NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2025

by | Dec 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2025

Sidney Crosby moves closer to overtaking Mario Lemieux’s franchise points record, Macklin Celebrini reaches another points milestone, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Sidney Crosby tallied two goals to lead his Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Bryan Rust had a goal and two assists for the 13-7-5 Penguins. Tyson Foerster scored for the Flyers (14-8-3) as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 1,716 points, putting him within eight points of overtaking Mario Lemieux’s franchise record of 1,723 points, which is eighth on the NHL’s all-time points list. The 38-year-old Penguins captain has 18 goals, putting him third behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie (20 goals each) among this season’s goal-scoring leaders.

Meanwhile, Foerster exited the game in the second period after injuring his right shoulder. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini collected three assists in a 6-3 win against the Utah Mammoth. Tyler Toffoli had two goals and two assists, and Will Smith scored twice and picked up an assist as the Sharks improved to 13-11-3 on the season. Lawson Crouse netted two goals for the Mammoth (12-12-3), who dropped their fourth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is the second player to reach the 40-point plateau this season. The 19-year-old Sharks center is the third-fastest teenager in NHL history to reach 40 points in a season, doing so in 27 games. Wayne Gretzky did it in 24 games in 1980-81, and Sidney Crosby did it in 26 games in 2006-07.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Leo Carlsson and Pavel Mintyukov each had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (16-9-1), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 33 points. Jordan Kyrou replied for the 9-11-1 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke collected an assist to become the first rookie to reach 20 points this season. He also extended his points streak to eight games, tying Paul Kariya’s franchise rookie record.

Blues starting goaltender Jordan Binnington was pulled halfway through the first period after giving up two goals on five shots. Earlier in the day, the Blues announced that rookie winger Jimmy Snuggerud will undergo wrist surgery and will be reevaluated in six weeks, while forward Alexey Toropchenko is week-to-week after suffering burns to his legs in a home accident.

Buffalo Sabres center Josh Norris tallied twice and picked up an assist in his return to action in a 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Norris had missed 24 games with a lower-body injury. Zach Benson and Josh Doan each had two assists as the Sabres improved to 11-11-4. Kyle Connor scored for the slumping Jets (13-12-0), who have dropped five of their last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss prompted a players-only meeting by the Jets following this game. Their recent struggles coincide with the absence of Connor Hellebuyck. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner is currently sidelined after undergoing knee surgery on Nov. 22. He’s expected to be sidelined until late December.

The Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a four-game losing skid with a four-goal rally to defeat the New Jersey Devils 5-3. Charlie Coyle had a goal and two assists, Sean Monahan scored twice, and Elvis Merzlikins stopped 30 shots for the 12-9-5 Blue Jackets. Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt each had two points for the Devils (16-9-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon played in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game, but had to leave this contest after he was injured in a tussle with Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov. Devils blueliner Jonas Siegenthaler was ejected following a fight with Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli for not having the fight strap on his jersey secured.

Meanwhile, Monahan left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. He’s been playing through some nagging injuries and might need to sit for a stretch.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, and Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson are the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 30, 2025.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said defenseman Brandon Carlo suffered a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury. Carlo has returned to Toronto for further assessment. His last game was on Nov. 13 against the Los Angeles Kings.

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Mason Appleton will miss Tuesday’s game against the Boston Bruins with an undisclosed injury.

RG.ORG: Former Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov is looking forward to his tribute night in Montreal on Tuesday. Markov played all 990 of his NHL regular-season games with the Canadiens over 16 seasons, and remains popular among Montreal fans.

TSN: Veteran forward Robby Fabbri signed a professional tryout offer with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. The 29-year-old Fabbri has appeared in 442 NHL games over the past nine seasons.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Dallas Stars had their 1999 throwback third jersey launch last week. It reportedly became the most successful one-day jersey sale in NHL history, though details have yet to be released.

SPORTSNET: Team Canada assistant coach Pete DeBoer said the ice surface for the Olympic arena currently under construction outside Milan, Italy, could be three or four feet smaller than a standard NHL arena.

Arenas under IIHF rules tend to have larger ice surfaces than the NHL. DeBoer doesn’t understand how the Milan arena could end up with a smaller surface.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As reported earlier in the week, there is no “Plan B” if the Milan arena’s construction isn’t completed in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics in February. The construction delays and the push to completion likely account for the smaller ice surface.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 27, 2025

by | Nov 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 27, 2025

Are the Oilers interested in the Blues’ Jordan Binnington or the Penguins’ Tristan Jarry? What’s the latest on the Canucks, Predators, Flames, Stars, and Mammoth? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

OILERS LINKED TO BINNINGTON AND JARRY

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples referred to a recent list of trade targets by Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, where the latter claimed the “strongest speculation” tied the Oilers to St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington.

