NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2026

by | Apr 13, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2026

A milestone game for Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, the Islanders are eliminated from the playoff race, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby face each other for the 100th time, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored and collected an assist to surpass 100 points in a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. Alex Newhook and Zachary Bolduc also each had a goal and an assist, Lane Hutson had two assists, and Jacob Fowler made 30 saves for the 48-23-10 Canadiens, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 106 points. Casey Cizikas replied for the 43-33-5 Islanders.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suzuki is the fifth player in Canadiens history to reach the 100-point plateau, and the first to do so since Mats Naslund in 1985-86. Meanwhile, Hutson tied Larry Robinson for the most assists in a season (66) by a Canadiens defenseman.

The Habs called up defenseman David Reinbacher to replace blueliner Noah Dobson, who is out for at least two weeks with an upper-body (thumb) injury. Reinbacher collected an assist on Newhook’s goal for his first NHL point.

The Washington Capitals blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 in the 100th head-to-head game between Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. Ovechkin collected an assist, Connor McMichael scored twice and picked up an assist, and Logan Thompson had a 24-save shutout for the 42-30-9 Capitals (93 points), who are one point behind the 41-27-12 Philadelphia Flyers (94 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Stuart Skinner stopped 23 of 25 shots for the 41-24-16 Penguins (98 points), who have already clinched second place in the Metro Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is in the final season of his contract. Capitals fans chanted “one more year”, but the 40-year-old winger still hasn’t decided if he’ll return. Nevertheless, this game felt like it was the final matchup between Ovechkin and Crosby.

The Capitals kept their playoff hopes alive, but they must win their final game, while the Flyers must lose their last two games in regulation.

The Columbus Blue Jackets’ playoff hopes suffered a blow as they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Boston Bruins. Mark Kastelic snapped a 2-2 tie, Sean Kuraly had a goal and two assists, and Joonas Korpisalo stopped 33 shots for the 44-27-10 Bruins (98 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Ottawa Senators for the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Mason Marchment and Adam Fantilli replied for the Blue Jackets (40-29-12), who sit two points behind the Flyers, who hold a game in hand over the Blue Jackets and Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins top prospect James Hagens made his NHL debut and collected an assist. The Bruins also scratched veterans Charlie McAvoy, Pavol Zacha, Victor Arvidsson, and Hampus Lindholm from this game.

The Blue Jackets will be eliminated if the Flyers pick up one point in their final two games.

Speaking of the Senators, they fell to the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on an overtime goal by Nico Hischier, who finished with two goals and an assist. Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist for the Devils. Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto, and Fabian Zetterlund scored for the Senators (43-27-11), who hold the second Eastern wild card with 97 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins and Senators have already punched their tickets to the postseason. Both clubs are now jockeying to determine who their first-round opponents will be. Both clubs have one game left.

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk missed this game with an undisclosed ailment, believed to be an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s 3-0 win over the Islanders. He will likely sit out their regular-season finale against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, but is expected to be ready for the upcoming playoffs.

An overtime goal by Marco Rossi lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 upset of the Anaheim Ducks. Rossi, Brock Boeser, and Jake DeBrusk each finished with a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Cutter Gauthier scored twice to reach the 40-goal plateau for the 42-32-6 Ducks, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gauthier is the first Duck to score 40 goals in a season since Corey Perry in 2013-14. The Ducks can clinch a playoff berth if the Nashville Predators lose in any fashion to the San Jose Sharks on Monday. The Predators are four points behind the Ducks, with both clubs having two games left.

The Calgary Flames upset the Utah Mammoth 4-1. Brayden Pachal had a goal and two assists while Dustin Wolf kicked out 28 shots for the Flames. Lawson Crouse replied for the 42-32-6 Mammoth (90 points), who hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Mammoth clinched a playoff berth last week. This was defenseman MacKenzie Weegar’s first game in Calgary since he was dealt to the Mammoth before last month’s trade deadline. He received a warm standing ovation from Flames fans following a video tribute.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar will miss the next two games after suffering facial fractures and a corneal abrasion from being struck by a puck during Saturday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres hope to have Noah Ostlund back for the playoffs. The 22-year-old rookie forward missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury.

SPORTSNET: Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Scott Oake signed off for the last time on Saturday. The long-time host of the program’s “After Hours” interview show began his broadcasting career in the 1970s and has worked with Hockey Night in Canada since the 1980s.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oake will devote his time running The Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, named in honor of his son, who died in 2011 after struggling with addiction, and the Anne Oake Recovery Centre, which is under construction and will offer 75 beds for women in recovery.

Best wishes to Oake and his family in his new endeavors.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2026

by | Apr 11, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 11, 2026

Five teams can clinch playoff berths on Saturday, the Ducks sign GM Pat Verbeek to an extension, the King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominees are announced, the latest on Alex Ovechkin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: After taking a break on Friday, the schedule resumes with 15 games on Saturday, with five teams facing playoff-clinching scenarios.

The Boston Bruins face several clinching scenarios in the Eastern Conference, with the most direct being to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning in any fashion.

The Ottawa Senators can punch their ticket to the postseason if they defeat the New York Islanders in any fashion and if the New Jersey Devils defeat the Detroit Red Wings in any fashion.

In the Western Conference, the Edmonton Oilers need one point against the Los Angeles Kings, or with any result in the Winnipeg Jets-Philadelphia Flyers game other than a Jets regulation win.

Like the Bruins, the Vegas Golden Knights face several clinching scenarios. The most direct is defeating the Colorado Avalanche in any fashion.

The Anaheim Ducks aren’t playing today, but they can clinch if all of the following occur: the Vancouver Canucks defeat the San Jose Sharks in any fashion, the Flyers defeat the Jets in regulation, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Nashville Predators in regulation.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed general manager Pat Verbeek to a multiyear contract extension.

The Ducks hired Verbeek in Feb. 2022. He’s conducted most of the franchise’s roster rebuild, putting them on the verge of reaching the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

Under Verbeek’s management, the Ducks drafted center Leo Carlsson and rookie winger Beckett Sennecke, acquired winger Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers, defenseman Jacob Trouba and winger Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers, and blueliner John Carlson from the Washington Capitals. He also hired Joel Quenneville as head coach last year.

SPECTOR’ S NOTE: The Ducks still have room for improvement, but there’s no denying the steady progress they’ve made thus far under Verbeek.

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin are among the 32 nominees for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. It is presented annually to the NHL player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Other notable nominees include Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly, New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares, and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is looking forward to facing long-time rival Sidney Crosby for what might be the final time this weekend when his club meets the Pittsburgh Penguins in a home-and-home series. The two games will be in Pittsburgh on Saturday and in Washington on Sunday.

Speculation is growing that this could be the 40-year-old Ovechkin’s final NHL season. Earlier this week, he said he’d decide on his future during the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin once said that he and Crosby saved the NHL when it emerged from a season-killing lockout in 2005. His remarks sparked some criticism, but his assessment was correct. The rivalry between those two (especially during the early years of their NHL careers) renewed the interest of fans disillusioned over years of labor strife while also attracting a new generation of fans.

Today, the rivalry between Ovechkin and Crosby isn’t as heated as it once was, having mellowed into a mutual respect. Nevertheless, we could be watching history if this weekend’s games are indeed the final time they’ll face each other. Sean Gentille of The Athletic reports uncertainty over Ovechkin’s future has sent ticket prices surging for the Capitals’ final home game.

TORONTO SUN: Hall of Famer Chris Pronger has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the job of Maple Leafs general manager. However, he’s taking a cautious approach as he wants to know what the job parameters will be.

Pronger said he hasn’t been contacted by the Maple Leafs yet, but he’s interested in talking to them.

Other potential candidates include Florida Panthers assistant general managers Sunny Mehta and Brett Peterson. The Panthers have reportedly permitted the Maple Leafs and the New Jersey Devils to speak with Mehta.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pronger is likely low on their list of candidates. Based on recent reports, it appears the Maple Leafs are focused on current and former management types who will fill their main requirement of a “data-driven” general manager.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Devils, they’ve shut down goaltender Jacob Markstrom for the remainder of the season due to an array of nagging injuries.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are expected to be without sidelined defenseman Miro Heiskanen and center Roope Hintz for what’s left of the regular season.

Heiskanen underwent an MRI on Friday for a lower-body injury suffered on Thursday. Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan is hoping the blueliner will return during their first-round series against the Minnesota Wild.

Hintz has been sidelined since late February with a lower-body injury and remains week-to-week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having those two core players sidelined for their first-round series will test the Stars’ roster depth against the Wild. The sooner they can return, the better the Stars’ odds of winning that round.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal is the winner of the Steve Chiasson Award. Named in honor of the late defenseman, the award is given out annually to the Hurricanes player “that best exemplifies determination and dedication while proving to be an inspiration to his teammates through his performance and approach to the game.”

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Hurricanes, they assigned goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov to their AHL affiliate in Chicago for conditioning. He’s been sidelined since Dec. 20 with a lower-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings prospect Max Plante is the 2026 winner of the Hobey Baker Award, honoring the most outstanding player in NCAA men’s hockey. Plante, 20, is a left winger with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. He’s the first Red Wings prospect to win this award.

DAILY FACEOFF: Another Red Wings prospect, Trey Augustine, won the Mike Richter Award as this season’s top goaltender in NCAA men’s hockey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are potentially facing another disappointing season if they fail to make the playoffs. However, they have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which should continue to provide a measure of hope for Wings fans.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed prospect Abram Wiebe to a three-year entry-level contract. The 22-year-old defenseman was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights as part of the return in the Rasmus Andersson trade.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2026

by | Apr 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2026

The Sabres and Lightning clinch a playoff berth, the Panthers are eliminated from postseason contention, a milestone game for Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and more from a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Despite a 6-2 loss to the Washington Capitals, the Buffalo Sabres (46-23-8) clinched their first playoff berth for the first time since 2011 when the New York Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 earlier in the day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres’ 14-year playoff drought was the longest in league history. Their long-suffering fans can finally rejoice as this long nightmare is finally, mercifully over. Anyway, back to the recap of this game…

Logan Thompson kicked out 37 shots while Jakob Chychrun, Connor McMichael, and Aliaksei Protas each had a goal and an assist for the 39-29-9 Capitals (87 points), who sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not to rain on the Sabres’ parade, but they have struggled over their last seven games. They were the hottest team in the league from mid-December to mid-March, riding that momentum from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings to challenging the Carolina Hurricanes for first overall in the conference. However, they’re 2-3-2 in their last seven contests.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings’ late-season slide continues with their loss to the 32-36-9 Rangers, who sit last in the Eastern Conference. Gabe Perreault sniped his first NHL hat trick while Jonathan Quick turned aside 32 shots for the Blueshirts. David Perron replied for the Red Wings (40-28-8), who sit just outside the final Eastern wild-card spot with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings have dropped three of their last four games and have only seven wins in their last 18 contests. They can still clinch a playoff spot, but they’re jockeying with the Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Capitals for that berth.

Speaking of the Senators, they dropped a 4-1 decision to the Minnesota Wild. Ryan Hartman tallied twice while Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves for the 43-21-12 Wild, who remain in third place in the Western Conference standings with 98 points. Drake Batherson scored for the Senators (39-27-10) as they cling to that final Eastern wild card with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold that berth because they have 33 regulation wins this season. Defenseman Jake Sanderson returned to their lineup after missing 13 games with a shoulder injury. However, they played without blueliner Tyler Kleven, who is out indefinitely with a facial injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning scored three unanswered goals to beat the Boston Bruins 3-1, clinching a playoff berth for the ninth straight season. Darren Raddysh set a single-season franchise record for defensemen by scoring his 21st of the season for the Lightning (48-22-6) as they hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points. Casey Mittelstadt scored for the 43-26-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 94 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

There will be a new Stanley Cup champion as the Florida Panthers were officially eliminated from the 2026 postseason race after being thumped by the Pittsburgh Penguins 9-4. Evgeni Malkin netted a hat trick and collected an assist, and Erik Karlsson had a goal and three assists for the 39-22-16 Penguins, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 94 points. A.J. Greer had a goal and an assist for the 37-36-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a milestone game for Malkin and teammate Sidney Crosby. Malkin crossed the 1,400 NHL regular-season point plateau, while Crosby collected two assists to surpass Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman and move into seventh on the all-time points lead with 1,756.

The Montreal Canadiens blew a 3-0 lead but recovered to nip the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on a shootout goal by Oliver Kapanen. Cole Caufield collected two assists for the red-hot Canadiens (45-21-10), who picked up their eighth straight win to move into second place in the Atlantic Division with 100 points. Jack Hughes and Timo Meier each had a goal and an assist for the 39-34-3 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the first time the Canadiens reached the 100-point plateau since 2016-17. They only need a point to clinch a postseason berth. Meanwhile, Ivan Demidov scored in this game to become the first rookie this season to reach the 60-point plateau.

Speaking of promising young players, Canadiens prospect Michael Hage is set to return from an injury and rejoin the Michigan Wolverines for the upcoming NCAA Frozen Four tournament in Las Vegas. Once that tournament ends, he’s expected to sign an entry-level contract and join the Canadiens for the remainder of this season.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored twice and added an assist in a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders. K’Andre Miller collected two assists for the 49-21-6 Hurricanes, who have won three straight games, and hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 104 points. Marc Gatcomb, Max Shabanov, and Anders Lee replied for the Islanders (42-31-5), who have lost four straight but still cling to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders rookie defenseman collected an assist to record his 58th point, surpassing Phil Housley for the most points by an 18-year-old NHL defenseman.

The Colorado Avalanche are the first team to reach the 50-win plateau this season as they blanked the Dallas Stars 2-0. Scott Wedgewood made 17 saves for the shutout, Martin Necas had a goal and an assist, and Nathan MacKinnon scored his league-leading 51st goal of the season for the 50-15-10 Avalanche, who sit first in the overall standings with 110 points. Casey DeSmith stopped 21 of 22 shots for the Stars (45-20-12), who hold second place in the overall standings with 102 points.

Two goals by Kyle Connor lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Mark Scheifele collected two assists for the 33-31-12 Jets (78 points), who moved within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Ivan Provorov scored for the struggling Blue Jackets (38-27-12), who have dropped three straight games, and sit behind the Senators for that final Eastern wild card with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets held a players-only meeting following this game. They’ve cooled off significantly from that hot streak that saw them rise from the bottom of the conference in mid-January to jockeying for second place in the Metropolitan Division by early March.

The Vegas Golden Knights extended their points streak to five games by defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1. Carter Hart stopped 31 shots, and Jack Eichel collected three assists for the Golden Knights (35-26-16), who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 86 points. Evan Bouchard replied for the 39-29-9 Oilers as their five-game win streak ended, leaving them clinging to first place in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers played without winger Zach Hyman, who could miss the remainder of the regular season with a nagging injury.

Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller had a hat trick to lead his club to a 7-4 thrashing of the Vancouver Canucks. Dylan Guenther and Lawson Crouse each had a goal and an assist for the 40-30-6 Mammoth, who picked up their third straight victory and hold the first Western wild card with 86 points. Linus Karlsson scored two goals for the 22-46-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar and forward Jack McBain missed this game with injuries. Weegar (upper body) is day-to-day, while McBain (lower body) is week-to-week. Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen was a late scratch from this game.

The Nashville Predators regained possession of the final Western wild card by defeating the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Filip Forsberg had two goals and an assist for the 36-31-9 Predators (81 points). Nick Leddy had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (36-32-7), who are two points behind the Predators.

An overtime goal by Quinton Byfield gave the Los Angeles Kings a 7-6 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Adrian Kempe had two goals and two assists while Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists for the Kings (31-26-19), who sit behind the Predators with 81 points. Matthew Knies had two goals and two assists for the 32-31-14 Maple Leafs.

The Calgary Flames upset the Anaheim Ducks 5-3. Morgan Frost scored twice, Joel Farabee had a goal and an assist, and Devin Cooley made 36 saves for the 32-36-8 Flames. Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson, and Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks (41-31-5), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers lead the Ducks in the division with 30 regulation wins.

The Chicago Blackhawks doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Rookie forward Sacha Boisvert scored his first NHL goal, while Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (28-35-14). Jaden Schwartz had a goal and an assist for the 32-32-11 Kraken.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2026

by | Mar 29, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2026

Check out the recaps from a 15-game Saturday night in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A hat-trick performance by Owen Tippett carried the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Tippett finished with four points, and Dan Vladar made 32 saves for the 35-24-12 Flyers (82 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Patrick Kane and Moritz Seider each had two assists for the Red Wings (39-25-8), who are one point out of that wild card with 86 points.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers have been hot of late, with a record of 7-1-1 in their last nine games.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg had a goal and two assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Ottawa Senators 4-2. Brandon Hagel and Charle-Edouard D’Astous each had a goal and an assist for the 45-21-6 Lightning, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Dylan Cozens and Jordan Spence scored for the Senators (38-25-10), who sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul missed this game due to illness.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield sniped his 45th goal of the season in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. The Canadiens’ second line of Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Alex Newhook each had a goal and an assist as the Habs (41-21-10) picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 91 points. Zachary L’Heureux scored for the 34-30-9 Predators, who cling to the final Western wild card with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist to become the third defenseman in NHL history to record multiple 60-assist seasons before the age of 23, joining Hall of Famers Paul Coffey (three seasons) and Bobby Orr (two seasons).

The Winnipeg Jets are getting closer to a Western Conference wild-card spot with a 4-2 upset of the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. Cole Perfetti snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period while Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist for the 31-30-12 Jets (74 points), who moved within three points of the Predators. Brock Nelson and Parker Kelly replied for the 48-14-10 Avalanche (106 points).

A five-goal second period vaulted the New York Islanders over the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-2. Brayden Schenn had a goal and two assists for the Islanders (42-27-5) as they moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points. Matthew Tkachuk scored both goals for the 35-34-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers center Sam Bennett missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Zach Hyman had a goal and an assist while Jack Roslovic tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 37-28-9 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 83 points. Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier tallied for the Ducks (41-28-4), who hold first place in that division with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks winger Troy Terry returned to the lineup after missing one game with a lower-body injury. Teammates Radko Gudas and Pavel Mintyukov missed this contest with lower-body injuries.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist after missing 15 games with a lower-body injury in a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mavrik Bourque scored twice and picked up an assist, and Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the Stars (44-18-11), who remain in second place in the overall standings with 99 points. Erik Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the 36-21-16 Penguins, who are clinging to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins played without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as both are day-to-day with injuries.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak collected two assists to extend his points streak to 12 games to help his club beat the Minnesota Wild 6-3. Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm each tallied twice for the 41-24-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 90 points. Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman each had a goal and an assist for the Wild (41-21-12), who sit third in the Central Division with 94 points.

The Carolina Hurricanes scored five straight goals in a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. Nikolaj Ehlers and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (46-20-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 98 points. Timo Meier and Evgenii Dadonov replied for the 37-33-2 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gostisbehere returned from a nine-game absence with a lower-body injury.

San Jose Sharks rookie winger Igor Chernyshov scored twice (including the game-winner) for his first NHL multi-point game to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist for the 33-31-7 Sharks (74 points), who snapped a six-game skid to sit four points out of the final Western wild card. Denton Mateychuk and Cole Sillinger scored while Elvis Merzlikins stopped 33 shots for the Blue Jackets (38-24-11), who slipped into the final Eastern wild card with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov left this game after the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on a shootout goal by Tage Thompson. Rasmus Dahlin scored his 100th career NHL regular-season goal while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 32 shots for the 45-21-8 Sabres, who remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. Chandler Stephenson and Bobby McMann each had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (32-29-11) as they sit two points out of the final Western wild card with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres rookie Noah Ostlund could be sidelined longer than expected with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Kraken center Shane Wright left this game in the first period with an undisclosed ailment.

Utah Mammoth forwards Alexander Kerfoot and Logan Cooley each tallied two goals to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 6-2. Mikhail Sergachev collected four assists as the Mammoth (37-30-6) remains in the first Western wild card with 80 points. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe scored for the 29-25-18 Kings (76 points), who are one point out of the final Western wild-card berth.

The Washington Capitals blew a 3-0 lead but rallied from a 4-3 deficit for a 5-4 shootout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Dylan Strome scored the tying goal and the winner in the shootout for the 36-28-9 Capitals. Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights (32-26-16), who have lost six of their last seven games but remain third in the Pacific Division with 79 points.

St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours each had two assists for the 31-30-11 Blues (73 points), who sit four points out of the Western wild-card spot. Jake McCabe replied for the 31-30-13 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas returned to action after missing one game with an upper-body injury.

The Calgary Flames pounded the Vancouver Canucks 7-3. Matt Coronato and Morgan Frost each had a goal and two assists for the 30-34-8 Flames. Center Elias Pettersson picked up two assists for the 21-42-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Joel Hanley’s season is over as he suffered an undisclosed injury on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2026

by | Mar 28, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2026

The Red Wings move closer to a wild-card berth, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings regained some ground in the race for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and two assists, Patrick Kane scored and picked up an assist, and John Gibson made 28 saves for the 39-25-8 Red Wings (86 points), who moved to within one point of the New York Islanders for the final Eastern wild card. Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin replied for the Sabres (44-21-8), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres missed an opportunity to take over sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference from the Carolina Hurricanes, who hold two games in hand. Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day. The Wings called up Michal Postava to back up Gibson.

New York Rangers rookie goalie Dylan Garand stopped 27 shots for his first NHL win as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1. Rookie winger Adam Sykora tallied his first NHL goal, J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists, and Jonny Brodzinski tallied twice for the 29-35-9 Rangers. Nick Lardis scored for the 27-33-13 Blackhawks.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: The date for the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery was officially confirmed for Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson suffered an upper-body injury during Thursday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. He is listed as week-to-week.

CALGARY SUN: Flames forward Samuel Honzek has returned to practice with his teammates for the first time since suffering an upper-body collision after colliding with teammate Mikael Backlund. However, the 21-year-old will not return to action this season.

TORONTO STAR: The Maple Leafs returned forward Bo Groulx to their AHL affiliate. If he played one more game with the Leafs, he couldn’t return to the Marlies without passing through waivers. The Leafs want Groulx to take part in this year’s Calder Cup playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Groulx played well during his brief call-up. The 26-year-old center had three goals and two assists for five points in nine games, which could earn him a permanent spot with the Maple Leafs next season. He has 50 points in 52 games with the Marlies.

CBS SPORTS: The Colorado Avalanche reassigned winger Gavin Brindley to their AHL affiliate. With the Avalanche finally sporting a healthy roster, Brindley had been a recent healthy scratch. He’ll get more playing time with their farm club.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Peter Chiarelli and Kevin Maxwell are leaving the St. Louis Blues organization. Chiarelli was their vice president of hockey operations, and Maxwell served as a pro scout.

Chiarelli is reportedly among the candidates to replace Barry Trotz as general manager of the Nashville Predators. Maxwell is returning to the Rangers in a management role.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars promoted Rich Peverley to assistant GM. He’d served as their director of player personnel.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2026

by | Mar 25, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2026

​Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches two scoring milestones, the Blue Jackets, Senators, and Predators keep climbing in the playoff standings, the Panthers’ Paul Maurice reaches a coaching milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored twice to reach his 400th career regular-season goal and his 1,200th career regular-season point in a 5-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Jack Roslovic also tallied two goals while Evan Bouchard collected three assists for the 35-28-9 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 79 points. Alexander Kerfoot and Lawson Crouse replied for the Mammoth (37-29-6), who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 80 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is the third-fastest player to reach the 1,200-point plateau, doing so in 784 games. Wayne Gretzky is the fastest (504 games), followed by Mario Lemieux (593 games).

As for the Mammoth, they signed prospect forward Caleb Desnoyers to a three-year entry-level contract on March 23. The 18-year-old center was chosen fourth overall by the Mammoth in last year’s draft. He’s hoping to earn a spot on their roster and one day play a top-six role.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (38-22-11) rose to second place in the Metropolitan Division (87 points) by holding off the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Zach Werenski and Mason Marchment each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who are 19-3-4 since hiring Rick Bowness as head coach on Jan. 12. Sean Couturier and Jamie Drysdale replied for the 34-24-12 Flyers (80 points), who remain five points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couturier, Denver Barkey, and Luke Glendening returned to the Flyers lineup after being sidelined by injuries.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Carter Yakemchuk had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut in a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Brady Tkachuk also had a goal and an assist, and Linus Ullmark stopped 32 shots as the Senators (38-24-9) have won 15 of their last 20 games to move into the final Eastern Conference wild card with 85 points. Dominik Shine and Dylan Larkin each scored for the struggling Red Wings (38-25-8), who’ve dropped two games in a row and sit one point behind the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin was returning from a seven-game absence with a lower-body injury.

The Nashville Predators widened their lead for the final Western Conference wild card by defeating the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists while Jonathan Marchessault collected three assists for the 34-28-9 Predators (77 points), who picked up their fifth straight win. Will Smith had two goals for the fading Sharks (32-31-6), who’ve lost five straight games.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice reached the 2,000-game coaching milestone in a 5-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Panthers (35-32-3) blew a 4-1 lead, but got the win on a shootout goal by Vinnie Hinostroza. Jordan Eberle had a goal and an assist for the 31-29-10 Kraken (72 points), who sit five points back of the Predators.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche got two goals from Martin Necas to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2. Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves for the win while Nathan MacKinnon tallied his league-leading 46th goal of the season for the 47-13-10 Avalanche, who hold a seven-point lead over the Dallas Stars in the overall standings with 104 points. Egor Chinahkov and Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins (35-20-16), who slipped to third place in the Pacific Division with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang picked up an assist to reach 800 career regular-season points. He’s the highest-scoring blueliner in franchise history, sitting fifth among their all-time points leaders. Teammate Evgeni Malkin missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor made his season debut after being sidelined by offseason hip surgery and an undisclosed issue.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked out 41 shots in a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Ivan Demidov each had a goal and an assist for the 39-21-10 Canadiens, who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 88 points. Nikolaj Ehlers and Jordan Staal scored for the Hurricanes (45-20-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield tallied his 44th goal of the season, sitting two behind MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s top goal scorer.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Erik Cernak, Brandon Hagel, and Pontus Holmberg gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (44-21-5) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 93 points. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist for the 40-20-12 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 92 points.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored two goals as his club held off the Dallas Stars 6-4. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist for the 36-32-2 Devils. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson each had three-point performances for the Stars (43-17-11), who sit second in the West with 97 points.

Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish scored his first goal in 15 games to snap a 3-3 tie as his club went on to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. Mikael Granlund tallied twice for the 40-27-4 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 84 points. Center Elias Pettersson and defenseman Filip Hronek each had two assists for the 21-41-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas returned to action after serving a five-game suspension for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who is out for the season as a result. Gudas expressed remorse for injuring Matthews, claiming he “felt terrible about the outcome.”

Actions speak louder than words, and Gudas’ actions definitely speak louder than his empty words. The fact that he got off with a five-game suspension remains a disgraceful decision by the league’s so-called “department of player safety”.

Meanwhile, the Canucks are raising ticket prices for next season by 10 percent. Teams charge what they believe their market will bear, but they might be unwilling to bear that increase when the team is coming off a dreadful season as they rebuild their roster.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 triumph over the Vegas Golden Knights. Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the 30-29-12 Jets, as they sit five points back of the Predators with 72 points. Rasmus Andersson scored for the 32-26-14 Golden Knights, who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 78 points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs (30-29-13) got two goals from Matthew Knies to double up the Boston Bruins 4-2. Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves in his return to action after being struck in the throat by a puck during warmups on Saturday. Elias Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy replied for the 39-24-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild card with 86 points.

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Anton Frondell collected an assist in his NHL debut as his club upset the New York Islanders 4-3. Nick Lardis had a goal and two assists for the 27-31-13 Blackhawks. Anders Lee, Simon Holmstrom, and Calum Ritchie scored for the Islanders (40-27-5), as they slipped out of the final Eastern wild card with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold that wild card with a game in hand. Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer set an NHL record for the most single-game ice time by a teenager at 31:59. Isles defenseman Tony DeAngelo left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Yegor Sharangovich lifted the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Olli Maatta and Zayne Parekh scored in regulation for the 30-34-7 Flames. Quinton Byfield netted both goals for the Kings (28-25-18), who set three points behind the Predators.

The St. Louis Blues got a 21-save shutout from Joel Hofer in a 3-0 win over the Washington Capitals. Jimmy Snuggerud, Otto Stenberg, and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues (29-30-11). Logan Thompson stopped 24 of 26 shots for the 35-28-9 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois received a match penalty for a deliberate attempt to injure Blues center Robert Thomas. The two collided, and Dubois appeared to grab Thomas as they fell to the ice, with the latter’s head striking the ice. The Blues center left the game, but head coach Jim Montgomery said afterwards that Thomas was fine and had passed the concussion protocol.