NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2026

by | Apr 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2026

The remaining Eastern Conference opening-round series are set, the Mammoth clinch the first Western Conference wild card, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: David Pastrnak collected an assist for his 100th point of the season as the Boston Bruins blanked the New Jersey Devils 4-0 to clinch the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jeremy Swayman turned in a 21-save shutout while Mark Kastelic scored twice for the 45-27-10 Bruins, who finished the season with 100 points and will face the Buffalo Sabres in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nico Daws made 22 saves for the Devils.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth consecutive season that Pastrnak has reached the 100-point plateau. Bruins center Pavel Zacha left the game to attend to a family matter.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi stopped 28 shots in a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders. Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Jankowski scored for the Hurricanes (53-22-7), who finish the season in first place in the Eastern Conference (113 points) and will face the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the upcoming playoffs. Bo Horvat replied for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The idle Senators clinched the final Eastern wild card with 97 points. They play their final game of the regular season on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk will miss that game with an undisclosed injury, but he’ll be ready for Game 1 against the Hurricanes this weekend.

For the first time in NHL history, the Devils, Islanders, and New York Rangers have missed the playoffs in the same year.

The Utah Mammoth (43-32-6) clinched the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 92 points after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 5-3. Nick Schmaltz scored twice, Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist, and Clayton Keller picked up an assist to extend his points streak to a franchise-record nine games. Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had two points for the Jets.

Philadelphia Flyers rookie Oliver Bonk had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut as his club doubled up the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists for the Flyers, who will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round of the playoffs. The Canadiens finished third in the Atlantic Division and will start their first-round playoff series in Tampa Bay against the Lightning on Sunday.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored his league-leading 53rd goal of the season in a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Martin Necas collected an assist to reach 100 points for the first time in his career, and Cale Makar collected three assists for the first-overall Avalanche. Blake Coleman scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon will win the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s leading goal scorer for the first time. Makar was returning from an upper-body injury that had sidelined him for seven games.

Minnesota Wild rookie Hunter Haight scored his first NHL goal, and Jesper Wallstedt kicked out 35 shots to beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Mason McTavish scored both goals for the 42-33-6 Ducks, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild will face the Dallas Stars in the opening round. The Ducks are still waiting to find out who their first-round opponent will be.

An overtime goal by Jake DeBrusk gave the Vancouver Canucks a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. DeBrusk finished the game with two goals for the Canucks. Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist for the Kings (35-26-20), who hold the final Western wild card with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings and Ducks each still have a game remaining. If the Kings win or collect an overtime point and the Ducks lose in regulation, the Kings will finish third in the Pacific Division while the Ducks will drop into that final wild-card spot.

The Pittsburgh Penguins finished their season with a 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Jimmy Snuggerud had two goals and two assists, and Dylan Holloway had two goals and an assist for the Blues. Rookie Avery Hayes tallied twice for the Penguins, who finished second in the Metropolitan Division and will meet the Flyers in the first round of the playoffs.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin collected an assist in what might be his final NHL game in a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anthony Beauvillier and Jakob Chychrun scored for the Capitals. Boone Jenner tallied for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is still undecided about his future, but he said he hopes this game was not his last in the NHL. He’s an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and he could retire from the NHL and return to Russia to finish his playing career.

Meanwhile, Blue Jackets interim coach Rick Bowness ripped into his players after this game, citing the club’s lack of a winning culture.

“All you’ve got to do is look at the stat sheet,” Bowness said. “Three hits. Twenty-three giveaways. Like, I don’t know if I’m back (next season), but if I’m back, I’m changing this culture. These guys, they don’t care. Losing is not important to them. It doesn’t bother them. Like, how can you go out and play like that?”

The Blue Jackets hired Bowness as interim coach in mid-January. Their players responded well at first, surging from the bottom of the Eastern Conference into second place in the Metropolitan Division by March 25. However, the Jackets went 2-8-1 in their last 11 games, missing the playoffs for the sixth straight year.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz will not be in the opening two games of his club’s first-round series against the Wild. He’s been sidelined with a lower-body injury since March 6.

THE SCORE: Former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving and Pittsburgh Penguins executive Jason Spezza will lead Canada’s management group at the 2026 IIHF World Championships.

THE ATHLETIC: The Tampa Bay Lightning is considered the NHL’s best-run franchise, and the Vancouver Canucks are considered the worst-run among a poll of NHL player agents.

The Minnesota Wild is ranked as the easiest franchise to deal with, while the Anaheim Ducks are considered to be the most difficult.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2026

by | Apr 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2026

The Flyers, Ducks, and Kings clinch playoff berths, the Hurricanes claim first place in the Eastern Conference, the Sabres take the Atlantic Division title, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A shootout goal by Tyson Foerster and a 24-save effort by Dan Vladar lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 to clinch their first playoff berth since 2019-20. The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead on goals by Bradley Nadeau and Nikolaj Ehlers, but Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras rallied the Flyers in the second period. The Flyers (42-27-12) clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points, while the 52-22-7 Hurricanes secured first overall in the Eastern Conference with 111 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Flyers were among the better teams in the league since the Olympic break, riding a 17-7-1 record to an unexpected berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They will face their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the opening round.

The Flyers’ victory eliminated the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets from the postseason race.

The Hurricanes scratched Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Staal, Jaccob Slavin, and Shayne Gostisbehere to rest them for the upcoming playoffs. They also recalled goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov from a two-game conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Chicago. He’s been sidelined for the past three months recovering from surgery for a lower-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings clinched the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Quinton Byfield scored two goals, Trevor Moore and Alex Leferriere each had a goal and an assist, and Anton Forsberg stopped 28 shots for the 35-26-19 Kings (89 points). Adam Larsson and Frederick Gaudreau replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg was named the NHL’s first star for the week ending Apr. 12. Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark was named the second star, and Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was the third star.

Kraken forward Jared McCann missed this game as he’s out for the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini tallied twice to nip the Nashville Predators 3-2, ending the latter’s playoff hopes. Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves, and Igor Chernyshov had a goal and an assist for the 38-34-8 Sharks (84 points), who were also eliminated from postseason contention. Luke Evangelista scored both goals for the 38-33-10 Predators (86 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks’ victory over the Predators and the Kings’ win against the Kraken ensured the idle Anaheim Ducks clinched their first playoff berth since 2017-18. The Ducks (42-32-6) hold third place in the Pacific Division with 90 points. They face the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday and the Predators on Thursday to conclude their regular-season schedule.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

The Vegas Golden Knights are 6-0-1 under interim coach John Tortorella after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 6-2, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. Jack Eichel had a goal and three assists while Mark Stone had a goal and two assists for the 38-26-17 Golden Knights, who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Gabriel Vilardi and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are the fifth team in NHL history to miss the playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy, joining the 1992-93 and 2024-25 New York Rangers, the 2007-08 Buffalo Sabres, and the 2014-15 Boston Bruins.

The Jets’ disappointing season overshadowed Mark Scheifele’s career-best performance. He had a goal and an assist to reach 101 points to set the franchise’s single-season points record.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored twice (including his 40th goal of the season) in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (50-23-8), who clinched the Atlantic Division title with 108 points. Ryan Greene replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a remarkable season for the Sabres, rising from last place in the Eastern Conference in early December to top their division and end a 14-year playoff drought. It’s the fifth-best performance in franchise history.

The Tampa Bay Lightning blew a 3-1 lead, but an overtime goal by Nikita Kucherov gave them a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Kucherov finished with two points to reach 130 points for the second time in his career as the 50-25-6 Lightning (106 points) will face the Montreal Canadiens in the opening round of the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected an assist to reach 1,400 regular-season points.

Florida Panthers winger Cole Reinhart scored twice for a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Matthew Robertson and Gabe Perreault replied for the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick made 14 saves on 17 shots in his final NHL game. The 40-year-old netminder announced that this game will be his last as he is retiring at the end of this season. Following the game, the Panthers lined up to shake hands with Quick.

Quick won three Stanley Cups during his 19-season NHL career, two of those with the Los Angeles Kings. His best seasons were with the Kings, setting numerous single-season and career goaltending records over his 16 seasons in Los Angeles and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2011-12. He finishes his career with a record of 410 wins, 307 losses, and 90 overtime losses, with a 2.51 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage, and 65 shutouts.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche nipped the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on a shootout goal by Nathan MacKinnon. Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves for the Avalanche, who won the Presidents’ Trophy last week as the top team in the standings. Connor Ingram also made 30 saves for the Oilers (40-30-11), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 91 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game. Oilers center Leon Draisaitl resumed skating with his teammates as he recovers from a knee injury, but he’s not expected to be ready for their opening game of the playoffs.

Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque scored his first NHL hat trick and added an assist in a 6-5 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The playoff-bound Stars overcame 3-0 and 5-3 deficits for the win. William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the final home game for long-time Maple Leafs radio broadcaster Joe Bowen, who is retiring after this season. He received a lengthy standing ovation from Leafs fans.

The Maple Leafs got a bit of good news yesterday. With the Kings clinching a playoff berth, the conditional 2026 third-round pick they received from them in the Scott Laughton trade becomes a second-round pick.

The St. Louis Blues scored five unanswered goals to upset the playoff-bound Minnesota Wild 6-3. Jimmy Snuggerud had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who were recently eliminated from postseason contention. Nick Foligno had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who rested several of their veterans, including forwards Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek, and defensemen Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2026

by | Apr 12, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2026

Four more teams clinch playoff berths, the Red Wings are eliminated again, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators clinched a playoff berth with a 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders. Linus Ullmark turned in a 23-save shutout while Ridly Greig, Jake Sanderson, and Michael Amadio were the goal scorers for the 43-27-10 Senators, who have won four straight and sit in the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 96 points. Ilya Sorokin stopped 13 of 15 shots for the 43-32-5 Islanders (91 points), who are three points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk left this game in the second period after being struck in the neck/head area by the stick of Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock. There were no postgame details regarding his condition, other than head coach Travis Green saying Tkachuk wasn’t feeling well. It’s unlikely that Tkachuk will be playing against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

The Islanders are five points out of the final Eastern wild card, but they can make the playoffs if they overtake the Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Both clubs have two games remaining in their schedules.

Speaking of the Flyers, they improved their chances of securing a playoff berth by crushing the Winnipeg Jets 7-1. Sean Couturier and Noah Cates each had three points, and Dan Vladar made 27 saves for the 41-27-12 Flyers (94 points). Haydn Fleury scored for the 35-32-12 Jets (82 points), who are five points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Meanwhile, the Kings nipped the Edmonton Oilers 1-0, but the Oilers clinched a playoff berth because the Flyers beat the Jets. Anton Forsberg made 27 saves for his third shutout of the season while Artemi Panarin scored the only goal for the 34-26-19 Kings (87 points). Connor Ingram stopped 20 of 21 shots for the Oilers (40-30-10), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the Kings’ final home game of the regular season. After this contest, team captain Anze Kopitar thanked the fans for supporting him during his 20-season career. He announced in September that he would be retiring at the end of this season. Kings fans could get a chance to see him play again at home if the team makes the playoffs.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

The Vegas Golden Knights secured a postseason spot with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Jack Eichel tallied the winning goal, and Carter Hart turned aside 30 shots as the Golden Knights (37-26-17) hold first place in the Pacific Division with 91 points. Devon Toews and Nick Blankenburg replied for the 52-16-12 Avalanche (115 points), who clinched the Presidents’ Trophy earlier in the week with the best regular-season record.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar left this game in the third period after being struck on the right cheek by a shot from Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar. Following the game, a team spokesman said Bednar was “fully alert and fully conscious”, but he was taken to a hospital for a CT scan and further evaluation.

Earlier in the day, the Avalanche announced the signing of top college prospect T.J. Hughes to a one-year entry-level contract for 2026-27. Hughes will join the Avs’ AHL affiliate for the remainder of this season on a professional tryout. The 24-year-old forward is considered the best unsigned college free agent from this year’s crop.

Shifting back to the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning got a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins, but the latter clinched a playoff berth. Brandon Hagel and Emil Lilleberg scored for the 49-25-6 Lightning, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 104 points. Morgan Geekie scored his 38th goal of the season for the 43-27-10 Bruins, who hold the final Eastern wild card with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators and Bruins have identical records with 80 games played, but the Sens have 37 regulation wins to the Bruins’ 31 wins.

The Bruins clinched a playoff spot because the New Jersey Devils defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 to eliminate them from the postseason chase. Jesper Bratt scored two goals and collected an assist for the 41-36-3 Devils, while Emmit Finnie had a goal and an assist for the 41-30-9 Red Wings (91 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings were booed off the ice by their fans following this game. This is the third straight season that the Red Wings missed the playoffs after entering March holding a postseason berth. Their postseason drought has lasted a decade.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Charlie Coyle scored twice in a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Kirill Marchenko and Adam Fantilli each had two points for the 40-28-12 Blue Jackets (92 points), who kept their playoff hopes alive as they sit two points behind the third-place Flyers in the Metropolitan Division. Cole Caufield sniped his 51st goal of the season for the Canadiens (47-23-10), who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 104 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield sits one goal behind Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (52 goals) in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s top goal scorer, but MacKinnon has a game in hand over Caufield.

The Canadiens also lost defenseman Noah Dobson to a thumb injury from blocking a shot. His absence will be felt keenly if he’s sidelined for the opening round of the upcoming playoffs.

They also learned that top prospect Michael Hage will return to the University of Michigan next season. His agent, Pat Brisson, said Hage wants to spend another season working on his physical and mental strength. He also wants another shot at winning a championship next season after Michigan was eliminated from the Frozen Four last week.

Washington Capitals rookie Ilya Protas had a goal and two assists while his brother Aliaksei Protas had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ryan Leonard tallied two goals for the 41-30-9 Capitals (91 points) as they sit three points behind the Flyers. Anthony Mantha scored his 32nd goal of the season for the 41-23-16 Penguins, who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin received a standing ovation from Penguins fans in what may be his final game in Pittsburgh. Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois and defenseman Rasmus Sandin left this game with injuries. There was no postgame update regarding their conditions.

The Penguins scratched seven players, including Sidney Crosby, from this game. Crosby is expected to be in the lineup for today’s game between the two clubs in Washington.

The St. Louis Blues defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3, but it wasn’t enough to prevent them from being eliminated from postseason contention. Cam Fowler scored what proved to be the game-winning goal for the Blues (34-33-12). Ilya Mikheyev tallied twice for the 28-38-14 Blackhawks.

Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time since 2015-16 in a 4-1 win over the Utah Mammoth. Staal also collected an assist while Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho also scored for the 52-22-6 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 110 points. Dylan Guenther netted his 40th goal of the season for the playoff-bound Mammoth (42-31-6), who hold the first Western wild card with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes scratched eight regulars from this game. Among them were Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven, and K’Andre Miller.

The Dallas Stars clinched the second seed in the Central Division by blanking the New York Rangers 2-0. Jake Oettinger turned in a 22-save shutout, and Jason Robertson scored both goals for the 48-20-12 Stars (108 points). Igor Shesterkin stopped 17 of 18 shots for the 33-38-9 Rangers.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos tallied his 40th goal of the season and collected an assist in a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Matthew Wood also scored for the 38-32-10 Predators (86 points), who sit one point behind the Kings for that final Western wild-card berth. Michael McCarron scored for the Wild (45-23-12), who are third in the Central Division with 102 points.

A shootout goal by Linus Karlsson lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks, leaving the latter’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Jake DeBrusk scored his 20th goal of the season for the 23-48-8 Canucks. Igor Chernyshov scored twice, and Macklin Celebrini had two assists to reach 110 points this season for the 37-34-8 Sharks (82 points), who are five points behind the Kings for that final Western wild card.

The Seattle Kraken scored four unanswered goals to beat the Calgary Flames 4-1, but it didn’t prevent them from being eliminated from the playoff race. Rookie goalie Nikke Kokko stopped 26 shots to win his first NHL game while Matty Beniers scored his 20th goal of the season for the 34-34-11 Kraken. Hunter Brzustewicz scored for the 32-38-9 Flames.

Florida Panthers forward Tomas Nosek scored his first two goals of this season in a 6-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mackie Samoskevich and Eetu Luostarinen each had three points for the 38-38-4 Panthers. William Nylander scored both goals for the 32-34-14 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Maple Leafs announced that goaltender Anthony Stolarz, defenseman Brandon Carlo, and forward Dakota Joshua have been shut down for the rest of the season due to injuries.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2026

by | Apr 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2026

The Avalanche clinch first place in the Western Conference, the Hurricanes clinch top spot in the Metropolitan Division, the Stars and Wild will meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche clinched first place in the Central Division and the Western Conference with a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice for the 51-16-10 Avalanche (112 points). Robert Thomas replied for the 33-32-12 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche center Nazem Kadri left this game midway through the game with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Jaccob Slavin (his first of the season) lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the Boston Bruins 6-5. Andrei Svechnikov and Taylor Hall each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (50-22-6), who have clinched first place in the Metropolitan Division with 106 points. Morgan Geekie snapped a 17-game goalless drought by tallying a hat trick for the 43-26-10 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold first place in the Eastern Conference. Defenseman Jalen Chatfield left this game during the second period with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston scored twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the Stars (46-20-12), who overcame a 3-1 deficit for the win. Adam Klapka collected two assists for the 32-36-9 Flames (73 points), who were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars sit second in the Central Division and in the Western Conference with 104 points. They will face the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs. Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Minnesota Wild, they got their fourth straight win by downing the Seattle Kraken 5-2. Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal and two assists while Matt Boldy and Marcus Johansson each had a goal and an assist for the 45-21-12 Wild, who are third in the Central Division and the Western Conference with 102 points. Brandon Montour and Adam Larsson scored for the 32-34-11 Kraken, who have lost five straight.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored the winning goal in a shootout in a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki tied the game with 21 seconds left, and Juraj Slafkovsky had two assists for the 46-22-10 Canadiens, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 102 points. Carter Verhaeghe tallied his 25th goal of the season for the 37-37-4 Panthers.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are tied in points with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres. However, the Lightning have 48 wins, and the Sabres have 47. Meanwhile, Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov left this game with a broken finger.

Speaking of the Lightning, they dropped a 6-2 decision to the Ottawa Senators. Brady Tkachuk collected four assists, Tim Stutzle had a goal and two assists, and Jake Sanderson scored twice for his first NHL multipoint game as the 41-27-10 Senators hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 92 points. Nick Paul and Corey Perry scored for the 48-24-6 Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot returned to practice on Tuesday after suffering a broken right forearm two weeks ago. Head coach Travis Green said Chabot could be back in action sooner than expected.

The Columbus Blue Jackets kept their playoff hopes alive by defeating the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in a shootout. Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist and scored the winning goal in the shootout. Adam Fantilli scored the tying goal with 17 seconds left for the Blue Jackets (39-27-12), who are two points behind the Senators for that final wild card. Justin Faulk scored twice while Dylan Larkin had a goal and an assist for the 40-29-9 Red Wings, who are one point behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets are also two points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division. This loss by the Red Wings may have all but sealed their fate as they’ve won only three of their last 10 games. The Wings also lost center Michael Rasmussen late in the second period with a season-ending lower-body injury.

Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras tallied twice and added an assist in a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils, eliminating the latter from postseason contention. Tyson Foerster scored two goals, and Matvei Michkov had two assists for the surging Flyers (40-26-12), who’ve won seven of their last 10 games to hold third place in the Metropolitan Division. Cody Glass scored for the 40-35-3 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the league fined Michkov $2,000 for embellishment during a March 24 game against the Blue Jackets.

Nashville Predators goaltender Justus Annunen kicked out 43 shots to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 5-0. Erik Haula had a goal and an assist while Ryan O’Reilly and Joakim Kemell each had two assists for the 37-31-10 Predators, who hold the final Western wild card with 84 points. Lukas Dostal stopped 20 of 25 shots for the 41-32-5 Ducks, who slipped to third place in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Predators announced they’ve reached a multiyear broadcasting deal with Scripps Sports.

Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 6-5 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Keller and Alexander Kerfoot each had a goal and an assist while Nick Schmaltz tallied twice for the Mammoth (41-30-6), who hold the first Western wild card with 88 points. Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist for the Oilers (39-29-10), who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: During this game, the Mammoth unveiled “The Zammoth”, a Zamboni outfitted to look like a Mammoth.

The Vegas Golden Knights picked up their fourth straight win under interim coach John Tortorella by nipping the lowly Vancouver Canucks 2-1. Braydon McNabb and Cole Smith scored for the 36-26-16 Golden Knights, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 88 points. Max Sasson scored for the 22-47-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers hold the top spot over the Golden Knights based on wins.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2026

by | Apr 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 6, 2026

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reaches another scoring milestone, the Canadiens clinch a playoff spot, the Islanders replace Patrick Roy as head coach with Peter DeBoer, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists to defeat the Florida Panthers 5-2. Rickard Rakell tallied twice to extend his goal streak to five games for the 40-22-16 Penguins, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points. Cole Schwindt and Carter Verhaeghe replied for the 37-37-3 Panthers.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby became the first player in NHL history to record 21 consecutive point-per-game seasons. Meanwhile, Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The New Jersey Devils blanked the Montreal Canadiens 3-0, snapping the latter’s eight-game win streak. Jacob Markstrom turned in an 18-save shutout while Timo Meier, Cody Glass, and Connor Brown scored for the Devils (40-34-8). Jacob Fowler stopped 17 of 19 shots for the 45-22-10 Canadiens, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the loss, the Canadiens clinched a playoff berth because the Detroit Red Wings lost to the Minnesota Wild earlier in the day. Speaking of which…

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov tallied a hat trick to lead his club to a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit stormed back from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game on a goal by Patrick Kane, but Kaprizov scored the winner on the power play with Kane in the penalty box. The Wild (44-21-12) sit third overall in the Western Conference with 100 points, two behind the second-place Dallas Stars. This loss leaves the 40-29-8 Red Wings (88 points) sitting two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators maintained their hold on that final Eastern wild card by beating the Carolina Hurricanes 6-3. Team captain Brady Tkachuk tallied twice while Tim Stutzle, Shane Pinto, and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and an assist for the 40-27-10 Senators (90 points). Jackson Blake collected two assists for the Hurricanes (49-22-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 104 points.

Philadelphia Flyers rookie Porter Martone’s first NHL goal came in overtime to lift his club to a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Christian Dvorak scored in regulation, and Dan Vladar stopped 18 shots for the Flyers (39-26-12), who moved into third place in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. Pavel Zacha scored for the 43-26-9 Bruins (95 points), who hold a five-point lead over the Senators for the first Eastern wild-card spot.

The St. Louis Blues upset the Colorado Avalanche 3-2. Robert Thomas netted his first NHL hat trick while Jimmy Snuggerud collected three assists for the 33-31-12 Blues (78 points), who sit three points behind the Nashville Predators for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Brent Burns had a goal and an assist for the 50-16-10 Avalanche, who hold first place in the overall standings with 110 points.

New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle scored his first NHL hat trick in an 8-1 drubbing of the Washington Capitals. Mika Zibanejad had three assists while Adam Fox scored and set up two others for the 33-36-9 Rangers. Connor McMichael replied for the Capitals (39-30-9), who are three points behind the Senators for that final Eastern wild card.

ISLANDERS FIRE ROY AS HEAD COACH, REPLACE HIM WITH DEBOER

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders fired head coach Patrick Roy on Sunday, replacing him with Peter DeBoer. This move came as the Isles struggle to clinch a playoff berth with only a handful of games remaining in the regular season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ethan Sears of the New York Post blames Roy for the Islanders’ recent struggles. While acknowledging management’s recent acquisitions of Brayden Schenn, Carson Soucy, and Ondrej Palat haven’t worked as intended, Sears believes that Roy “lost buy-in from the players,” pointing to his lineup tinkering, the disastrous power play, and the decline in their defensive play, putting the club in danger of missing the playoffs.

Roy has two years left on his contract. He has a record of 97-78-22 over nearly three seasons with the Islanders.

The Islanders reportedly signed DoBoer to a four-year contract. They will be the sixth NHL team he’s coached after stints with the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, and Dallas Stars since 2008-09. He guided the Devils to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012 and the Sharks to the Cup Final in 2016. DeBoer also coached the Stars to three straight Western Conference Finals from 2023 to 2025.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2026

by | Apr 4, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2026

The Flyers and Blues move closer to wild-card berths, Sharks center Macklin Celebrini deserves Hart Trophy consideration, Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns will reach a notable career milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New York Islanders 4-1. Alex Bump and Travis Sanheim each had a goal and an assist while Dan Vladar made 21 saves for the 38-26-12 Flyers, who are in a four-way tie for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 88 points. Jean-Gabriel Pageau replied for the Islanders (42-30-5), who cling to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The playoff race in the East has gotten even more interesting. The Flyers join the Ottawa Senators (39-26-10), Detroit Red Wings (40-27-8), and the Columbus Blue Jackets (38-26-12). The Senators currently hold that wild card with 33 regulation wins and a game in hand.

The St. Louis Blues kept their playoff hopes alive with a 6-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Dylan Holloway tallied two power-play goals while Robert Thomas had a goal and two assists for the 32-31-12 Blues (76 points), who sit three points behind the San Jose Sharks for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Ryan Poehling had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (41-30-5), who slipped to second place in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks are 0-3-1 in their last four. They have the same amount of points as the Edmonton Oilers, but the latter now holds first place with 30 regulation wins.

Speaking of the Ducks, they signed 2025 first-round pick Roger McQueen to an amateur tryout contract earlier this week.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens makes the case for San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini to receive consideration for the Hart Memorial Trophy as this season’s most valuable player to his team. The 19-year-old sophomore center has carried the rebuilding Sharks into playoff contention while establishing himself among the league’s elite players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is my choice for the Hart. The Sharks have a roster of up-and-coming talent, but he’s the main reason they’ve exceeded expectations this season. A glance at their stats is all you need to make the case. Without Celebrini, they’d be closer to the bottom of the standings than they would be to a wild-card berth.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns will play in his 1,000th consecutive regular-season game on Saturday against the Dallas Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Phil Kessel holds the “Ironman” record for consecutive regular-season games with 1,064. Burns, 41, could overtake Kessel if he plays in 2026-27. Given his performance this season, it’s a good bet that he will.

TSN: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk was fined $2,500 by the NHL’s department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct towards an opponent while on the bench during Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

OTTAWA SUN: Speaking of the Senators, sidelined defenseman Jake Sanderson could return to action this weekend. Meanwhile, rookie blueliner Carter Yakemchuk was placed in concussion protocol after being elbowed in the head by Noah Gregor of the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

The Senators agreed to a 12-year contract extension with Bell Media for their English and French broadcast rights.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson is done for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery on Apr. 2.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Caleb Jones underwent season-ending shoulder surgery this week.

TSN: Former NHL superstar Jaromir Jagr hasn’t officially retired, but he no longer sees himself continuing the grind of professional hockey. The 54-year-old future Hall of Famer’s final NHL season was in 2017-18 with the Calgary Flames. He’s since been playing for the Kladno Knights in Czechia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jagr appeared in only six games for Kladno this season. After 38 years of pro hockey, he could finally hang up his skates. He may not have officially retired, but that announcement could come later this year.

HOCKEY 24/7: Michigan Wolverines forward T.J. Hughes, Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs winger Max Plante, and Denver Pioneers defenseman Eric Pohlkamp are the finalists for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators and FanDuel Sports Network will officially part ways at the end of this season.