NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2025

by | Nov 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 7, 2025

The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby and the Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier are tied for the goal-scoring lead, the Devils hold first place in the Eastern Conference, the Bruins extend their points streaks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Sidney Crosby tallied twice to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. The Penguins blew a 3-0 lead until Bryan Rust scored and Connor Dewar collected an empty-net insurance goal to improve their record to 9-4-2. Rust finished the night with three points. Alex Ovechkin had two assists, and Dylan Strome scored and had two helpers for the 7-6-1 Capitals, who have lost five of their last six games.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 38-year-old Crosby has 11 goals, tying him for the league lead in that category. This game was the 99th time that Crosby and Ovechkin have faced each other since their NHL debut in 2005-06. Meanwhile, Penguins rookie winger Filip Hallander missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier had a goal and an assist, and Chris Kreider scored twice to help their club upset the Dallas Stars 7-5. Leo Carlsson also had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who scored seven goals for the second straight game as they moved into sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division with 19 points (9-3-1). Miro Heiskanen had four assists and Wyatt Johnston had a goal and two assists for the 7-4-3 Stars, whose points streak ended at seven games (4-0-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gauthier, 21, is tied with Crosby for the league goal-scoring lead. That’s a 17-year age gap between the two stars.

The New Jersey Devils overcame a 3-2 deficit on goals by Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt to nip the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in overtime. Jack Hughes picked up two assists for the 10-4-0 Devils, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference over the 9-3-2 Canadiens. Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, and Oliver Kapanen scored, and Noah Dobson had two assists for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury. They activated forward Cody Glass off injured reserve for this game after being sidelined for seven games with an upper-body injury. They also placed defenseman Brett Pesce (upper-body injury) on IR.

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki’s point streak ended at 12 games.

An overtime goal by Pavel Zacha extended the Boston Bruins’ win streak to five games as they downed the Ottawa Senators 3-2. Morgan Geekie and Sean Kuraly also scored for the 9-7-0 Bruins, who moved up into third place in the Atlantic Division. Michael Amadio and Claude Giroux replied for the 6-5-3 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forward John Beecher left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, the NHL is taking another look at gambling allegations against Senators forward Arthur Kaliyev after his former girlfriend, model Lauren Mochen, claimed he owes her and others around the league thousands of dollars. The league has yet to find any evidence of wrongdoing, but will continue to examine the case. Kaliyev currently plays for the Senators’ AHL affiliate in Belleville.

The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Nashville Predators 3-1. Noah Cates snapped a 1-1 tie, and Travis Konecny and Cam York each had two points for the 8-5-1 Flyers. Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators, who dropped to 5-7-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly ripped his team’s performance following this game. He was also critical of his own efforts. “The number one center and I turn the puck over everywhere,” he said. “I can’t make a six-foot pass to save my life. Not going to have much success if I’m playing pathetic like that.”

St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer turned in a 28-save shutout to blank the Buffalo Sabres 3-0. Mathieu Joseph, Nick Bjugstad, and Justin Faulk scored for the 5-8-0 Blues. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 14 shots for the Sabres, who dropped to 5-5-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The struggling Blues raised eyebrows when they made leading scorer Jordan Kyrou a healthy scratch. That had some observers wondering if a trade might be afoot, but it was head coach Jim Montgomery’s way of sending a message to his players about his unhappiness with their performance this season.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres placed forward Jiri Kulich on injured reserve. He’s been dealing with an issue related to fluid in his ears.

Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel each scored two goals in a 6-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Kucherov, Hagel, and rookie forward Dominic James each had three points for the Lightning, who improved to 7-5-2. Ivan Barbashev and Mitch Marner each had three points for the 7-3-3 Golden Knights.