Kypreos observed that the 32-year-old Binnington has one season remaining on his contract, and he’s unlikely to be part of any roster retooling by the Blues. He speculated the deal would see the Oilers ship their current starter, Stuart Skinner, to St. Louis in the deal. Kypreos said that they’re also seeing if they can pry a defenseman away from the Blues.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (NHL Images).

Staples pointed out that Binnington carries an average annual value of $6 million, while Skinner is on an expiring contract with an AAV of $2.6 million. He thinks they will have to include a significant sweetener in the deal to convince the Blues to retain part of Binnington’s cap hit.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman noted that Kypreos’ rumor about Binnington to the Oilers “stirred up a hornet’s nest”. He pointed out the Oilers can’t trade for the veteran netminder without his permission, even if the Blues were willing to do it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Binnington has a 14-team no-trade list, and the Oilers could be on it. Even if he were willing to go to Edmonton, the cap-strapped Oilers can’t afford him without either moving out a lot of salary in the deal or giving up what few decent assets they have among their promising young players to make it happen.

Staples pointed out that Binnington’s stats are worse than Skinner’s this season. What’s also worth noting is that the Oilers’ sloppy defensive play this season has contributed to Skinner’s struggles, so Binnington probably wouldn’t fare much better.

Meanwhile, Staples noted that ESPN’s Kevin Weekes is claiming the Oilers might be interested in acquiring netminder Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Weekes reminded everyone that Jarry played in Edmonton for the WHL’s Oil Kings during his junior days.

Friedman and Oilers insider Bob Stauffer believe the Jarry rumor makes more sense. The Penguins are carrying four goaltenders and are dealing from a position of strength. However, Stauffer noted the difficulty the capped-out Oilers would face trying to add to their roster.

Staples indicated that Jarry carries an AAV of $5.375 million through 2027-28.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry’s cap hit isn’t as hefty as Binnington’s but has more term left on his contract. He also has a history of inconsistent play, spending several weeks playing for the Penguins’ AHL affiliate last season. He got off to a good start to this season before suffering an injury, but he picked up the win in his first game back last night against the Buffalo Sabres.

The same cap issues apply, not to mention Jarry’s 12-team no-trade list could also complicate things.

Trading for Binnington or Jarry would be risky for the Oilers. It could work out better than expected, or it could only make things worse. Given the few options available, they risk overpaying for either guy.

RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: In addition to the Binnington rumor, Elliotte Friedman touched on the Vancouver Canucks becoming sellers in the trade market.

He indicated that Quinn Hughes isn’t available, stating that several sources have pushed back hard on the notion that the 26-year-old superstar defenseman has already decided he won’t re-sign with the Canucks. Still, at some point, the Canucks and Hughes will have to discuss his future.

Pending UFA winger Kiefer Sherwood will garner plenty of interest. There is probably little desire by the Canucks to trade blueliner Filip Hronek, and Friedman doesn’t think Tyler Myers will waive his no-movement clause during this season. They also prefer to retain winger Conor Garland.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The current theory regarding Hughes is that he could seek a trade as early as the March trade deadline if the Canucks haven’t improved by then.

The real issue is whether he’s willing to sign an extension. If he doesn’t, the Canucks will entertain trade offers. They could wait until the offseason, when teams will have more cap space and a willingness to make a big trade for a superstar such as Hughes.

Like the Canucks, the Nashville Predators are exploring the trade market. There are teams interested in Ryan O’Reilly, but he’s got a big say in any move. Friedman also dismissed the Filip Forsberg trade theories and doesn’t see the Predators being willing to retain salary in any deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but the Predators are treating him as though he does. They’re not trading Forsberg unless he wants out, and there’s no indication that he does. He has a full no-movement clause.

The Calgary Flames won’t make any short-term moves to save their season. “If it’s a high pick, they will take it.”

Goalie-hungry teams will be watching Laurent Brossoit’s return from knee and hip surgeries that have sidelined him since April 2024. There’s no room for him with the Chicago Blackhawks now.

Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill remains confident he can afford to re-sign Jason Robertson when they already have an expensive Mikko Rantanen on their roster.

The Utah Mammoth would like to add to its roster. They have plenty of draft picks and prospects to draw on for trade capital.

