NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2026

by | Oct 11, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2026

Recapping all 14 games from Saturday night, Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin is out for the season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: William Nylander scored two goals and collected three assists as the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 6-3. Auston Matthews scored twice and set up two others, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots for his first win for the Maple Leafs as they improved to 3-2-1. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice for the 3-2-0 Avalanche.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov tallied a hat trick and added an assist in a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist, and Jesper Wallstedt made 29 saves for the 3-1-1 Wild. Matthew Tkachuk scored for the Panthers (2-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After collecting five points in preseason action, Panthers winger Brady Tkachuk is scoreless in his first five regular-season games.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel’s hat trick gave his club a 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders. Jake Guentzel scored twice for the Lightning (4-1-0), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with eight points. Tony DeAngelo had a goal and an assist for the 2-3-0 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders captain Bo Horvat played in this game and collected an assist, showing no ill effects from the blindside hit he received from Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar on Thursday. Nazar received a two-game suspension.

The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Detroit Red Wings 1-0 on a shootout goal by Zachary Bolduc. Goaltender Jacob Fowler made 30 saves in regulation and overtime, and stopped all six shots in the shootout for the shutout win for the 2-2-1 Canadiens, snapping a three-game winless skid (0-2-1). Daniil Tarasov also made 30 saves for the Red Wings, who dropped to 1-3-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens fans chanted “We want Larkin!” in the hope of convincing Red Wings center Dylan Larkin to accept a trade to Montreal. If he were willing, he’d already be with the Habs. Larkin reportedly has an eight-team trade list but only wants to join American-based playoff contenders.

Boston Bruins forward Fraser Minten had a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. JJ Peterka collected two assists for the Bruins (4-2-0). Porter Martone replied for the 0-4-2 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s getting ugly for the Flyers, who entered this season with heightened expectations after making the playoffs and reaching the second round last season. They’ve been outscored 24-7 in their first six games, prompting some Flyers followers to blame head coach Rick Tocchet for the club’s woeful start.

Flyers forward Travis Konecny (lower-body injury) and defenseman Cam York (upper-body injury) missed this game, while blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen (hand) missed his third straight contest.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Captain Nico Hischier led the way with two goals and an assist, Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist, and goalie Jake Allen made 20 saves in his 500th NHL start for the Devils, who improved to 2-2-0. Linus Karlsson scored for the Canucks, who dropped to 2-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ penalty killing was their downfall, giving up three power-play goals to the Devils.

The Edmonton Oilers (4-0-1) collected their fourth straight win by downing the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Mattias Ekholm, Vasily Podkolzin, and Alex Formenton scored while Tristan Jarry stopped 19 shots. Macklin Celebrini replied for the Sharks (3-2-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini returned to action after missing the last two games with a lower-body injury.

Anders Lee, Kailer Yamamoto, and John Marino each had a goal and an assist for the Utah Mammoth in a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Karel Vejmelka turned aside 23 shots for the 4-2-0 Mammoth, who hold first place in the Central Division with eight points. Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, who slipped to 2-3-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres scratched forwards Konsta Helenius and Jiri Kulich from this game.

Ottawa Senators forwards Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto scored shootout goals to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-2. Stutzle had a goal and an assist in regulation for the 4-1-0 Senators, who overcame a 2-0 deficit. Ross Colton and Jonathan Marchessault scored for the Predators (2-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Senators placed winger William Eklund (ankle) on injured reserve. He’s expected to be sidelined for two months. Predators forward Mavrik Bourque missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Third-period goals by Ryan Poehling and Nikita Nesterenko lifted the Anaheim Ducks to a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Mikael Granlund collected two assists for the 4-1-0 Ducks. Morgan Frost and Aydar Suniev replied for the Flames (0-5-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Poehling was injured while scoring his goal and left the game with an apparent injury to his right leg. Teammate Cutter Gauthier left in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner scored in overtime to beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Marner and Trevor Connelly each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (5-1-0), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 10 points. Artemi Panarin scored for the Kings, who dropped to 0-2-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kings placed sidelined forwards Mats Zuccarello and Alex Turcotte on injured reserve. They also signed forward Jared Wright to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $925,000.