The Carolina Hurricanes tamed the Minnesota Wild by a score of 4-3. Jackson Blake and Sean Walker each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes as they improved to 9-4-0. Matt Boldy tallied twice for the Wild, who dropped to 5-7-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Tyler Pitlick received a major and a match penalty for a hit to the head of Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield, who left the game and did not return. Hurricanes blueliner K’Andre Miller collected an assist in his return to action after missing six games with a lower-body injury.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand scored two goals in a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves as the Panthers improved their record to 7-6-1. Anze Kopitar and Corey Perry tallied for the 6-5-4 Kings.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Struggling Rangers winger Artemi Panarin has shaved his head in a light-hearted effort to try to break out of his slump. He also admitted that concerns about the future are on his mind. The 34-year-old winger is in the final season of his contract and eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July. To date, there’s no indication the two sides are close to an extension.

TSN: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington explained he had every intention of handing over Alex Ovechkin’s 900-goal puck after tucking it into his goalie pants after the Capitals star scored the milestone goal on Wednesday.

Binnington joked that he had a claim to the puck since it was his turnover that led to the goal. “I had full intention to give it back to him.”

ROTOWIRE: Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan underwent evaluation after suffering an upper-body injury during Wednesday’s loss to the Calgary Flames. More information on his condition is expected before Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks placed rookie forward Michael Misa on injured reserve. He suffered a lower-body injury during the morning skate before Wednesday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs have suspended forward David Kampf for leaving their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. It’s expected this situation will be resolved soon, either by his reporting back to the Marlies, the two sides agreeing to terminate his contract, or he gets traded to another club.










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 – November 1, 2025

by | Nov 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s action, the Devils re-sign Jacob Markstrom, and the latest notable injury updates in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks got a four-point performance from Leo Carlsson (one goal, three assists) in a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Troy Terry tallied twice and picked up an assist for the Ducks (6-3-1), who’ve won four of their last five games. Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist each for the 8-4-0 Red Wings as their three-game win streak ended.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was John Gibson’s first game in Anaheim since being traded by the Ducks to the Red Wings this summer. He gave up four goals on 31 shots.

Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas had a goal and two assists as his club doubled up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Cale Makar had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who improved to 7-1-4 and moved into first place in the Western Conference with 18 points. Golden Knights forwards Tomas Hertl and Mitch Marner each had a goal and an assist as their club dropped to 6-2-3, but remain atop the Pacific Division with 15 points.

The New York Islanders got a 22-save performance from Ilya Sorokin in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Bo Horvat, and Mathew Barzal were the goal scorers as the Islanders improved to 5-5-1. Tom Wilson replied for the 6-5-0 Capitals, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Jacob Markstrom agreed to a two-year contract extension with the New Jersey Devils on Friday. The 35-year-old goaltender was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Markstrom will earn the same average annual value ($6 million) as his current contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not a surprise that the Devils got their starting goalie under contract. What is surprising is that Markstrom settled for a short-term deal. Reports were claiming he sought a long-term contract, but the Devils preferred the shorter option given his age.

The deal ensures the Devils’ current goalie tandem of Markstrom and Jake Allen remains intact. Allen was signed to a five-year deal this summer.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins center Elias Lindholm will be out of the lineup for “a few weeks” after suffering a lower-body injury during Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes placed defenseman K’Andre Miller (lower body) on injured reserve, and activated goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov off IR.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres placed forward Zach Benson (undisclosed) on IR and recalled forward Isak Rosen.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 30, 2025

by | Oct 30, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – October 30, 2025

Evaluating possible trade targets for the Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont weighed in on recent rumors linking the Canadiens to Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun recently indicated that Canadiens management has compiled a list of centers who might become available between now and the March 6 trade deadline, and Kadri is among them. He thinks the Canadiens might be interested because of their ongoing need for a second-line center.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).

Dumont noted the 35-year-old Kadri is signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $7 million and a 13-team no-trade list. He’s done a good job of bucking the usual decline for athletes in his age group, and his underlying numbers remain good despite the Flames’ poor performance this season.

Nevertheless, Kadri’s age is a concern, and the Canadiens tend to focus on youth to maximize their asset value in trades. They would also have to pay a premium for Kadri.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dumont believes acquiring Kadri would fly in the face of most of the decisions they’ve made during their rebuild. The Canadiens are likely to pursue younger options to address their second-line center needs.

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston was recently asked which of the following players could be realistic trade targets for the Canadiens: Matty Beniers of the Seattle Kraken, Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders, or Pavel Zacha of the Boston Bruins.

Johnston considered Zacha as the most likely candidate, but he doesn’t see the Bruins moving him to a long-time rival like the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent reports suggest the Bruins aren’t in any hurry to move Zacha, who is signed through next season. He may sign a contract extension next summer.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols looked at four early-season trade targets for the Devils.

Nichols believes the Devils will need reinforcements if they intend to stage a deep playoff run this season. He listed Zacha, Blake Coleman of the Calgary Flames, Alexander Wennberg of the San Jose Sharks, and Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres as potential options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All four are on teams that are struggling early in this season. However, none of them are sellers yet. That could change in the coming weeks if they don’t soon turn their fortunes around. By that point, the Devils might find other options elsewhere.

Tuch and Wennberg are eligible to become unrestricted free agents next summer. Zacha and Coleman are signed beyond this season. Tuch has indicated his willingness to stay in Buffalo, but he’s paused his contract extension talks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2025

by | Oct 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2025

The Devils and Mammoth keep winning, Sharks center Macklin Celebrini continues his offensive tear, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored twice, including the winning goal in overtime, to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Simon Nemec collected three assists as the Devils have won eight straight games (8-1-0), sitting atop the Eastern Conference with 16 points. Valeri Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon, and Brock Nelson replied for the 5-1-4 Avalanche, who are winless in their last four (0-1-3).

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes is tied for the league lead in goals (eight) with Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets and Shane Pinto of the Ottawa Senators. Devils defenseman Brett Pesce left the game with an upper-body injury and won’t travel with the club for their upcoming four-game road trip.

The Utah Mammoth nipped the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 to pick up their seventh straight victory. Dylan Guenther snapped a 2-2 tie, and Vitek Vanecek stopped 28 shots for the Mammoth (8-2-0), who are in first place in the Western Conference with 16 points. Dylan DeMelo and Mark Scheifele tallied for the Jets, who are 6-3-0 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth are off to a red-hot start. After several years rebuilding their roster, they appear to be having a breakout performance this season.

An overtime goal by Macklin Celebrini lifted the San Jose Sharks to a 6-5 win over the Minnesota Wild. Celebrini also collected two assists, linemate William Eklund scored twice and set up another, and rookie Michael Misa scored his first NHL goal for the 2-5-2 Sharks. Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber each had three assists for the struggling Wild (3-5-2), who have dropped six of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini has 10 points in his last four games. The 19-year-old sophomore center sits third among NHL scorers with 15 points. Meanwhile, Sharks forward Adam Gaudette left this game with an upper-body injury, while Marcus Foligno of the Wild missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, to down the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Brock Boeser had a goal and two assists and Thatcher Demko made 26 saves for the Canucks, who snapped a three-game losing skid and improved to 5-5-0. Leon Draisaitl scored two goals for the 4-4-2 Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks captain Quinn Hughes missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Teammate Victor Mancini left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury.

The Calgary Flames ended an eight-game losing skid with a 5-1 win over the New York Rangers. Blake Coleman scored twice, Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist, and Dustin Wolf stopped 30 shots for the 2-7-1 Flames. Rangers rookie Noah Laba scored his first NHL goal as his club slipped to 3-5-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers were without Vincent Trocheck and Matt Rempe. Both forwards missed this road trip due to injuries.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala scored the go-ahead goal in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Laferriere and Joel Armia also scored for the 4-3-3 Kings. Connor Bedard tallied for the Blackhawks, who slipped to 4-3-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings forward Warren Foegele left the game in the first period with an apparent shoulder injury. Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Dallas Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-2. Oskar Back, Wyatt Johnston, and Miro Heiskanen were the goal scorers as the Stars improved their record to 5-3-1. Jonathan Marchessault and Spencer Stastney scored for the 4-4-2 Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

