NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2026

by | Feb 20, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2026

Check out the latest Olympic Men’s hockey and NHL news in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NEWS

TSN: Canadian center Connor McDavid has a chance to record the most points in one Olympic Men’s hockey tournament during Friday’s semifinal game against Finland. He’s currently tied the record of 11 points set by Finland’s Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

SPORTSNET: Team Canada coach Jon Cooper didn’t rule out Sidney Crosby returning to the lineup in this tournament. The Canadian captain left his team’s quarterfinal game against Czechia with a lower-body injury.

Team Canada center Connor McDavid (TSN)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is expected to have a quick skate Friday morning to see how he feels. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported it’s unlikely that he’ll be suiting up for the game against Finland. If so, his spot will be taken by Nick Suzuki while McDavid will take over as captain in his absence.

Cooper also didn’t rule out sidelined defenseman Josh Morrissey rejoining the club for Friday’s game.

TSN: Canadian center Sam Bennett said he missed Wednesday’s quarterfinal game with an illness. However, he’s ready to go for Friday’s game against Finland.

NHL.COM: Team USA continues to be inspired by the legacy of the late Johnny Gaudreau. His No. 13 Team USA jersey hangs in their dressing room for this tournament, as it did in the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2025 IIHF World Championships.

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky is leading the next generation of hockey talent for Slovakia. Youngsters such as Slafkovsky, St. Louis Blues forward Dalibor Dvorsky, and New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec have starred for the underdog Team Slovakia as they face the United States in the semifinal on Friday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Speaking of Dvorsky, he continues to shine in this tournament. The 20-year-old winger has three goals and three assists in four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slovakia’s bronze-medal performance in 2022 was downplayed by critics because there were no NHL players in that Olympic Men’s hockey tournament. They’ve silenced that criticism this year. Win or lose on Friday, they’ve exceeded expectations.

TORONTO STAR: Anton Lundell revealed a bout of norovirus kept him out of Finland’s final preliminary round game. The Florida Panthers winger returned to action on Wednesday to help the Finns advance to the semifinal against Canada on Friday.

NHL NEWS

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said winger Lucas Raymond and defenseman Moritz Seider will rejoin their teammates next week. He told both players to take a few days to rest after Germany and Sweden were eliminated from the Olympic Men’s hockey tournament on Wednesday. “We want them fresh and recovered,” McLellan said.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev has been skating in recent days. However, it remains unclear whether he’ll be returning to their lineup following the Olympic break. The 36-year-old Tanev has been limited to 11 games by injuries this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway admits he returned from a high-ankle sprain in January too soon. He’s now deemed fit to return to action when the Blues resume their schedule on Feb. 26 against the Seattle Kraken.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NEWS: A lower-body injury cost Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen an opportunity to play for Finland in the 2026 Winter Olympics. He’s now returned to practice and hopes to help his club clinch its first playoff berth in 14 years.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2026

by | Jan 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2026

Recapping Sunday’s action, the Sharks re-sign Alexander Wennberg, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi netted a hat trick, including the winner in overtime, to lift his club to a 3-2 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Andre Burakovsky collected two assists as the Blackhawks are 3-0-1 in their last four games, improving their record to 17-18-7. Brandon Saad and Mark Stone replied for the Golden Knights (17-11-12), who are winless in five games (0-3-2), but hold first place in the Pacific Division with 46 points.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi (NHL Images).

The Florida Panthers nipped the Colorado Avalanche 2-1, snapping the latter’s 10-game win streak. Daniil Tarasov stopped 27 shots while Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad scored for the 22-16-3 Panthers. Scott Wedgewood made 23 saves, and Artturi Lehkonen replied for the Avalanche (31-3-7), who lead the league with 69 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury after crashing into the Panthers’ net. After the game, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Landeskog is going to miss some time. The Avs played without defenseman Devon Toews, who is sidelined with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Lane Hutson gave the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky each finished with a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (23-13-6), who completed their seven-game road trip with a record of 4-1-2. Wyatt Johnston tallied twice for the 25-9-8 Stars, who are winless in their last five contests (0-2-3).

The Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 in overtime. Sidney Crosby tallied the winning goal, finishing the game with two points as his Penguins (20-12-9) extended their win streak to five games. Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko each scored a goal and an assist for the 18-16-7 Blue Jackets.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Brandon Bussi made 28 saves for the 25-14-3 Hurricanes as they ended a three-game losing skid. Dawson Mercer replied for the Devils (22-18-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes was dejected after being booed by Devils fans for a pair of costly mistakes that ended up in his own net. However, his teammates (especially goaltender Jake Allen) defended the young blueliner following the game.

HEADLINES

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed forward Alexander Wennberg to a three-year, $18 million contract extension. The average annual value is $6 million, and comes with a full no-trade clause through the first two seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move indicates a shift for the Sharks. They’ve been rebuilding over the past several seasons, which would’ve meant trading a veteran on an expiring contract (such as Wennberg) to a playoff contender for draft picks and prospects. Instead, they’ve opted to re-sign the 31-year-old center, who has played a key role as the Sharks challenge for a postseason berth in the Western Conference, sitting fifth among their scorers with 26 points.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev could miss the remainder of the regular season with an undisclosed injury. He’s slated to meet with a surgeon soon, and could be sidelined until late April or early May.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries limited the 36-year-old Tanev to just 11 games this season. His recent return to action was among the reasons behind the Maple Leafs’ improvement in late December.

CBC.CA: The NHL’s department of player safety suspended Calgary Flames forward John Beecher and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley one game each for separate roughing incidents on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The incidents referred to were Beecher’s sucker punch of Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron and Stanley doing the same to Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.

TSN: Former Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan has been hired by Hockey Canada to lead a review of men’s junior hockey in Ontario.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2026

by | Jan 1, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2026

The Predators’ Steven Stamkos and the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon reach scoring milestones, the Sabres tie their franchise wins record, Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey roster is announced, and more in the first NHL Morning Coffee Headlines of the New Year.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Steven Stamkos tallied his 600th career NHL regular-season goal as the Nashville Predators overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Luke Evangelista collected two assists for the 18-17-4 Predators, who’ve won five of their last six games. Mark Stone and Ben Hutton scored for the Golden Knights (17-10-11), who have one win in their last seven contests (1-4-2).

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is the 22nd player in NHL history to reach the 600-goal plateau. He can overtake Jarri Kurri (601), Dino Ciccarelli (608), and Bobby Hull (610) to move into 19th place before the end of this season. Stamkos also has a chance to surpass Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic (625 each), but at his current rate of production, he might have to wait until next season to do so.

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, including his 400th career NHL regular-season goal, and Valeri Nichushkin netted a hat trick in a 6-1 drubbing of the St. Louis Blues. MacKinnon also collected two assists as the league-leading Avalanche (67 points) won their ninth straight game, becoming the first time this season to reach 30 wins. Dalibor Dvorsky replied for the 15-18-8 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is tied with Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid for the points lead (70), but he’s running away with the goal-scoring lead with 34, sitting nine ahead of Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy and Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie.

The Buffalo Sabres tied a franchise record with their 10th straight win by upsetting the Dallas Stars 4-1. Tage Thompson scored twice and picked up an assist for the 21-14-4 Sabres. Mavrik Bourque netted the only goal for the Stars (25-8-7), who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Sabres finished 2025 holding the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. When they began the month, they were only one point out of last place in the Conference. Before this game, the Sabres announced that goalie Alex Lyon had returned to Buffalo for further evaluation for a lower-body injury and activated goalie Colten Ellis from injured reserve.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had two goals and an assist as his club ended a six-game losing skid with a 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Elias and Hampus Lindholm each had a goal and an assist while Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves for the 21-18-2 Bruins. Zach Hyman and Jack Roslovic scored for the Oilers (20-15-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 14 games.

An overtime goal by Darren Raddysh lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 4-3. Raddysh and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist, while Brandon Hagel collected three assists for the 23-13-3 Lightning, who have won five straight games. Jansen Harkins, Beckett Sennecke, and Mason McTavish tallied for the Ducks (21-16-3), who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the 1,000th career NHL regular-season game for Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, making him the 32nd bench boss in league history to achieve that milestone. Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak returned to action after missing 17 games with an injured hand.

Before this game, the Ducks announced that forward Frank Vatrano suffered a shoulder fracture during their Dec. 27 game against the Los Angeles Kings and is out for six weeks.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson scored twice and picked up an assist in a 6-3 win over the New York Rangers. Justin Sourdif also had two goals for the Capitals, who improved to 20-14-5. Adam Fox had a goal and an assist in his first game since Nov. 29 as his Rangers (19-18-5) have one win in their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forwards Conor Sheary and Noah Laba left this game with injuries.

The Detroit Red Wings held off the Winnipeg Jets 2-1. Dylan Larkin and Mason Appleton scored for the 24-14-3 Red Wings, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 51 points. Logan Stanley replied for the 15-19-4 Jets, who remain without a win in their last seven games (0-4-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first time that former Chicago Blackhawks teammates Patrick Kane (now with the Red Wings) and Jonathan Toews (Jets) faced each other in an NHL game. The duo was the nucleus of the Blackhawks’ three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015.

Toews stepped away from the game at the end of the 2022-23 campaign for health reasons before staging a comeback this season. Kane was shipped to the New York Rangers before the 2023 trade deadline.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist, and also netted the winning goal in a shootout to give his club a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Igor Chernyshov also had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (20-17-3) as they picked up their third straight victory. Vladimir Tarasenko, Marcus Foligno, and Mats Zuccarello replied for the 24-10-7 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini has points in nine straight games.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Nico Hischier, Arseny Gritsyuk, and Luke Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Hughes finished with two points for the 21-17-2 Devils, ending a four-game winless skid. Mason Marchment and Charlie Coyle tallied for the Blue Jackets (17-16-6).

Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund scored to extend his point streak to six games in a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Dustin Wolf stopped 26 shots, and Connor Zary had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who picked up their third straight win and improved to 18-18-4. Travis Konecny replied for the 20-12-7 Flyers.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Team Canada officially named its roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

Forwards:

Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks)
Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Bo Horvat (New York Islanders)
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Brad Marchand (Florida Panthers)
Mitch Marner (Vegas Golden Knights)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers)
Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights)
Nick Suzuki (Montreal Canadiens)
Tom Wilson (Washington Capitals)

Defensemen:

Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)
Thomas Harley (Dallas Stars)
Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche)
Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets)
Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues)
Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia Flyers)
Shea Theodore (Vegas Golden Knights)
Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche)

Goaltenders:

Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues)
Darcy Kuemper (Los Angeles Kings)
Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This roster mostly consists of players who skated for Canada in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

The biggest change is in net, as Kuemper and Thompson replaced the sidelined Adin Hill and the struggling Sam Montembeault. Nevertheless, the goaltending remains a question mark for Canada, especially given Binnington’s difficulties in goal this season.

Notable players passed over by Canada’s selection committee include Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie, and Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett.

The exclusion of Bennett was the biggest surprise. He played well for Canada in the 4 Nations tournament and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in June as the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan reports Utah Mammoth winger Clayton Keller, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson, and Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones will be named to Team USA’s Men’s Olympic roster. New York Rangers blueliner Adam Fox did not make the cut.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team USA’s roster will be officially announced on Jan. 2. Fox’s absence is a surprise, as he was part of their 4 Nations’ roster last February. Kaplan indicated that Rangers personnel involved with Team USA, including Rangers general manager Chris Drury, pushed hard for Fox but understood the decision due to Team USA’s depth at the blueline.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev is expected to miss significant time with a groin injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a difficult season for the 36-year-old Tanev. Injuries have already limited him to 11 games this season.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW/PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins traded winger Philip Tomasino to the Flyers in exchange for defenseman Yegor Zamula.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a swap of players who weren’t working out with their now-former clubs.

NHL.COM: Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Lowell MacDonald died on Dec. 28 at the age of 84. He spent seven of his 13-season NHL career with the Penguins, and also skated for the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings. He had 180 goals and 210 assists for 390 points in 506 regular-season games between 1961-62 and 1977-78, and 22 points in 31 playoff contests.

Injuries hampered MacDonald during his playing career. His best seasons were with the Penguins. He was named to the All-Star Game twice and was the first Penguins player to win an NHL award, taking home the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1972-73.

Following his playing career, MacDonald spent two decades at the University School of Milwaukee as a teacher, Athletic Director, and coach. A native of Thorburn, Nova Scotia, he was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Growing up in Nova Scotia during the 1970s, there weren’t many “Bluenoser” NHL players for me to cheer for back then. I didn’t get to see MacDonald play often unless the Penguins were playing the Montreal Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada. Nevertheless, I followed his career closely in The Hockey News and other sports publications.

MacDonald was a trailblazer for Nova Scotia-born hockey players—my condolences to his family, friends, and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2025

by | Nov 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2025

A history-making performance for Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin faces league discipline, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer made league history as his club overcame a 2-1 deficit to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Schaefer scored twice (including the tying goal) to become the youngest defenseman to have a multipoint game. Simon Holmstrom scored the winning goal at 19:22 of the third period for the 6-5-1 Islanders. Miles Wood and Denton Mateychuk scored for the Blue Jackets (7-5-0) as their three-game win streak ended.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer has had an impressive opening month. He was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for October.

The Tampa Bay Lightning collected their fifth straight win with a 4-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Jake Guentzel scored the winning goal and collected an assist for the Lightning as they improved their record to 6-4-2. Lawson Crouse and Kailor Yamamoto replied for the 8-4-0 Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports of the Lightning’s demise as a playoff contender after their franchise-worst 1-4-2 start to this season were greatly exaggerated.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier each had a goal and an assist to lead their club over the New Jersey Devils 4-1. Lukas Dostal made 32 saves as the Ducks improved to 7-3-1, moving into first place in the Pacific Division. Jack Hughes scored for the Devils (9-4-0), who remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

A shootout goal by James van Riemsdyk lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider also scored for the Red Wings (9-4-0) as they’ve won three of their last four games. Rookie defenseman Sam Dickinson scored his first NHL goal for the 4-6-3 Sharks.

Calgary Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau scored two goals as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Dustin Wolf stopped 17 shots for the 3-9-2 Flames, who remain last in the overall standings with eight points. Travis Konecny scored for the Flyers, who dropped to 6-5-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh was in the lineup for his 10th NHL game, which means this season counts as the first year of his three-year entry-level contract. There was speculation they would return Parekh to his OHL club before that game.

Flyers forward Tyson Foerster missed this contest after suffering a lower-body injury while blocking a shot during Saturday’s loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s expected to miss the next several games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin was fined $5,000.00 by the league’s department of player safety for slashing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley on Saturday.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators placed team captain Roman Josi (upper body) on injured reserve. He has not played since Oct. 23. His injury is not related to his POTS diagnosis. They also announced that forward Cole Smith will be out three to six weeks with an upper-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev returned to Toronto on Sunday after spending Saturday night under observation in a Philadelphia hospital. He was stretchered off the ice during Saturday’s game against the Flyers with a suspected second head injury in less than two weeks.

RG ORG: Former NHL goaltender Ilya Samsonov recently signed a two-year contract with KHL club HC Sochi. The deal enables him to return to the NHL in 2026.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2025

by | Nov 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2025

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee, we recap a busy Saturday schedule, plus the three stars and the Rookie of the Month for October are revealed.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets got two goals from Kyle Connor to down the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had two points for the 9-3-0 Jets as they picked up their third straight win. Sidney Crosby and Blake Lizotte replied for the 8-3-2 Penguins as their points streak ended at eight games (6-0-2).

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele took over the scoring lead, becoming the first player to reach 20 points this season. Penguins winger Justin Brazeau missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

A shootout goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Marchand also scored in regulation, as did teammates Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett for the Panthers, who improved to 6-5-1. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist, and Sam Steel had three assists for the 6-3-3 Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand returned to the Panthers’ lineup after taking a leave of absence to be with his friend and trainer, J.P. MacCallum, following the death of his daughter. Marchand immediately pointed skyward after he opened the scoring. Reinhart’s goal was the 300th regular-season goal of his NHL career.

San Jose Sharks forward Philipp Kurashev tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 3-2 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Macklin Celebrini scored to extend his points streak to seven games while Yaroslav Askarov kicked out 37 shots for the 4-6-2 Sharks, who’ve won three of their last four contests. Nathan MacKinnon netted his 10th goal of the season for the 7-1-5 Avalanche, who picked up a point to sit atop the overall standings with 19 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren left this game with an upper-body injury after being struck by a puck while sitting on the bench. Avalanche call-up Taylor Makar made his debut, marking the first time he and older brother Cale Makar played together in the NHL. Taylor was returned to Colorado’s AHL affiliate after this game.

The Montreal Canadiens got an overtime goal from Alex Newhook for a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki extended his points streak to 11 games with two assists, and Cole Caufield scored his 10th goal of the season for the Canadiens (9-3-0), who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 18 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who dropped to 6-5-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Batherson ended up being the goat in this game, as his errant pass in overtime was picked off by Newhook, who made no mistake on the breakaway.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom turned in a 43-save performance to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Dawson Mercer has two goals for the 9-3-0 Devils as they move into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Andrei Kuzmenko had the only goal for the Kings as they dropped to 5-4-4 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Connor Brown was ruled out for this game with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, the Kings placed winger Warren Foegele (upper body) on injured reserve.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson had a goal and an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs got their first road victory of the season with a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Rookie Easton Cowan tallied his first career NHL goal, and John Tavares had two assists as the Maple Leafs improved to 6-5-1. Christian Dvorak and Tyson Foerster replied for the 6-4-1 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev was stretchered off the ice with a suspected head injury in the third period after being inadvertently hit from behind by Flyers winger Matvei Michkov. After the game, Leafs coach Craig Berube said they will know more about Tanev’s condition after he undergoes more tests, but added that the defenseman was moving. Berube thinks Tanev will be okay.

An overtime goal by Evan Bouchard lifted the Edmonton Oilers (6-4-3) over the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-2. Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to eight games with a goal and an assist, and Connor McDavid assisted on all three Oilers goals. Andre Burakovsky had a goal and an assist for the 5-4-3 Blackhawks.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman stopped 27 shots to backstop his club over the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and an assist as the Bruins improved to 7-7-0. Alexander Nikishin scored for the Hurricanes, who have lost three of their last four games and dropped to 7-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis returned to action in this game after leaving Thursday’s 6-2 win over the New York Islanders with a lower-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist as his club nipped the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Jet Greaves made 37 saves for the Blue Jackets as they improved to 7-4-0. Justin Faulk and Nick Bjugstad scored for the Blues, who dropped to 3-7-2.

A shootout goal by Bowen Byram gave the Buffalo Sabres a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch each netted their fifth goals of the season, and rookie Isak Rosen scored his first NHL goal for the 5-4-3 Sabres. Aliaksei Protas potted his fifth of the season for the Capitals (6-5-1), who are winless in their last four (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle scored in overtime to give his team a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Cuylle finished with two points, and teammate Adam Fox collected two assists for the 6-5-2 Rangers as they picked up their third straight win. Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist as the 5-2-4 Kraken extended their points streak to four games (2-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko was held scoreless against his former team in his season debut after suffering a broken hand in a preseason game.

Minnesota Wild winger Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists as his club snapped a five-game winless skid to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Filip Gustavsson stopped 26 shots for the 4-6-3 Wild. Drew O’Connor tallied twice as the Canucks slipped to 6-7-0.

The Nashville Predators ended a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Michael Bunting had a goal and two assists in the first period for the 5-6-2 Predators. Jonathan Huberdeau and Joel Farabee scored for the Flames, who sit last in the overall standings with a record of 2-9-2.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes are the three stars for October 2025. New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer was named Rookie of the Month.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 24, 2025

by | Oct 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 24, 2025

Macklin Celebrini leads the Sharks to their first win, Logan Cooley and Clayton Keller lead the Mammoth to victory, the Lightning’s early-season woes continue, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Macklin Celebrini tallied a hat trick and added two assists as his San Jose Sharks got their first win of the season (1-4-2) by nipping the New York Rangers 6-5. Will Smith scored in overtime and in regulation to finish the night with four points, and William Eklund had three assists. Tayler Raddysh had a hat trick for the Rangers, who dropped to 3-4-2 and remain winless at home (0-4-1).

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers also lost center Matt Rempe to an upper-body injury following a first-period fight with Sharks forward Ryan Reaves.

Sharks defenseman Nick Leddy left this contest in the first period with an upper-body injury. Teammate Timothy Liljegren returned to action after being sidelined on Oct. 14 with a lower-body injury.

A natural hat trick by Logan Cooley powered the Utah Mammoth to a 7-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Cooley finished with four points, and teammates Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, Dylan Guenther, and JJ Peterka each had three points for the 6-2-0 Mammoth. Jordan Binnington replaced Joel Hofer after the Blues’ backup allowed three goals on six shots. The loss drops the Blues to 3-3-1.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Ryan Donato tallied twice, including the winning goal, as his club upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Nikita Kucherov and Ryan McDonagh each had two points for the Lightning, who are off to the worst start in franchise history (1-4-2). The Blackhawks improved to 4-2-2.

Anaheim Ducks center Mikael Granlund netted a career-high five points (two goals, three assists) as his club rolled to a 7-5 win over the Boston Bruins. Nikita Nesterenko picked up four assists as the Ducks improved to 4-2-1. Morgan Geekie scored two goals for the struggling Bruins, who have dropped six in a row (3-6-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas left this game with a lower-body injury in the first period.

The Edmonton Oilers blew a 3-1 lead but overcame a 5-3 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-5 on a late goal by Vasily Podkolzin. Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored power-play goals to set the stage for Podkolzin’s game-winner, and Connor McDavid collected three assists for the 4-3-1 Oilers. Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook each scored twice for the 6-3-0 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens were furious over those two penalty calls that led to the Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins’ goals. Pundits in both cities considered those calls questionable. Still, the Habs were guilty of sloppy defensive play and some shaky goaltending from Sam Montembeault.

Speaking of the Canadiens, center Kirby Dach returned to action after missing three games with a lower-body injury. Earlier in the day, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said sidelined winger Patrik Laine’s lower-body injury isn’t related to the sprained knee he suffered last season.

Meanwhile, the Oilers announced that winger Kasperi Kapanen (undisclosed) was placed on injured reserve.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored twice and collected an assist to lead his team to a 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers. Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, and Rickard Rakell each had two points as the Penguins collected their fourth straight victory and improved to 6-2-0. Brad Marchand tallied two goals for the 4-5-0 Panthers, who have dropped five of their last six contests

The New York Islanders got two goals from Emil Heineman as they thumped the Detroit Red Wings 7-2. Anders Lee had three assists, and David Rittich stopped 31 shots as the Islanders improved to 4-3-0. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren replied for the Red Wings, who slipped to 5-3-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer’s six-game season-opening points streak ended, but he played a team-leading 25:14 of ice time and finished with a plus-minus of plus-2. Earlier in the day, the Isles announced they’ve placed defenseman Alexander Romanov (upper body) on injured reserve.

A shootout goal by Seth Jarvis lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Jarvis also had a goal and an assist in regulation for the Hurricanes, who improved their record to 6-1-0. Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin tallied twice, and Trent Miner made 20 saves after Scott Wedgewood was pulled after giving up four goals on 11 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both clubs honored their heritage in this game with the Hurricanes wearing Hartford Whalers jerseys and the Avalanche sporting Quebec Nordiques jerseys. Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin was placed on injured reserve earlier in the day with a lower-body injury.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord kicked out 32 shots for a 3-0 shutout of the Winnipeg Jets. Jaden Schwartz scored two goals, and Jordan Eberle also tallied for the Kraken, who improved to 4-2-2. Connor Hellebucyk stopped 25 of 26 shots for the Jets (5-2-0) as their five-game win streak ended.

An overtime goal by Adrian Kempe gave the Los Angeles Kings a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars, handing the latter their fourth straight loss (3-3-1). Kempe finished with two points, and Quinton Byfield picked up two assists for the 3-3-1 Kings. Wyatt Johnston and Roope Hintz each had two points for the Stars.

The Ottawa Senators got a 22-save performance from Linus Ullmark to nip the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Michael Amadio and Olle Lycksell scored for the 3-4-1 Senators, and Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers (3-3-1).

Nashville Predators winger Cole Smith snapped a 1-1 tie to give his team a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Juuse Saros turned aside 21 shots, and Ryan O’Reilly also scored for the Predators (3-3-2) as they snapped a four-game losing skid. Max Sasson replied for the 4-4-0 Canucks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET/DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed defenseman Chris Tanev (upper body) on injured reserve. Goaltender Joseph Woll (undisclosed)was placed on long-term injury reserve. This comes a month after Woll took a leave of absence to deal with a personal matter.

TSN: Former Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan is joining the NHL hockey operations department. He left the Maple Leafs this summer after 11 years when the club opted not to renew his contract.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights placed captain Mark Stone on long-term injury reserve.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres recalled goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from his conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals have accommodated Sheldon Rempal’s request for contract termination as he explores other opportunities overseas.