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their win streak to four games with a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Mark Jankowski extended his goal streak to three games while Jackson Blake and Jordan Martinook each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (4-1-1), who hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with nine points. Rookie winger Roman Kantserov scored his first NHL goal for the 1-5-0 Blackhawks.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Rickard Rakell’s shootout goal gave his club a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Connor Dewar also scored for the 3-2-1 Penguins while Tyler Seguin netted his first of the season for the 2-2-1 Stars.

The St. Louis Blues downed the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3. Jonatan Berggren snapped a 3-3 tie, Jimmy Snuggerud tallied two goals, and Dylan Holloway picked up three assists for the Blues (2-2-1).

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: The New York Rangers announced Saturday that goaltender Igor Shesterkin is out for the season after suffering a lower-body injury during Friday’s loss to the Washington Capitals.

Dylan Garand takes over the starter’s role for the foreseeable future. The 24-year-old has made only four starts in his NHL career. Backup Joonas Korpisalo is on injured reserve (lower body) for another month. Spencer Martin will be Garand’s understudy when the Rangers face the Canucks on Sunday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a major blow for the Rangers, who won four of their first five starts before Shesterkin’s injury. It will be difficult for Garand, Korpisalo, and Martin to replace the former Vezina Trophy winner, and could significantly hamper their hopes for playoff contention.

DAILY FACEOFF: Seattle Kraken forward Jacob Melanson is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with “an anterior mediastinal hematoma with vascular pseudoaneurysm” as a result of an upper-body injury suffered during an Oct. 1 game against the Calgary Flames. He will be monitored closely by the Kraken’s medical staff as he makes a gradual return to playing hockey.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL winger Bobby Gould died Friday at age 69. He spent 11 seasons in the league (1979-80 to 1989-90) with the Atlanta/Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals, spending eight seasons with the Capitals.

A three-time Selke Trophy finalist, Gould had 145 goals and 159 assists for 304 points in 697 regular-season games. He also had 28 points in 78 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Gould’s family, friends, and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 9, 2026

by | Oct 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 9, 2026

Recaps of Thursday’s games feature a hat trick by Hurricanes winger Logan Stankoven, a four-point game by Bruins captain David Pastrnak, and much more.

NHL.COM: Logan Stankoven scored shorthanded, on the power play, and at even strength for his first career NHL hat trick to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 7-2 drubbing of the Vancouver Canucks. Sean Walker collected four assists, and Andrei Svechnikov tallied twice for the 3-1-1 Hurricanes. Jake DeBrusk scored both goals for the Canucks, who dropped to 2-3-0.

Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (NHL Images)

Boston Bruins captain David Pastrnak scored twice and picked up two assists in a 6-1 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 36 saves, and winger Morgan Geekie had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who improved to 3-2-0. Jack McBain had the only goal for the 3-2-0 Mammoth.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists, and Jake Oettinger had a 26-save shutout to blank the Buffalo Sabres 4-0. Wyatt Johnston collected three assists for the Stars (2-2-0). Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 14 shots for the 2-2-0 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Oettinger’s second straight shutout, who leads all goalies with at least three games played this season with a .967 save percentage and a 0.67 goals-against average.