Friedman believes free-agent forward Robby Fabbri could land with a new NHL club soon. The Ottawa Senators were among the rumored teams, but it won’t be with them.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 16, 2024

by | Nov 16, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 16, 2024

Recaps of Friday’s games plus the latest on Auston Matthews, David Perron, Mats Zuccarello, Frederik Andersen and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals forward Connor McMichael scored twice to lead his club over the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Pierre-Luc Dubois collected two assists for the Capitals while Parker Kelly had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who pulled goaltender Justus Annunen after he gave up three goals on six shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Valeri Nichushkin, Jonathan Drouin and Miles Wood returned to the Avalanche lineup following long absences. Wood was the only one to collect a point, getting an assist on a goal by Nikolai Kovalenko. Avalanche netminder Alexandar Georgiev missed this game with an upper-body injury

Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (NHL Images).

Calgary Flames rookie goalie Dustin Wolf stopped 29 shots for his first career NHL shutout in a 2-0 victory over the Nashville Predators. Daniil Miromanov and Blake Coleman were the goalscorers for the Flames. Juuse Saros turned aside 31 shots in a losing cause as the Predators have dropped six of their last seven contests.

The Vegas Golden Knights overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Utah Hockey Club 4-2. Golden Knights forwards Tomas Hertl and William Karlsson each scored two goals and Adin Hill made 32 saves for the win. Logan Cooley and Mikhael Sergachev were the goalscorers for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before puck drop, the Golden Knights announced they signed defenseman Brayden McNabb to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3.65 million. The deal includes a full no-trade clause in the first year, followed by a 10-team no-trade list in year two and a five-team list in the final season.

Anaheim Ducks rookie forward Cutter Gauthier scored his first NHL goal in a 6-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Olen Zellweger had a goal and two assists for the Ducks, who were down 3-1 at one point in this contest. Marco Kasper, Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist as the Red Wings dropped three of their last four.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Ducks announced forward Robby Fabbri underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and will miss six to eight weeks.

The Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a six-game losing skid by thumping the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2. Zach Werenski and Dmitri Voronkov each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets. Anthony Beauvillier and Michael Bunting replied for the Penguins, who have only one victory in their last six games (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry gave up five goals on 38 shots in his first game since Oct. 16. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang missed this contest with an illness while teammate Blake Lizotte (concussion) was placed on injured reserve, resulting in the Penguins activating forward Matt Nieto (knee) off IR.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews will not be in the lineup when his club faces off against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday evening. Matthews missed their last five games with an upper-body injury. Leafs coach Craig Berube said his captain has not suffered any setback as the club wants to give him time to recover fully.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward David Perron could suit up for Saturday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s missed the last 11 games after his infant daughter underwent surgery to remove a mass on her right lung. “We’re not fully out of the woods, but we’re getting there,” said Perron.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Perron and his family during this difficult time. Here’s hoping his daughter makes a complete recovery.

SPORTSNET: Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen will remain sidelined for the foreseeable future with a lower-body injury. His recovery period was originally listed as week-to-week but Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour indicated he’ll be out “way longer” than that. Meanwhile, netminder Pyotr Kochetkov is doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Senators. He’s dealing with an undisclosed injury but isn’t expected to be sidelined for long.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Minnesota Wild placed winger Mats Zuccarello (lower body) on IR for three to four weeks.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken captain Jordan Eberle will be sidelined for at least two games with a middle-body injury requiring further evaluation.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Los Angeles Kings placed netminder Darcy Kuemper and defenseman Caleb Jones on injured reserve.

RG.ORG: Size is becoming less of a priority when drafting NHL players. From 2005 to 2009, 34 percent of first-rounders were 205 pounds or heavier, but only 11.4 percent met those criteria in the last five NHL drafts. Height, however, has remained roughly the same, suggesting bulk has been deprioritized.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Teams favor skill over bulk as the speed of the game increases and individual abilities such as puckhandling and playmaking improve.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin examines why this season’s NHL average save percentage has dropped to .900, which, if it holds, would be the league’s lowest mark in 29 years.

Larkin attributes the decline not to changes in goalie equipment or a simple matter as offense is rising while goaltending is getting worse. He believes changes such as a crackdown on slashing have resulted in more east-west puck movement, a deemphasis on defense, an increase in power-play efficiency, and a lack of true standout goaltending stars are the main factors.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 4, 2024

by | Jul 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 4, 2024

An update on Leon Draisaitl’s contract status, Vladimir Tarasenko signs with the Red Wings, the Kraken makes a historic coach hire, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

UPDATE ON LEON DRAISAITL’S CONTRACT SITUATION

EISHOCKEY NEWS: Michael Bauer recently interviewed Leon Draisaitl’s agent, Jiri Poner, about his client’s contract situation. The 28-year-old Edmonton Oilers center can become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Poner said the ball is in the Oilers’ court. “There’s no rush yet, but either it happens quickly, i.e. by the end of August, or it doesn’t work out at all. It will also become clear whether Edmonton really wants him or not. Leon holds all the trump cards.”

Draisaitl signed his current contract in Aug. 2017 under then-Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli. “I can still remember the shitstorm (Chiarelli) had to endure when he gave Leon the contract for $8.5 million a year,” recalled Poner. “Today, he would be celebrated for that deal.” He believes his client has been playing “at least 30 percent below his value for three years”, but insisted that wasn’t a complaint.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Poner also addressed the recent rumors in the North American media suggesting Draisaitl could be traded if he and the Oilers fail to agree to a contract extension.

“There are two important points. Firstly: What would a club be willing to give up for a short-term deal? Leon would then be a free agent again and the club would lose far too much. And secondly: What would Connor McDavid do a year later when his contract expires and Edmonton has already given up his best friend?”

Poner remains “very confident” that there will be an agreement with the Oilers that will please both sides.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl is still recuperating from a long, draining playoff run. Meanwhile, Oilers management has had its hands full with the recent draft and free agency. The contract extension talks will likely start later this summer.

Draisaitl’s contract status will become a focus of media attention once the dust settles in the free-agent market. The longer it drags on, the more nervous Oilers followers will become, giving rise to increasing media speculation over his future in Edmonton.

LATEST NOTABLE FREE AGENT SIGNINGS

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed winger Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $4.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tarasenko, 32, is past his 30-plus goal prime but he tallied 23 goals last season split between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers. He’ll likely skate on their second line with Patrick Kane and J.T. Compher.

The Wings weren’t the only team interested in Tarasenko. TSN cited The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reporting the Pittsburgh Penguins made an offer but it was lower than other suitors.

The Red Wings freed up cap space for Tarasenko by trading winger Robby Fabbri to the Anaheim Ducks for goaltender Gage Alexander. Fabbri, 28, has a year left on his contract with an AAV of $4 million. The oft-injured forward had 18 goals and 32 points in 68 games last season.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers and center Anton Lundell agreed to a six-year, $30 million contract. Lundell, 22, was a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. The average annual value is $5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lundell earned his new deal as he’s increasingly become a valuable part of the Panthers’ core. Nicknamed “Baby Barkov”, he plays a two-way style similar to the Panthers captain. He did a fine job filling in for the sidelined Sam Bennett as their second-line center and could take over full-time this season with Bennett a year away from UFA eligibility.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes have agreed to terms with Jack Roslovic. Details have yet to be released.

DAILY FACEOFF: The list of notable UFAs keeps shrinking. Winger James van Riemsdyk, defensemen Ryan Suter and Tyson Barrie, and wingers Tyler Johnson and Max Pacioretty are still available.

NHL COACHING AND MANAGEMENT NEWS

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken hired Jessica Campbell as a full-time assistant coach. She’s the first woman to fill that role in NHL history. Campbell has a long background as a player and a coach. Her previous job was as an assistant coach with the Kraken’s AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Campbell is the first but won’t be the last. The day that a woman becomes an NHL head coach isn’t that far away.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks named Ryane Clowe as an assistant general manager. He spent the past three seasons with the New York Rangers as a senior advisor and hockey operations advisor.

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens hired Lauri Korpikoski as a player development coach and named former assistant coach Alex Burrows as a player development consultant.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2024

by | Feb 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games include a milestone game for the Golden Knights’ Alex Pietrangelo, the three stars of the week are revealed, Sharks stars Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl are sidelined, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild upset the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists while Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice for the 24-23-5 Wild (53 points) as they moved to within five points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Alex Pietrangelo collected two assists for the Golden Knights (31-16-6) as they remain in second place in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Golden Knights honored Pietrangelo for playing in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game. He also became the sixth defenseman in league history to collect multiple assists in his 1,000th game, joining Ryan Suter, Sergei Zubov, Kevin Hatcher, Brad Park and Tim Horton.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, goaltender Logan Thompson missed this game due to an illness.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin turned in a 30-save shutout performance in a 2-0 win over the Calgary Flames. Will Cuylle and Jimmy Vesey scored for the Rangers (34-16-3) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 71 points and moved into second place in the Eastern Conference standings. Jacob Markstrom stopped 29 shots for the 25-23-5 Flames (55 points) as they remain three points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have won five games in a row. Meanwhile, Flames forward Jakob Pelletier left this game favoring his left shoulder in the first period following a hit from Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. Pelletier missed October, November and December recovering from surgery on that shoulder. There was no postgame update on his status.