An overtime goal by Nikita Kucherov lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1. Brandon Hagel also scored for the 3-4-2 Lightning. William Karlsson replied for the Golden Knights, who are 5-1-3 on the season.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: The Washington Capitals have relieved goaltending coach Mitch Love of his duties. This move comes after the NHL suspended him for the remainder of the season following its investigation into alleged domestic abuse.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Rickard Rakell will miss the next eight weeks following surgery on his left hand on Sunday. Rakell suffered the injury during Saturday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins placed defenseman Hampus Lindholm on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. He’s already missed seven games this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2025

by | Oct 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2025

Alex Ovechkin moves closer to another scoring milestone, the Canucks acquired Lukas Reichel from the Blackhawks, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 899th career regular-season goal in a 5-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ovechkin, John Carlson, and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist, and Logan Thompson stopped 34 shots for the 6-2-0 Capitals, who’ve won six of their last seven games. Denton Mateychuk replied for the Blue Jackets, who slipped to 3-4-0 on the season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is one goal away from becoming the first NHL player to reach 900 career regular-season goals.

The New Jersey Devils extended their win streak to seven games (7-1-0) by downing the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Dougie Hamilton scored twice and collected an assist, and Nico Hischier collected three assists. William Eklund scored the Sharks’ only goal while teammate Yaroslav Askarov stopped 26 of 28 shots as their record fell to 1-5-2.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey collected three assists as his club defeated the Calgary Flames 5-3, handing the latter their eighth straight defeat (1-7-1). Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each collected two points for the Jets, who’ve won six of their last seven games (6-2-0). Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman each had a goal and an assist for the Flames.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson tallied twice in a 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Alex Lyon made 31 saves while Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Jiri Kulich each had a goal and an assist for the 4-4-0 Sabres, who’ve won four of their last five games. William Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Dakota Joshua scored for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 3-4-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Leafs coach Craig Berube isn’t sure if the winger will be in the lineup for Saturday’s rematch. Meanwhile, defenseman Morgan Rielly missed this game with an undetermined injury, and winger Nick Robertson was a healthy scratch.

Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll will be returning to practice soon. The Leafs recently placed him on long-term injury reserve.

HEADLINES

THE PROVINCE/CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Vancouver Canucks acquired forward Lukas Reichel from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reichel was a first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft. Projected to become a scoring winger, he struggled to establish himself in that role with the rebuilding Blackhawks.

The Canucks were in the market for a second-line center since the summer. Their depth at center was depleted by injuries to Filip Chytil and Teddy Blueger, and they also lost winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki to an injury.

Reichel can play center or wing. The Canucks are hoping a change of scenery helps the speedy forward rediscover his scoring touch.

RG.ORG: New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov, and Minnesota Wild blueliner Zeev Buium are among several rookies who have hit the ground running this season.

Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke has also looked good through the early going. Detroit Red Wings center Emmitt Finnie has been an early surprise among this season’s rookie crop.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s early in the season, but the play of these kids already has some observers suggesting this season’s rookie class could be among the best in years.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Injuries continue to mount for the Carolina Hurricanes. Forwards Eric Robinson and William Carrier are expected to miss some time after being injured during Thursday’s 5-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

Robinson and Carrier join sidelined teammates Jaccob Slavin, K’Andre Miller, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Pyotr Kochetkov.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Mammoth forward Alex Kerfoot will miss the next eight to 10 weeks following a procedure to repair a core muscle injury.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights officially signed goaltender Carter Hart to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2 million. Hart will be eligible to play for the Golden Knights once his suspension ends on Dec. 1.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The NHL announced the New York Islanders will host the 2027 All-Star Game.

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME: Class of 2025 inductee Alexander Mogilny will be unable to attend the ceremony on Nov. 10. He will share his acceptance speech via video during the induction ceremony.