The Colorado Avalanche thumped the Calgary Flames 7-3. Cale Makar had two goals and an assist, and Nathan MacKinnon scored and had two assists for the Avalanche (3-1-0). Adam Klapka, Mikael Backlund, and Kevin Bahl replied for the 0-4-0 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor left the team for personal reasons following the sudden death of his father, Myles. My condolences to O’Connor and his family.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel scored on a penalty shot and collected an assist as his club overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on a shootout goal by Trevor Connelly. Sergei Bobrovsky kicked out 40 shots for the 2-2-0 Maple Leafs, while the Golden Knights improved to 4-1-0 to lead the Pacific Division with eight points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson left this game late in the third period following a hit by Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. Before this game, the Golden Knights announced that winger Victor Olofsson is out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

The Nashville Predators rallied from a 2-0 deficit for a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Juuse Saros made 32 saves, Ryan O’Reilly scored the winning goal, and Adam Edstrom potted two empty-netters for the Predators (2-1-1). Nick Suzuki and Alex Newhook scored for the Canadiens, who fell to 1-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a better effort by the Canadiens, but undisciplined penalties and defensive breakdowns remain troublesome early-season issues.

Rookie defenseman Carter Yakemchuk’s third-period goal lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Nick Cousins also scored, and Linus Ullmark turned aside 28 shots for the Senators (3-1-0), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with six points. Matvei Michkov replied for the 0-3-2 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators winger William Eklund left this game in the first period with an injured leg. There was no postgame update on his status.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman John Carlson scored his first two goals with his new club in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Nikita Kucherov had two assists, and Dennis Hildeby stopped 34 shots for the 3-1-0 Lightning. Quinn Hughes and Blake Coleman scored for the Wild (2-1-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning are tied with the Senators with six points, but the latter holds first place in the division with 12 goals. Wild defenseman Olli Maatta was a late scratch with a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders captain Bo Horvat tallied twice to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Logan Stanley had two assists and Ilya Sorokin stopped 22 shots for the Islanders (2-2-0). Frank Nazar scored for the Blackhawks (1-4-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nazar got a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for a blindside hit to Horvat as he scored his second goal. The Isles center left the game and will be reevaluated on Friday.

Defenseman Darnell Nurse’s overtime goal gave the San Jose Sharks a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist, and Collin Graf also scored for the 3-1-0 Sharks. Connor McMichael and Dillon Dube scored for the Blues (1-2-1).

IN OTHER NEWS…

ESPN.COM: Mammoth forward Vincent Trocheck downplayed speculation that Team USA’s Men’s Olympic hockey team group chat played a role in U.S. players on Canadian teams, like Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, requesting trades to American-based NHL teams.

“I think people make it a bigger thing than it is,” Trochek told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. “Obviously, people want the headlines, but the whole Canada thing or guys wanting out of Canada that are from the U.S., I think it was more situational than anything else.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no real evidence that the Team USA group chat played any role in Hellebuyck’s trade request, or directly led to Brady Tkachuk’s trade from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers in June.

Team USA’s gold-medal triumph spurred Hellebuyck to seek a trade to a Stanley Cup contender while he’s still in his prime after 11 seasons with Winnipeg. It’s been 36 years since a Canadian team won the Cup. Tkachuk’s desire to play with his brother Matthew in Florida stretched back to before they were Olympic teammates.

It’s worth noting that Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin’s trade request was also tied to the Team USA group chat. However, his desire to leave Detroit (an American city, last I checked) was because of his frustration about the Red Wings’ decade-long playoff drought. Playing on an Olympic gold-medal team gave Larkin a taste of winning he was missing in his pro career, which he no longer believes he’ll have with the Wings.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Seattle Kraken placed defenseman Ryan Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils placed forward Stefan Noesen on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 15, 2026

by | Sep 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 15, 2026

Senators close to re-signing Drake Batherson, Bo Horvat named Islanders captain, Sabres re-sign Noah Ostlund, Canadiens re-sign coach Martin St. Louis, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators and winger Drake Batherson are close to an eight-year contract extension. The average annual amount is believed to be between $10.5 million and $11 million, with a formal announcement expected on Tuesday.

Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators want to keep Batherson, who wants to retire as a Senator. Both sides are rushing to get this deal done because today is the deadline for teams to re-sign players to eight-year maximum term contracts. After Sept. 15, the maximum term drops to seven years, while the term for signing unrestricted free agents drops from seven years to six.

