NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2025

by | Dec 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2025

Recaps of Thursday’s action and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored a shorthanded goal and picked up an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also had a goal and an assist for the 17-12-6 Oilers, who have won six of their last eight games. Pavel Zacha replied for the Bruins (20-15-0), who dropped two of their last three contests.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid has caught up with Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for first place in the scoring race, with each player having 58 points. Calvin Pickard replaced Oilers starting goalie Tristan Jarry as the latter left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update on his status.

The Minnesota Wild extended their win streak to six games by downing the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov each had a goal and two assists, and Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves as the Wild improved to 21-9-5. Zach Werenski scored both goals for the Blue Jackets (14-14-6), who have lost six of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boldy join Kaprizov with his 20th goal of the season, making the Wild the only team thus far this season to have two 20-goal scorers.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson stopped 22 shots to shut out the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0. Jakob Chychrun tallied twice, and John Carlsson had a goal and two assists for the Capitals (19-11-4) as they snapped a three-game losing skid. Dennis Hildeby made 25 saves for the Maple Leafs, who slipped to 15-13-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube pulled no punches about his team’s performance following this game, laying the blame for the loss at the feet of his players. He pointed out that the Capitals played with more passion and urgency. When asked why his players were so flat in this game, Berube replied, “Ask those guys, not me.”

Speaking of 4-0 wins, Ottawa Senators netminder Linus Ullmark made 24 saves to earn his shutout over the Pittsburgh Penguins, handing the latter their seventh straight loss (0-3-4). Brady Tkachuk netted two goals, and Drake Batherson collected two assists for the 16-13-4 Senators, who have won three of their last four games. Arturs Silovs stopped 22 shots for the Penguins as their record dropped to 14-10-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Senators announced that former head coach Jacques Martin will be inducted into their Ring of Honour in a pregame ceremony on Jan. 24, 2026. Martin coached the Senators from 1996 to 2004, following a brief return behind the bench in 2023-24. In 748 games with the Senators, his record was 367-261-96-24.

Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe scored two goals, and Anton Forsberg kicked out 31 shots for a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the win, the Kings (15-10-9) ended a four-game winless streak (0-2-2). Oliver Bjorkstrand replied for the Lightning (18-13-3), who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and defenseman Ryan McDonagh returned to action after missing time with injuries.

An overtime goal by J.T. Miller lifted the New York Rangers over the St. Louis Blues by a score of 2-1. Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves, and Gabe Perreault also scored for the Rangers, who improved to 17-15-4. Jonatan Berggren tallied for the Blues (13-15-8).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Artemi Panarin missed this game with an illness.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to five games in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Zach Benson and Mattias Samuelsson each had two assists for the Sabres, who won their fourth straight game and improved to 15-14-4. Bobby Brink had two points for the Flyers (17-10-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff picked up his 915th win to move into fourth place on the all-time list. Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring returned to action after missing a month with an injury. However, the Sabres lost defenseman Conor Timmins to a broken leg that will sideline him for six to eight weeks, while forward Tyson Kozak departed with an upper-body injury.

The Calgary Flames got two goals from Mikael Backlund to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist for the 14-17-4 Flames. Joey Daccord made 42 saves for the Kraken (12-14-6), who have lost four straight games and have one win in their last 11 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flames announced defenseman Jake Bean will be sidelined indefinitely as he will undergo surgery for an undisclosed injury.

Montreal Canadiens winger Zachary Bolduc tallied twice in a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Lane Hutson had three assists for the 18-12-4 Canadiens. Frank Nazar scored, and Spencer Knight had 31 saves for the Blackhawks (13-15-6), who have lost four straight.

Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston had two goals as his club held off the San Jose Sharks by a score of 5-3. Roope Hintz had a goal and an assist, and Jake Oettinger stopped 34 shots for the Stars (23-7-5). Chad Graf scored twice for the 17-15-3 Sharks.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

by | Dec 14, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

The ongoing fallout from the Quinn Hughes trade in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said it was around the time of the American Thanksgiving weekend last month that Quinn Hughes informed the Vancouver Canucks that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension next summer.

Friedman claimed that several teams were deterred or concerned that Hughes wouldn’t commit to a long-term extension at this time. However, the Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils weren’t bothered by it.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

The Devils felt they were in a better position because Hughes’ brothers, Jack and Luke, were on their roster. However, they couldn’t free up sufficient salary-cap space to make the deal happen.

Friedman believes the Wild’s offer (Center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick) was the best one, adding there was no way the Canucks would’ve received a better deal.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers were among six clubs confirmed to have made legitimate offers for Hughes. The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes also showed some interest.

The Philadelphia Flyers also considered Hughes, but didn’t want to part with the assets the Canucks were seeking. LeBrun also believes the Washington Capitals weren’t that involved because they didn’t want to move the kind of pieces it would’ve taken to get the deal done.

Hughes’ agent, Pat Brisson, said he and his client weren’t able to guarantee to any of the interested clubs whether he would sign with them or not. At some point, Hughes will decide if he likes Minnesota enough to sign an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One thing that works to the Wild’s advantage is they’re the only club that can offer him an eight-year, front-loaded extension. However, Hughes will have to decide before Sept. 15, 2026. After that, the maximum term for re-signing players is reduced to seven years as per the updated collective bargaining agreement.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted his players struggled to tune out the Quinn Hughes trade speculation swirling around their team.

Ever since Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last weekend that the Devils contacted the Canucks about Hughes, multiple names surfaced as trade candidates. Defenseman Simon Nemec and center Dawson Mercer were mentioned as potential trade chips that could have gone to Vancouver as part of a package offer.

Nichols believes those players can rest easy for now, but noted that Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald continues to work the phones in search of a trade to help his struggling team.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh believes the Devils’ biggest area of need is forward. He claimed Fitzgerald has inquired about Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly. However, struggling clubs like the Predators are setting high asking prices. Fitzgerald faces overpaying to keep the team afloat, or try to ride this out and hope the prices drop.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-battered Devils will get some help as their sidelined players return to action. Whether they will get back in time to prevent the club from sliding further out of contention remains to be seen.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reported the Canucks liked Washington prospect Cole Hutson when the two sides were discussing a potential trade package for Hughes. However, the Capitals didn’t want to part with their top defensive prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson, 19, is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens star Lane Hutson. Chosen in the second round (43rd overall) by the Capitals, he’s in his second season with Boston University.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch wonders if the Quinn Hughes trade, and the goalie swap that saw the Edmonton Oilers ship Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tristan Jarry, will shake the trade market loose.

The St. Louis Blues are reportedly open for business, and the Canucks still intend to entertain offers for their UFA-eligible players. The Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, and Nashville Predators are also prepared to make moves.

Garrioch pointed out that the upcoming holiday roster freeze begins at 11:59 pm ET on Dec. 19 and will remain in place until 12:01 am ET on Dec. 28.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 12, 2025

by | Dec 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 12, 2025

The latest on Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, plus updates on Kings center Phillip Danault, Ducks center Ryan Strome, Maple Leafs winger Matias Maccelli, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

QUINN HUGHES TRADE RUMORS HEATING UP

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports that trade talks involving Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes have started. The club has set a very high asking price for the 26-year-old superstar defenseman.

Friedman believes a “young, impactful center” is very important to the Canucks. He believes a deal isn’t impossible without one, “but it will require something special to offset that desire.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Multiple sources said that there was no truth to rumors that Hughes informed Canucks management last summer that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension. Friedman believes the Canucks could wait until the draft next June to move Hughes if they can’t find a suitable deal before the March trade deadline.

Hughes lacks no-trade protection, and the Canucks have indicated they would be prepared to move him to any team. It’s believed Hughes would prefer playing in the East, but they could ship him to a Western club for the right price. Friedman thinks the Capitals would be open to taking on Hughes for the remainder of his contract, depending on the price.

Friedman also pointed out that nothing’s stopping the Canucks from attempting to re-sign Hughes next July to an eight-year extension. He believes that would mean Hughes would be invested for a few more seasons, with the understanding that he could be traded if he doesn’t like what he sees from the Canucks by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talks being underway could mean teams are calling the Canucks about what it would cost to acquire Hughes, and the Canucks are obliging them by seeking what one executive told Friedman was an “outrageous” return. They may not be at the stage yet where they’re swapping offers. Nevertheless, there’s a growing sense that this season could be Hughes’ last in Vancouver.

Trading a big star during the season isn’t impossible. Winger Mikko Rantanen was moved by the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes within six weeks before last season’s deadline.

However, Hughes is a Norris Trophy defenseman in his prime. The Canucks want a much bigger return than what the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes received for Rantanen.

Draft picks and prospects will be part of the deal, but the Canucks will also want a good young NHL player or two. Some teams could risk weakening their roster depth to get Hughes. Others could be leery about gutting their prospect pools.

Salary cap space is another significant factor. Hughes’ $7.85 million cap hit through 2026-27 is a bargain for a player of his caliber, but it’s still not easy for some teams to absorb. If they plan on signing him to an extension, it could eat up at least $18 million annually.

Friedman believes the New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and Washington Capitals could be among the suitors. He doesn’t see a trade match with the New York Rangers. The Philadelphia Flyers lack a center, but Friedman wondered what else they might come up with. He claimed sources dismissed the notion of the Pittsburgh Penguins getting involved. The Utah Mammoth have plenty of draft picks and prospects to make a competitive offer. Friedman doesn’t rule out the Carolina Hurricanes looking into this.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman reported last Saturday that the Devils had asked the Canucks about Hughes. The Red Wings are being mentioned partly because Hughes played his formative hockey years in Michigan, plus they have the cap space and plentiful trade assets to pull this off if they want to.

Capitals beat writer Sammi Silber of The Hockey News doesn’t doubt the Capitals may have done due diligence, but she doesn’t think there’s a trade to be made here. Silber doesn’t see them parting with any of their top players for Hughes, especially for a short-term tenure. The asking price could cost them rookie forward Ryan Leonard and prospect defenseman Cole Hutson. Meanwhile, they made a long-term investment in Jakob Chychrun, who handles the left-side top-pairing role on their blueline.

As for the Flyers, winger Owen Tippett has come up in trade rumors this season, but he’s not going to offset the Canucks’ desire for a young, impactful center. The Hurricanes could try, but their big swings tend to be for scoring centers, and they’ve got Jaccob Slavin filling the first-pairing left-side defense role.

The Mammoth have the draft picks and prospects, and their recent struggles following their hot start could have them looking to shake things up. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely they’d want Hughes if he’s unwilling to commit beyond 2027.

Meanwhile, RG.Org’s James Murphy also reported the Penguins aren’t expected to be among the bidders for Hughes. He also ruled out the Boston Bruins as a suitor. According to Murphy, the Penguins are sticking to their rebuild timeline, while the Bruins’ focus is on adding a scoring forward.

OTHER RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Friedman said several sources claim the Los Angeles Kings aren’t interested in trading struggling center Phillip Danault without a very good reason, since centers are difficult to find.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL insider Frank Seravalli claimed the Montreal Canadiens were among the clubs sniffing around Danault. He believes the 32-year-old center could be moved before the Dec. 20 roster freeze. Despite Danault’s offensive difficulties this season, the Kings aren’t likely to move him while they’re still in the playoff chase.

Teams interested in a center are watching Ryan Strome of the Anaheim Ducks. He had a delayed start to the season and has been in and out of the lineup.

Other forwards struggling for playing time to watch include Maxim Tsyplakov of the New York Islanders and Matias Maccelli of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Several teams were interested in Mason Marchment last summer before he was traded to the Seattle Kraken. Friedman suggested they might want to keep an eye on him, though he doesn’t expect anything to happen until Jaden Schwartz returns from injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 8, 2025

by | Dec 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 8, 2025

Recaps of Sunday’s games and injury updates in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 4-1. Alexander Wennberg and John Klingberg each had a goal and an assist, and Alex Nedeljkovic made 28 saves as the Sharks improved to 14-13-3. Jordan Staal replied for the Hurricanes (17-9-2).

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini played his 100th career NHL regular-season game. It was also his 28th multipoint game, sitting seventh among NHL players for the most multipoint games through their first 100 games as teenagers. Wayne Gretzky is the all-time leader with 53 multipoint games.

The Colorado Avalanche held off the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots, including a penalty shot by Trevor Zegras in the third period. Brent Burns, Brock Nelson, and Valeri Nichushkin scored for the Avalanche (21-2-6), who hold first place in the overall standings with 48 points. Sean Couturier and Travis Konency scored for the 15-9-3 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist as he holds first place in the scoring race with 49 points. Macklin Celebrini is second with 43 points.

Washington Capitals netminder Logan Thompson picked up his 100th career NHL regular-season win by shutting out the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0, sitting eighth on the list of fewest games to reach 100 wins by undrafted goalies (167 games). Jakob Chychrun and Aliaksei Protas were the goal scorers as the Capitals (18-9-3) opened a three-point lead over the Hurricanes for first place in the Eastern Conference with 39 points. Jet Greaves stopped 36 of 37 shots for the 13-10-6 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Capitals placed forward Ryan Leonard and goalie Charlie Lindgren on injured reserve with upper-body injuries.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on a shootout goal by Mikko Rantanen. Jamie Benn and Miro Heiskanen scored for the Stars (20-5-5), who collected their seventh win in their last eight games. Connor Dewar and Tommy Novak scored for the Penguins (14-7-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Stars center Matt Duchene and defenseman Nils Lundkvist returned to action after being out since mid-October with injuries.

St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn scored twice and picked up an assist to lead his team to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Dylan Holloway had a goal and two assists for the Blues, who improved to 11-12-7. Cole Caufield scored to extend his points streak to 11 games, and Noah Dobson had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (15-10-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues winger Jordan Kyrou missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe scored his fourth goal in his last three games in a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who improved to 14-12-2. Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders (16-11-3) as their three-game win streak ended.

An overtime goal by Jack Eichel lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the New York Rangers 3-2. Eichel, Mark Stone, and Brett Howden each had two points, and Carter Hart made 21 saves for the Golden Knights (14-6-8) as they picked up their fourth straight win. Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and an assist for the 15-12-3 Rangers.

The Anaheim Ducks crushed the Chicago Blackhawks 7-1. Leo Carlsson tallied twice while Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, Chris Kreider, and Ryan Strome each picked up two points for the Ducks (18-10-1), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 37 points. Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the 12-11-6 Blackhawks, who’ve lost three of their last four contests.










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 – December 3, 2025

by | Dec 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2025

Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt collects his fourth shutout in six starts, Steven Stamkos, Jamie Benn, and David Perron reach notable career milestones, the three stars and the rookie of the month for November are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves for his fourth shutout in his last six games to blank the Edmonton Oilers 1-0. Jonas Brodin scored the only goal as the Wild improved to 15-7-5. Stuart Skinner made 23 saves for the Oilers, who slipped to 11-11-5.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wallstedt became the second-fastest goaltender in NHL history to record five career shutouts, doing so in 15 games. Frankie Brimsek holds the record with nine games.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos scored to reach his 1,200th career NHL regular-season point in a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Juuse Saros stopped 27 shots, and Michael Bunting had a goal and an assist for the Predators (9-13-4). Morgan Frost replied for the 9-15-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is the sixth active player to reach the 1,200-point milestone, joining Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrik Kane, and Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar.

Predators forward Ozzy Wiesblatt scored his first NHL goal. He pointed skyward to honor his late brother Orca Wiesblatt, who died in a car accident in September.

An overtime goal by Vladislav Gavrikov lifted the New York Rangers over the Dallas Stars 3-2. Artemi Panarin had two assists for the Rangers (14-12-2), who have three wins in their last four games. Kyle Capobianco and Mikko Rantanen scored for the 17-5-5 Stars as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dallas captain Jamie Benn played his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game. Meanwhile, Stars winger Tyler Seguin left the game early in the first period after injuring his right leg following a collision with Gavrikov. Earlier in the day, the Stars announced defenseman Lian Bichsel will miss multiple weeks with a lower-body injury suffered in Sunday’s win over the Ottawa Senators.

The Ottawa Senators improved to 13-9-4 with a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Brady Tkachuk and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each had two points for the 13-9-3 Canadiens, who have lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators forward David Perron collected an assist in his 1,200th career regular-season NHL game. Tkachuk’s goal was his first of the season after missing 20 games with an injured thumb.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied twice to lead his club over the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-1. The league-leading Avalanche (19-1-6, 44 points) extended its point streak to 17 games. Linus Karlsson scored for the 10-14-3 Canucks, who have two wins in their last 11 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league with 22 goals and 46 points. Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood left this game in the second period for precautionary reasons with tightness in his back. Meanwhile, teammate Valeri Nichushkin returned to action after missing eight games with a lower-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Boston Bruins 5-4, snapping a four-game losing skid. Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist for the 14-11-2 Red Wings. Hampus Lindholm had three assists, and Alex Steeves tallied two goals for the Bruins (15-13-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins winger David Pastrnak missed his third straight game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to be sidelined for the rest of this week. Meanwhile, winger Viktor Arvidsson returned to action after being out since Nov. 15 with a lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got their third win in their last four games by downing the Florida Panthers 4-1. Troy Stecher and Dakota Joshua each had a goal and an assist, and Joseph Woll turned aside 26 shots for the 12-11-3 Maple Leafs. Sam Reinhart got the only goal for the Panthers (12-12-1), who’ve dropped three straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo will be sidelined longer than expected with a lower-body injury. He’s been out since Nov. 13 and recently suffered a setback in his recovery.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 27 shots to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Bo Horvat and Anthony Duclair scored for the Islanders (14-10-3) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Dominic James scored for the 16-8-2 Lightning, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 34 points.

A shootout goal by Shea Theodore gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Carter Hart made 27 saves in his season debut with the Golden Knights (12-6-8). Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-6 Blackhawks, who have one win in their last seven games.

The Washington Capitals picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. Alex Ovechkin collected two assists for the Capitals (16-9-2). Adrian Kempe scored for the 12-7-7 Kings.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, and Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard are the league’s three stars for November 2025. Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt is the Rookie of the Month for November.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers forward Tyson Foerster will be sidelined for two to three months with an upper-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Mathieu Olivier (upper body) was placed on injured reserve

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The NHL is sending a memo to its 32 teams reminding them about its rule requiring players to wear helmets during warmups. This comes after the Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils violated that rule in recent games. Neither club is expected to be punished beyond a warning.