitals acquired defenseman Timothy Liljegren from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired winger Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings for a third-round pick in 2026.

The Carolina Hurricanes acquired winger Nicolas Deslauriers from the Philadelphia Flyers for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2027.

The Minnesota Wild traded forward Vinnie Hinostroza to the Florida Panthers for future considerations

The Los Angeles Kings traded Corey Perry to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. 

The Minnesota Wild acquired forward Nick Foligno from the Chicago Blackhawks for future considerations. 

The Philadelphia Flyers traded winger Bobby Brink to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman David Jiricek.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2026

by | Mar 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2026

Recapping Wednesday’s games and notable trades in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nikolaj Ehlers tallied a hat trick as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-4. Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Sean Walker each had a goal and an assist for the 39-16-6 Hurricanes, who are 11-1-2 in their last 14 games and hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 84 points. Filip Hronek had a goal and two assists for the 18-36-7 Canucks.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, defenseman Tyler Myers waived his no-movement clause, accepting a trade to the Dallas Stars. In exchange, the Canucks received a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a fourth-rounder in 2029.

Myers will likely slot in on the Stars’ blueliner as the right-shot defenseman on their third pairing. The Canucks got a decent return for the 36-year-old Myers.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer made 34 saves to help his club hold off the Seattle Kraken by a score of 3-2. Brayden Schenn collected three assists, and Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist for the 23-29-9 Blues. Jaden Schwartz and Vince Dunn scored for the Kraken (29-23-9), who hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues have a deal in place with the Buffalo Sabres that would reportedly send defenseman Colton Parayko to the Sabres in exchange for prospect blueliner Radim Mrtka and a first-round pick. However, they’re waiting for Parayko to decide if he’ll waive his no-trade clause. As of publication, they’re still awaiting his decision.

The New Jersey Devils got a shootout goal from Paul Cotter to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3. Arseny Gritsyuk and Nico Hischier each had two points for the 31-29-2 Devils. Anthony Stolarz stopped 44 shots for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 27-24-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs held forwards Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson out of the lineup for roster management purposes, which means that management is having trade talks involving those players. At least one of them could be on the move by Friday’s trade deadline.

McMann and Laughton are due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 and lack no-trade protection. Ekman-Larsson has two years left on his contract and a 16-team no-trade list.

Before this game, the Maple Leafs announced that defenseman Chris Tanev is done for the season after undergoing core muscle surgery. He is expected to fully participate in training camp in September.

The Vegas Golden Knights overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on an overtime goal by Tomas Hertl. Ivan Barbashev and Mitch Marner scored in the third period to tie the game, with Marner finishing the night with three points. Alex DeBrincat and Simon Edvinsson each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (35-20-7), who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 77 points. The 29-19-14 Golden Knights remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings had a scare when team captain Dylan Larkin left the game late in the third period after being cross-checked in the ribs by Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb. He returned for the overtime period.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier tallied twice, and goaltender Ville Husso kicked out 42 shots in a 5-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Beckett Sennecke had a goal and an assist to take over the lead among this season’s rookie scorers with 51 points as the Ducks (34-24-3) sit one point behind the Golden Knights. Anders Lee replied for the 35-22-5 Islanders, who are in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock missed this game with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames traded defenseman MacKenzie Weegar to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for blueliner Olli Maatta, prospect center Jonathan Castagna, and three second-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no salary retention by the Flames, meaning the Mammoth takes on the full remaining value of the 32-year-old Weegar’s contract. He’s signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $6.25 million.

Weegar will bring valuable depth and experience to the Mammoth’s blueline as they jockey for a playoff berth in the Western Conference. He will likely skate on the right side of their second defense pairing, but can move up into a first-pairing role if required.

Daniel Austin of the Calgary Sun believes the Flames got a good return for Weegar, considering that the blueliner’s production is down this season. One of those second-round picks belonged to the Rangers, meaning it’ll be near the top of that round. They also get a veteran replacement for Weegar in Maatta, who carries a more affordable $3.5 million AAV through 2027-28. Castagna brings more center depth to the Flames’ prospect pool.

The Chicago Blackhawks traded forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for winger Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional first-round pick (top-12 protected) in the 2027 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reports the Blackhawks retained half of Dickinson’s $4.25 million cap hit. He’s UFA-eligible in July.

The Oilers dealt with two needs with this trade. The underrated Dickinson should address their need for a reliable third-line center, and they got Mangiapane’s burdensome contract off their books. They also get a young forward in Dach, the younger brother of Kirby Dach of the Montreal Canadiens. Colton played a fourth-line role in Chicago.

This move gives the Blackhawks two first-rounders in next year’s draft. As for Mangiapane, he gets another chance to see if he can regain the scoring touch he had with the Calgary Flames several years ago. He’ll have an opportunity for more playing time with the rebuilding Blackhawks.

The Colorado Avalanche acquired defenseman Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blankenburg is a puck-moving defenseman who has 21 points in 49 games this season, averaging over 17 minutes of ice time per game. It’ll be interesting to see how much playing time he’ll get on the right side of the Avalanche defense corps.

Blankenburg is the third player traded by the Predators this week. They already shipped out forward Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild for a 2028 second-round pick and Cole Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2028 third-rounder. General manager Barry Trotz could have more moves in store by tomorrow’s deadline, even though his team is battling for a playoff berth.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed winger Kiefer Sherwood to a five-year, $28.75 million contract. He’ll earn an average annual value of $5.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sherwood has cashed in well with this deal. His current AAV is $1.5 million. He’s also getting a full no-trade clause for next season, followed by a 16-team no-trade list for 2027-28, a 13-team list in 2028-29, a 10-team list in 2029-30, and a five-team list in 2030-31.

The Sharks can afford it, but it remains to be seen if Sherwood can maintain the level of performance from the past two seasons that earned him this deal.

TSN: The Washington Capitals signed forward Ethen Frank to a two-year, $4 million contract.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers placed defenseman Tobias Bjornfot on waivers and signed goaltender Louis Domingue to a one-year, two-way contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 3, 2026

by | Mar 3, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 3, 2026

As the trade deadline draws closer, check out the latest on Vincent Trocheck, Adam Fox, and Robert Thomas, plus updates on the Oilers, Bruins, and Capitals in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATES ON VINCENT TROCHECK AND ADAM FOX

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker reports Vincent Trocheck confirmed that West Coast teams are on his 12-team no-trade list. The 32-year-old New York Rangers center has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.65 million.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (NHL Images)

Trocheck said it was no secret that those teams were on his list, saying he wants to stay as close to the East Coast as possible for family reasons. He also acknowledged that a trade could be coming, and if it does, he wants it to be to a team where he has a chance to win, rather than joining a club that’s in the same situation as the Rangers.

Walker noted that Trocheck has been linked to the Minnesota Wild. If he wants to remain in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes could be suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sarah McLellan of The Minneapolis Star-Tribune believes Trocheck would “fit the bill” for the Wild, who are in the market for a center. However, they could have difficulty meeting the Rangers’ asking price after trading away several top assets to the Vancouver Canucks for Quinn Hughes in December.

THE ATHLETIC: Vincent Z. Mercogliano reported a league source claimed there were multiple meetings in recent weeks between Rangers defenseman Adam Fox and general manager Chris Drury.

Another source said Fox wants to see how Drury handles the coming months and assess the roster this summer before making a full commitment to sticking it out with the rebuilding Rangers. That doesn’t mean he’s unwilling to endure a transition period, but he wants evidence that management has a path out of its current plight.

Mercogliano dismissed the possibility of Drury using Fox as a trade chip, pointing out he has a full no-movement clause through 2026-27, after which it drops to a 16-team no-trade list. The Rangers must avoid another situation where a player with a full no-movement clause limits where he can be moved, as Artemi Panarin did last month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It would be surprising if Drury attempted to trade Fox by Friday’s deadline. As I mentioned over the weekend, that’s a move that seems more likely during the offseason. Nevertheless, Fox’s NMC would complicate things.

THE LATEST ROBERT THOMAS SPECULATION

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Montreal Canadiens are among a handful of teams interested in Robert Thomas. However, they’re wary of the St. Louis Blues’ high asking price for the 26-year-old center. He’s under contract for another five seasons with an AAV of $8.125 million and a full no-trade clause.

D’Amico’s sources claim the Blues covet the Canadiens’ top prospect Michael Hage. They’re also interested in defenseman Kaiden Guhle and several of their young blueline prospects. One source said they’re seeking a return comparable to what the Vancouver Canucks received in the Quinn Hughes trade, which was the equivalent of four first-round picks.

The Utah Mammoth and Detroit Red Wings are also believed to be among the other interested parties and could be better positioned to acquire Thomas. The Wings are said to be openly shopping high-end prospects for a top-six center, while Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong knows Thomas from his days with the Blues organization. They also have the depth in prospects to make a competitive bid.

TVA SPORTS: The Canadiens won’t part with Hage. Tony Marinaro would be fine with the Canadiens parting with prospect winger Alexander Zharovsky as part of the return for Thomas. He also suggested adding Oliver Kapanen to the deal to make room for Hage.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adding Thomas could accelerate the Canadiens’ rise into Stanley Cup contention, but it could also come at the expense of their top assets. That’s assuming he’ll waive his no-trade clause to go to Montreal.

Canadiens management has patiently built this roster largely with their promising young talent. They did make a bold move last summer by acquiring Noah Dobson, but that didn’t put much of a dent in their prospect pipeline. Moving Hage seems like a non-starter for them.

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford and Cory Pronman looked at what a deal for Thomas with the Mammoth might look like. They believe it’ll cost the Mammoth “two A-level assets” and one or two B-level assets, with one of those being a current player.

They don’t see the Mammoth parting with Logan Cooley or Dylan Guenther because they’re already difference-makers for the Mammoth. Caleb Desnoyers and Dmitri Simashev are unlikely to move.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Andrew Knoll believes the Anaheim Ducks are well-positioned to be buyers at the trade deadline. They’re poised to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years and carry plenty of depth and draft capital to make a splash.

Knoll suggested Thomas as a big-name target for the Ducks. He noted they have plenty of salary-cap space for this season and beyond, and a nice stock of future draft picks, including their first-rounder and three second-rounders in this year’s draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks are my dark horse approaching this trade deadline. They haven’t popped up much in the rumor mill, but that doesn’t mean GM Pat Verbeek isn’t quietly shopping around. He could prefer adding a good player in their twenties with term remaining on their contract.

MORE TRADES COULD BE COMING FOR THE OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples reports Oilers insider Bob Stauffer believes the club might not be finished making moves in the trade market after acquiring Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.

Stauffer speculated the Oilers could make two more trades, suggesting a player could be moved out to create more salary-cap flexibility. Meanwhile, Frank Seravalli believes winger Andrew Mangiapane could be traded, despite clearing waivers and being demoted to the AHL affiliate. Staples colleague, Jim Matheson, raised the possibility of the Oilers pursuing Toronto Maple Leafs center Nicolas Roy.

Staples also noted that NHL insider Brian Lawton thinks the Murphy acquisition is the prelude to a bigger move by the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers had to demote Mangiapane and Alec Regula, place forward Mattias Janmark on long-term injury reserve, and get the Blackhawks to retain half of Murphy’s $4.4 millon AAV to pull that deal off. They’re still pressed for cap space, meaning they’ll have to move more than Mangiapane if they’re planning another significant addition.

BRUINS WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEIR ROSTER A BUMP

NESN: Keagan Stiefel reports Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney said he’d like to give his roster a bump as they jockey for a playoff berth. He indicated that such a move would be an eye on the present and for the future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Sweeney wants a player signed beyond this season instead of a pending UFA who could walk this summer.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports the Bruins have been tracking Vancouver Canucks wingers Conor Garland and Brock Boeser. Multiple sources suggested Garland is more likely to be dealt, given that the no-movement clause on his new contract begins on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are reportedly open to offers for Garland and Boeser, but they’re not actively shopping them. It’s been said that teams like Garland’s style of play, but not his new six-year, $36-million contract. If the Canucks aren’t willing to retain salary on Elias Pettersson’s contract to facilitate a deal, they probably won’t do so for Garland. Six years is a long time to carry dead cap space, even with the salary cap rising.

CAPITALS LOOKING TO ADD BUT NOT AT ANY COST

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber recently reported Washington Capitals GM Chris Patrick would like to add a scoring winger. However, he’s not keen to part with his young players or prospects, and isn’t going all-in on a short-term rental player.