Hockey analytics guru “JFresh” reports Batherson’s new deal is for eight years with a $10.6 million AAV, but there’s been no official announcement as of this writing.

Batherson, 28, would become the highest-paid player in Senators history. He’s been a consistent offensive winger, posting 20-plus goals and 60-plus points in each of the last four seasons, including a career-high 33 goals and 71 points in 2025-26.

**UPDATE** 

The Batherson deal is now confirmed at eight years with a $10.75 million AAV. 

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders named Bo Horvat as their new team captain. He replaced Anders Lee, who departed to the Utah Mammoth this summer as an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers suggested 19-year-old wunderkind Matthew Schaefer might be tapped for the captaincy. Schaefer will likely earn that honor one day, but Horvat is the better choice for now. The 31-year-old two-way center has 12 NHL seasons under his belt, including four seasons as captain of the Vancouver Canucks.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres signed sophomore forward Noah Ostlund to an eight-year contract extension with an AAV of $6.6 million.

Ostlund, 22, is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He had 27 points in 60 games last season, but management is convinced that he’s earned this lucrative long-term extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres beat the deadline for locking up players to eight-year contracts. This deal follows a similar move by the Vancouver Canucks, who recently signed promising defenseman Zeev Buium to an eight-year deal with a $9.38 million AAV.

Like the Canucks, the Sabres are betting on a promising young player reaching his potential. Ostlund is projected to become a skillful two-way forward. If he meets or exceeds expectations, his extension will be a bargain over the long term, especially under a rapidly rising salary cap.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Montreal Canadiens signed head coach Martin St. Louis to a three-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: St. Louis has done a tremendous job with the rebuilding Canadiens, coaching them from dead last in 2021-22 to the Eastern Conference Final last season.

The Canadiens also announced that Josh Anderson will be an alternate captain. He replaced Brendan Gallagher, who was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in June.

TVA SPORTS: Speaking of the Canadiens, Renaud Lavoie reports defenseman Kaiden Guhle will miss the start of this season as he continues to rehab from offseason surgery. Lavoie believes the oft-injured Guhle will return sometime in November.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guhle’s injury opens up an opportunity for one of the Canadiens’ young defensemen to earn a roster spot. However, that could force management to trade or demote a blueliner once Guhle is ready to return.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Canadiens and Arber Xhekaj are close to agreeing to a new contract for the 25-year-old defenseman. He’s expected to be signed before training camp opens on Wednesday.

THE DENVER POST: Joe Sakic will remain as general manager of the Colorado Avalanche. Sakic, who also serves as president of hockey operations, took over the GM position from Chris MacFarland, who departed in June to become the general manager of the Nashville Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sakic is taking over the role for the second time. He initially served as GM from 2014 to 2022, building the Avalanche into a Stanley Cup champion.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed UFA goaltender Cam Talbot to a one-year, $950,000 contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talbot, 39, will fill in for Elvis Merzlikins, who is sidelined indefinitely following offseason shoulder surgery.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins hired Marcel Braithwaite as their new president of business operations. Braithwaite spent the past 14 years as senior vice president of MLB’s Houston Astros.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 13, 2026

by | Jul 13, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 13, 2026

The salary arbitration schedule is revealed, predicting who will fill 10 vacant team captain positions, former Leafs goalie Dennis Hildeby joining the Lightning, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PUCKPEDIA has learned the hearing dates for the upcoming 2026 NHL salary arbitration schedule (July 20 to Aug. 1).

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

Monday, July 20: Jamie Drysdale, Philadelphia Flyers; Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg Jets.

Wednesday, July 22: Trevor Zegras, Philadelphia Flyers.

Thursday, July 23: Jet Greaves, Columbus Blue Jackets.

Saturday, July 25: Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars; Connor McMichael, St. Louis Blues.

Monday, July 27: Cole Sillinger, Columbus Blue Jackets.

Tuesday, July 28: Nick Robertson, Pittsburgh Penguins.

Wednesday, July 29: Braden Schneider, New York Rangers; Ronan Seeley, Carolina Hurricanes.

Thursday, July 30: Alex Jeffries, New York Islanders; Kirby Dach, Montreal Canadiens.

Saturday, August 1: Akira Schmid, Florida Panthers; Peyton Krebs, Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: History tells us that most, if not all, of these cases will be settled before their hearing dates. The players and their teams can continue to negotiate up until the date of their hearings.

If a case goes before an arbitrator, the award decision will be announced within 48 hours of the hearing. The team will have 48 hours from the date of the award to accept it. If it is rejected, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Jason Robertson’s case will be most closely watched. He’s the biggest star on this list and is seeking a lucrative long-term contract reportedly worth an average annual value of $14 million. It’s believed the Stars offered up an eight-year deal worth an AAV of $12 million.

At one point, the Stars had a trade in place that would’ve shipped Robertson to the Seattle Kraken, but the deal fell through after he rejected their offer of an eight-year extension worth $15 million annually.

DAILY FACEOFF: Hunter Crowther predicted which players could fill the 10 NHL captain vacancies for 2026-27.

Notable predictions include David Pastrnak taking over the captaincy of the Boston Bruins, Connor Bedard for the Chicago Blackhawks, Bo Horvat for the New York Islanders, Jake Sanderson for the Ottawa Senators, and Macklin Celebrini for the San Jose Sharks.

Crowther noted that Drew Doughty would love to take over as captain of the Los Angeles Kings. However, with the Kings not yet committed to a contract extension for the 36-year-old defenseman, Crowther suggested Adrian Kempe as the safer choice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Who do you think should take over as the new team captains for those 10 clubs? Let us know in the comments section below.

DAILY FACEOFF: cited a report from Sweden, indicating that former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby is embracing a fresh start with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Hildeby, 24, was traded to the Lightning on July 1. He said he has fond memories of his time with the Leafs organization, but is now looking forward to practicing alongside two-time Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy in Tampa Bay. He’ll be expected to challenge for the backup role this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If things go well for Hildeby, he could eventually become Vasilevskiy’s successor.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Colton Dach to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $1.2 million.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators head coach Travis Green was inducted into the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame, joining former NHLers Andrew Ladd and Josh Gorges, NHL official Malcolm Ashford, and broadcaster Daryl Reaugh.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 26, 2026

by | Jun 26, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 26, 2026

On the eve of the first round of the 2026 draft, here’s the latest on Connor Hellebuyck, Mason McTavish, Kirill Marchenko, Matthew Knies, Morgan Rielly, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HELLEBUYCK LINKED TO PANTHERS, SABRES, HURRICANES

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Winnipeg Jets are getting offers for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. However, they’re willing to remain patient.

The Florida Panthers have expressed an interest in the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, but they aren’t willing to part with the assets necessary to meet the Jets’ asking price.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

Dreger thinks the Buffalo Sabres could be a good destination. They have the assets to make an offer, but general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has a lot going on right now.

Pierre LeBrun reports the Panthers aren’t willing to part with Anton Lundell for Hellebucyk. He indicated the Carolina Hurricanes are another club that’s shown an interest in the Jets netminder.

HOCKEY 24/7: Frank Seravalli reports the Hurricanes made a pitch this week for Hellebuyck. The offer was believed to have included defenseman Alexander Nikishin. Seravalli listed the Sabres, Utah Mammoth, Detroit Red Wings, and San Jose Sharks among the teams well-positioned to take a run at Hellebuyck.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Nikishin, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports there are six teams in the mix for the 24-year-old Hurricanes defenseman. A contract extension is a major factor in trade talks. Nikishin is a restricted free agent on July 1.

WINNIPEG SUN: Massimo De Luca-Taronno reports there have been no official reports that Hellebuyck has requested a trade. However, some notable insiders, such as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, claim the goaltender would be open to a “change of scenery.”