The Philadelphia Flyers picked up their fourth straight victory by downing the Arizona Coyotes 5-3, handing the latter their sixth straight loss. Travis Konecny had a goal and two assists while Scott Laughton had a goal and an assist for the 29-19-6 Flyers, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. J.J. Moser had two assists for the 23-24-4 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers winger Tyson Foerster and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen missed this game due to injuries.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Nico Daws turned aside 27 shots for the Devils (26-21-4) as they moved to within four points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 56 points. Joey Daccord made 34 saves for the 21-21-10 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek missed this game due to an illness and a lower-body injury. Kraken defenseman Brian Dumoulin left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom, Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki are the league’s three stars for the week ending Feb. 12, 2024.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks captain Logan Couture is listed as week-to-week as he continues to battle Osteitis pubis, which is a significant groin, abdomen and hip issue. Couture, 34, returned to action three weeks ago after being sidelined since the summer by this condition.

The Sharks also announced center Tomas Hertl will be sidelined for several weeks following surgery to clean out loose cartilage in his left knee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a significant setback for the Sharks as they will be without their top two centers at a time when they are showing some improvement. They’re near the bottom of the Western Conference standings but had won four of their last six games (4-1-1).

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Sidelined Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard (fractured jaw) could return to action sometime next week. The 18-year-old center has been sidelined since Jan. 5 and the Blackhawks’ offense has suffered without their leading scorer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard remains the Blackhawks leading scorer with 33 points in 39 games. Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber’s two assists last night moved him into a tie with Bedard for the rookie scoring lead.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Detroit Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri will miss the start of his club’s four-game road trip as he is away briefly on personal leave.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Jansen Harkins has been diagnosed with a concussion and has been placed on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Ottawa Senators placed forward Zack MacEwen on waivers to free up salary cap space to activate goaltender Anton Forsberg off long-term injury reserve. If MacEwen clears, he’ll be sent to their AHL affiliate in Belleville.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2023

by | Oct 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2023

The Devils down the Islanders, the Blue Jackets douse the Flames, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Jack Hughes capped a two-goal, two-assist performance by the New Jersey Devils star in a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders. Jesper Bratt had three assists, Timo Meier collected two helpers and Jack’s brother Luke netted his first goal of the season as the Devils improved to 2-1-1. Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson each scored two goals for the Islanders, who are 2-0-1 in their first three games of the season.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils captain Nico Hischier left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury. He’ll be re-evaluated on Saturday. His teammates Erik Haula (upper body), Tomas Nosek and Colin Miller (lower body) missed this game due to their injuries.

The Columbus Blue Jackets improved to 2-2-0 by defeating the Calgary Flames 3-1. Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist in his return from injury while Spencer Martin made 36 saves for the win. Elias Lindholm replied for the Flames, who sit 2-2-1 after their first five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson was ejected following a hit to the head of Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine in the dying seconds of this game.

Speaking of the Blue Jackets, they placed forward Liam Foudy on waivers earlier in the day and announced a long-term, multi-year affiliation extension with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Unrestricted free agent Zach Parise has resumed skating after taking time to consider his future. If the 39-year-old winger does return to the NHL this season it’s expected he’ll sign a one-year contract with the New York Islanders at the league minimum. Parise joined the Islanders in 2021 after being bought out by the Minnesota Wild.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri is expected to be sidelined for a month with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks denied a report early Thursday claiming Kevin Labanc would be placed on waivers. The winger and head coach David Quinn each said that waivers had not been discussed, with Quinn adding he had no idea where it came from.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres rookies Devon Levi and Zach Benson are day-to-day with lower-body injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Levi started the Sabres’ first three games in net. This means Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Eric Comrie will get the start tonight against the Islanders.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Artem Zub will miss this afternoon’s tilt with the Detroit Red Wings after being struck by a puck during their 6-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. He’s listed as day-to-day.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators center Cody Glass will miss the next seven to 10 days with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Arizona Coyotes president Xavier Gutierrez said the club hopes to make an announcement regarding its search for a new arena within the next 60 days.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And no, that announcement will not be about relocation to another city. The franchise remains committed to staying in its current area and is looking at multiple sites to build a new venue.

SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames prospect Topi Ronni is taking a leave of absence from Finnish club Tappara Tampere after receiving a court summons regarding a rape allegation. The alleged incident took place when the 19-year-old center was still a minor. Ronni was chosen by the Flames in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft.