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 Rumor Mill – April 6, 2026

by | Apr 6, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 6, 2026

Could this be the final season for Golden Knights captain Mark Stone? What’s the latest Canadiens speculation? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos recently reported that “a lot of people” are speculating about the health of Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone.

The veteran winger turns 34 in May and has a lengthy history of injuries. He has one year remaining on his contract.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone (NHL Images).

Kypreos wondered if Stone could be facing a situation similar to teammate Alex Pietrangelo, “where the body breaks down and prolonged time off is necessary.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stone is the third-highest-paid player on the Golden Knights, carrying an average annual value of $9.5 million. He’s among the best two-way forwards in the game, but he’s dealt with back/lumbar issues that required surgery, as well as a wrist injury and various lower-body injuries that have sidelined him for long periods.

Despite being limited to 55 games this season, Stone is third among the Golden Knights’ scorers with 67 points. Based on that performance, he could play out the final season of his contract, but we can’t dismiss the possibility that he might need more time to recuperate from this season’s wear-and-tear.

Pietrangelo has been on long-term injury reserve this season, and it’s expected he’ll remain there for next season. His absence provided the Golden Knights with $8.8 million in cap relief.

If Stone ends up on LTIR, it would free up another significant chunk of cap space that the Golden Knights could put toward bolstering their roster for next season.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: In a recent mailbag segment, Stu Cowan was again asked about the future of Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj.

The 25-year-old Xhekaj has seen a reduction in his playing time over the past two seasons. He’s a restricted free agent this summer, and could end up as the odd man out on the Canadiens blueline, especially with promising youngsters David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom waiting in the wings.

Cowan believes there will be interest in the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Xhekaj’s mix of size, mobility, and toughness in the trade market. He could fetch a bigger return than Jayden Struble.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cowan admitted that the Canadiens would miss Xhekaj’s physical style of play, but he doesn’t think there’s room for him on what’s becoming a crowded blueline. He could fetch a decent draft pick or prospect, or end up packaged in a larger deal this summer.

Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault could also draw some interest in this summer’s trade market. He has a year left on his contract with an AAV of $3.15 million. Cowan noted that the number of teams having goaltending issues this season shouldn’t make it difficult for the Canadiens to find a trade partner for him this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montembeault hasn’t been the same since tearing two groin muscles in last year’s playoffs. He’s lost his role as the Canadiens starter and now sits behind young netminders Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler on their goalie depth chart.

Nevertheless, the goaltending issues around the league that Cowan mentioned could make Montembeault a trade target. His contract is reasonable, he lacks no-trade protection, and he might rebound with a different team in need of goaltending depth.










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 – April 3, 2026

by | Apr 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2026

Mitch Marner, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt each have five-point games, the Hurricanes and Wild clinch playoff berths, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane becomes the highest-scoring American player, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mitch Marner tallied a hat trick and collected two assists to lead the Vegas Golden Knights over the Calgary Flames 6-3. Ivan Barbashev had a goal and two assists for Vegas (34-26-16), who picked up their second straight win under interim coach John Tortorella. With 84 points, the Golden Knights are third in the Pacific Division. Blake Coleman scored twice for the 31-36-8 Flames.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart stopped 19 saves in his return to action after being sidelined by a leg injury since Jan. 8.

New Jersey Devils forwards Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each had five points in a 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Hughes had two goals and three assists while Bratt had a goal and four assists for the Devils (39-34-2). Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist for the 38-29-9 Capitals (85 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Devils announced that rookie forward Arseny Gritsyuk will undergo season-ending surgery for an upper-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth with a 5-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Logan Stankoven scored two goals while Taylor Hall and Sebastian Aho each had two assists for the 48-21-6 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 102 points. Denton Mateychuk scored for the Blue Jackets (38-26-12), who are 0-4-1 in their last five games. They sit outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal played in his 1,400th NHL regular-season game.

The Minnesota Wild punched their ticket to the postseason by defeating the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Matt Boldy scored two goals, including his 40th of the season, and collected an assist while Ryan Hartman also tallied twice for the Wild (41-21-12), who sit third in the Central Division with 96 points. Tom Wallinder and Jake DeBrusk replied for the 22-45-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first game between the two clubs since the Canucks traded Quinn Hughes to the Wild in December. Hughes collected an assist against his former club. This loss ensured the Canucks will finish last in the overall standings, improving their odds of winning the draft lottery next month.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Alex DeBrincat had two goals for the 40-27-8 Red Wings, who sit out of the Eastern wild-card spot with 88 points. Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny scored for the Flyers (37-26-12), who are two points behind the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 1,393 regular-season points, Kane surpassed Hall of Famer Brett Hull (1,391 points) to become the league’s all-time leading American scorer. Earlier this season, he overtook Mike Modano (1,374 points) to become the highest-scoring American-born scorer.

Foerster was playing in his first game after missing 49 games recovering from arm surgery.

The Ottawa Senators reclaimed the final Eastern wild card by beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-1. Lars Eller scored the winning goal, Ridly Greig had a goal and an assist, and Linus Ullmark stopped 21 shots for the Senators (39-26-10), who have 88 points and hold the wild card over the Red Wings with 33 regulation wins. Mattias Samuelsson scored for the 46-22-8 Sabres, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in 14 years. They’ll get another chance to do so when they face the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Sabres forward Sam Carrick didn’t play as he’s week-to-week with an injured left arm. Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven was absent from this game with an upper-body injury.

A hat trick by Anthony Cirelli carried the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists for the 47-22-6 Lightning, who sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 100 points. Egor Chinahkov scored twice for the Penguins (38-22-16), who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning placed defenseman and team captain Victor Hedman on long-term injury reserve. He hasn’t played since March 19.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored twice, including the winning goal, as his club nipped the New York Rangers 3-2. Nick Suzuki collected two assists while Jacob Fowler made 22 saves for the Canadiens (44-21-10), who hold third place in the Atlantic with 98 points. Adam Fox and Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers (31-36-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield has 49 goals, sitting one back of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy.

The Florida Panthers got a 28-save performance from Sergei Bobrovsky (including 15 in the third period) in a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers (37-35-3). Fraser Minten had the only goal for the 43-25-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 94 points.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 22 saves to shut out the Winnipeg Jets 3-0. Matt Duchene, Arttu Hyry, and Adam Erne were the goal scorers for the 45-19-12 Stars, who hold second place in the Western Conference with 102 points. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18 of 21 shots for the 32-31-12 Jets (75 points), who are three points behind the San Jose Sharks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Elias Salomonsson left this game midway through the second period after a high hit from Stars winger Jason Robertson.

Speaking of the Sharks, they regained the final Western wild card with a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Collin Graf scored his 20th goal of the season while William Eklund and Zack Ostapchuk each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (36-31-7), who’ve won four straight games and now have 79 points. John Tavares scored for the 32-31-13 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the loss, the Maple Leafs have been officially eliminated from the postseason race for the first time in 10 years. Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Nashville Predators winger Luke Evangelista scored in the eighth round of the shootout to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-4. The Predators (35-31-9) had a 4-1 lead, but the Kings (30-26-19) stormed back to tie the game. Both clubs sit behind the Sharks with 79 points each.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have more wins than the Predators and Kings, and they also have a game in hand over both clubs.

The Edmonton Oilers picked up their fifth straight win by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Adam Henrique, Matt Savoie, and Vasily Podkolzin scored for the 39-28-9 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 87 points. Nick Lardis scored for the 27-35-14 Blackhawks, who were officially eliminated from the playoff race for the sixth straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are tied with the Anaheim Ducks, but the latter holds first place with two more wins and a game in hand.

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Dylan Guenther had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth (39-30-6), who hold the first Western wild card with 84 points. Jordan Eberle and Bobby McMann replied for the 32-31-11 Kraken, who have dropped seven of their last eight games to sit four points behind the Sharks.