Hellebuyck has five seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million. His full no-movement clause gives him control over where he could be traded. However, the Jets aren’t facing any pressure to move him, and can afford to remain patient until they get the right offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jacob Trouba both waited two seasons before Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff received suitable offers to move them, and both deals worked out well for the Jets. He’ll take the same approach with Hellebuyck if the latter wants out of Winnipeg.

BLUES AND RANGERS ARE PURSUING MASON MCTAVISH

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford reports the St. Louis Blues are one of two teams involved in trade talks with the Anaheim Ducks for center Mason McTavish.

The Blues are seeking a second-line center to ease the burden on promising Dalibor Dvorsky, and having McTavish and Dvorsky as their second and third-line centers would strengthen that position.

Acquiring McTavish could come at a steep price. It’s uncertain what the Ducks’ asking price would be, but the Blues have plenty of draft picks, including four first-rounders in this year’s draft.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Remy Mastey noted that NHL insider Frank Seravalli claimed the New York Rangers are also in the bidding for McTavish. It’s unclear what the Blueshirts are offering, but veteran center Vincent Trocheck isn’t involved in their trade offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish’s age, size, and physical scoring style have made him an enticing trade target. However, there are concerns about his speed and his defensive play. His performance dipped this season, partly due to missing training camp because of his contract negotiations. He was a healthy scratch from two regular-season games and two postseason contests.

Those issues could be overlooked if it weren’t for McTavish’s contract. He’s got five years left on his deal with an average annual value of $7 million. Even with a rising salary cap, that’s still a big chunk of change to invest in a player who took a step backward in his development.

CANADIENS SHOPPING AROUND FOR A TOP-SIX FORWARD

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens are aggressively calling around the league in search of a top-six forward. He said they’re monitoring New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck’s situation. They called the New York Islanders about center Bo Horvat, but were told he’s not available. The Habs also looked into winger Kirill Marchenko, but got “a big fat no” from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

LeBrun also suggested Mason Marchment might be a good fit with the Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs. The 31-year-old winger is UFA-eligible on July 1, but the Blue Jackets haven’t given up on re-signing him.

RATINGS.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports the Canadiens are among several teams linked to Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish. The Philadelphia Flyers, Minnesota Wild, and Ottawa Senators are among several clubs interested.

The Ducks are maintaining a high asking price for McTavish. An NHL source said the Canadiens don’t want to overpay to get him.

D’Amico noted the Canadiens’ earlier efforts to acquire Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies. However, the Leafs and their new GM, John Chayka, want to avoid the optics of dealing Knies to their long-time rival. The Leafs are also looking for teams willing to overpay to get him.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels reports the Canadiens are among several teams looking into Marchenko. The Blue Jackets aren’t shopping him, but he’s got a year left on his contract, and it’s uncertain if they can re-sign him. He’ll be a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights.

Engels also noted the rumors linking the Canadiens to Mason McTavish. However, the 23-year-old isn’t a player they consider an ideal fit with winger Ivan Demidov, or as a player they’d give up premium assets to obtain.

Other players who would be more appealing, such as Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies, Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, or Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha, aren’t currently available for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are making calls, but it doesn’t appear that they’re feeling any pressure to make moves based on the recent trade activity around the league. They’ll remain patient in the trade market as they search for the right deal. They could also look into the free-agent market for depth players this summer.

THE LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka said he’s been receiving offers for Matthew Knies, but hasn’t gotten one yet that would convince him to move the 23-year-old winger.

TSN: Chayka also said that he doesn’t anticipate trading defenseman Morgan Rielly. However, those are discussions that he’s continuing to have.

However, Chris Johnston reports Rielly remains very much in play in the trade market. He claims Chayka continues to listen to trade offers.

SABRES NOT DONE IN THE TRADE MARKET

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen is far from finished in the trade market after shipping out Bowen Byram to Chicago and Alex Tuch to Washington this week.

Kekalainen is in good shape to make a major addition because his club holds the fourth overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft. Friedman believes the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets are eyeing that pick.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun believes that the pick is definitely in play. He reported that the Sabres spoke to the Rangers about Vincent Trocheck, the Jets about Connor Hellebuyck, and the Maple Leafs about Matthew Knies.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers have suggested the Sabres offer up that pick plus goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to the Jets for Hellebuyck. If he’s willing to go to Buffalo, that could be an offer that the Jets find tempting.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE SENATORS?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators hope to use the No. 25 pick in this year’s draft as part of the package for a top-six forward or a right-shot, top-four defenseman.

The Senators were interested in Ducks center Mason McTavish, but were told he’s not interested in coming to Ottawa. They had also “kicked tires” on Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere. They’ve been chasing Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen since last spring’s trade deadline, but haven’t been able to come up with the necessary assets. The Sens have also been linked to Calgary Flames blueliner Zach Whitecloud.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2026

by | Mar 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2026

The Sabres take over first place in the Atlantic Division, Anthony Mantha leads the Penguins to a comeback victory, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in a wild 8-7 victory, leapfrogging the latter for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson (NHL Images).

Josh Doan snapped a 7-7 tie with his second goal of the game, Jason Zucker and Alex Tuch tallied twice, Tage Thompson had four assists, while Rasmus Dahlin and Bo Byram had three points each for the 39-19-6 Sabres (84 points). The Sabres are red-hot as they’ve won seven straight games.

Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and an assist, J.J. Moser had a goal and two assists, and Darren Raddysh picked up three assists for the Lightning (39-19-4), who sit second in the Atlantic with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a fight-filled contest with 102 penalty minutes, capped by Lightning winger Brandon Hagel jumping Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin early in the second period.

The last time the Sabres held first place in their division at this stage of the season or later was Apr. 11, 2010.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha scored two game-tying goals, setting the stage for Tommy Novak’s overtime winner in a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins. Erik Karlsson collected two assists for the Penguins, who improved to 32-17-14 to sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Pavel Zacha had a hat trick for the 35-22-6 Bruins, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forward Justin Brazeau missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He is listed as day-to-day.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche nipped the Minnesota Wild by a score of 3-2. Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring and tallied the game-winner in a shootout for the Avalanche (43-10-9, 95 points). Kirill Kaprizov and Nico Sturm replied for the Wild (37-16-11) as they sit third in the Central Division with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nazem Kadri collected his first point in his return to the Avalanche, setting up MacKinnon’s regulation goal. The Avalanche reacquired the 35-year-old center from the Calgary Flames before Friday’s trade deadline.

Before this game, the Avalanche announced that team captain Gabriel Landeskog is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Miro Heiskanen lifted the Dallas Stars to a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Mavrik Bourque had a goal and an assist for the 39-14-10 Stars, who are second in the Western Conference with 88 points. Connor Bedard scored the tying goal to force overtime for the Blackhawks (23-29-11).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forward Oliver Moore left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

The Detroit Red Wings blanked the New Jersey Devils 3-0. John Gibson made 21 saves until forced to leave the game with an injury following the second period. Cam Talbot made 10 saves to preserve the shutout. Moritz Seider had a goal and two assists, and Dominik Shine scored his first NHL goal as the Red Wings improved to 36-21-7, moving into third place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 27 shots for the 32-30-2 Devils as their four-game win streak ended.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists, and goaltender Connor Ingram made 24 saves to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Leon Draisaitl scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Oilers (31-25-8), who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Mitch Marner has two assists for the 29-21-14 Golden Knights, who are two points ahead of the Oilers in the Pacific standings.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their fourth straight win by downing the Anaheim Ducks 4-0. Joel Hofer made 22 saves for the shutout while Jordan Kyrou, Jonathan Drouin, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Pius Suter scored for the 25-29-9 Blues. Ville Husso stopped 31 shots for the Ducks (35-25-3, 73 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL’s department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Saturday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven was fined $4,166.67 for cross-checking Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann.