NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 19, 2025

by | Oct 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 19, 2025

Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis achieves a unique record, the Avalanche, Golden Knights, and Kraken extend their season-opening points streaks, the Jets’ Mark Scheifele sets a franchise record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Seth Jarvis gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Jarvis became the first player in NHL history to score four game-winning goals through his club’s first five games of the season. Jordan Staal scored twice as the Hurricanes took a 3-0 lead, but the Kings rallied on goals by Trevor Moore, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Kevin Fiala.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are the only undefeated team this season with a 5-0-0 record, sitting first in the Eastern Conference and second in the overall standings. The Kings are winless in their last four (1-3-2).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice in a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Artturi Lehkonen collected three assists as the Avalanche extended their season-opening points streak to six games (5-0-1), putting them atop the overall standings with 11 points. John Beecher replied for the Bruins, who have lost three straight after winning their first three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm returned to action after missing three games with a lower-body injury. Before the game, the Avalanche announced that forward Joel Kiviranta is sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

The Seattle Kraken nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on an overtime goal by Josh Mahura. Shane Wright, Mason Marchment, and Chandler Stephenson each had two points for the Kraken as they extended their season-opening points streak to five games (3-0-2). John Tavares scored twice for the Maple Leafs, who are 3-2-1 in their first six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tavares collected his 500th career point with the Maple Leafs, joining Ron Francis, Mark Messier, and Wayne Gretzky as the only NHL players to collect 500 points with two different teams. Tavares had 621 points with the New York Islanders. He needs three goals to reach 500 for his entire career. Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour missed this game as he’s on a leave of absence to attend to a family matter. 

Mitch Marner scored his first two goals with the Vegas Golden Knights as they rolled to a 6-1 drubbing of the Calgary Flames. Mark Stone also scored twice and collected two assists, and Jack Eichel had four assists as the Golden Knights are unbeaten in their first six games (4-0-2). Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau scored in his season debut after being sidelined by an injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stone left this game midway through this game with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, the Flames have lost five straight since winning their season-opener against the Edmonton Oilers.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele scored to pass Blake Wheeler as the franchise’s all-time points leader (813) in a 4-1 win over the Nashville Predators. Jonathan Toews, Nino Niederreiter, and Vladislav Namestnikov each had two points as the Jets have won four straight (4-1-0). Michael Bunting scored for the Predators, who are winless in their last three games and 2-2-2 in their first six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault missed this game with a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer collected an assist to extend his points streak to five games (1-4-5) as his club defeated the Ottawa Senators 5-4. Anders Lee tallied twice (including the winning goal) and set up another as the Isles have won two straight after dropping their first three games. Shane Pinto scored his league-leading seventh goal for the Senators, who have lost four of their first six games.

The New Jersey Devils picked up their fourth straight victory (4-1-0)with a 5-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers, handing the latter their third loss in their first five contests (2-2-1). Jack Hughes had two goals and an assist, and Nico Hischier collected two assists for the Devils. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice and Connor McDavid had two helpers for the Oilers.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon stopped 32 shots to shut out the Florida Panthers 3-0, giving his club their second straight win after dropping their first three games of the season. Josh Doan scored twice and Owen Power netted his first of the season. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves for the Panthers, who have dropped four in a row after winning their first three of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Brad Marchand received two minor penalties in the second period after tangling with Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin. He took Dahlin’s helmet with him to the penalty box, where he tore off the straps and threw them and the helmet onto the ice.

Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola and Sabres blueliner Jacob Bryson left this game with upper-body injuries. There was no immediate word on their conditions.

The New York Rangers overcame an early 2-0 deficit to down the Montreal Canadiens 4-3, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak (4-2-0). Artemi Panarin led the way with a goal and three assists for the Rangers, who ended a three-game winless skid and are 3-3-1 on the season. Nick Suzuki and Noah Dobson each scored their first goals of the season for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens were without three roster regulars for this game. Defenseman Kaiden Guhle is sidelined for four to six weeks with a lower-body injury, while forwards Patrik Laine and Kirby Dach are day-to-day with lower-body injuries.

An overtime goal by Noah Cates lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild, leaving the latter winless in their last three and with a 2-3-1 record on the season. Owen Tippett also scored for the Flyers, who are 2-2-1. Vladimir Tarasenko scored his first of the season for the Wild.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their first home win of the season by holding off the Dallas Stars 3-1. Jordan Kyrou scored his first of the season while teammates Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter also scored for the Blues (3-2-0). Mikko Rantanen replied for the Stars, who have lost two straight after winning their first three games.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko scored early in the third period to snap a 2-2 tie as his club defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2, leaving the latter with a record of 1-3-2 in their first seven games of the season. Kent Johnson and Damon Severson also scored for the 2-3-0 Blue Jackets. Ryan McDonagh and Anthony Cirelli tallied for the Lightning.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got a 31-save shutout from Tristan Jarry to blank the San Jose Sharks 3-0. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist for the 4-2-0 Penguins. Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves for the Sharks, who remain winless through five games (0-3-2).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2025

by | Oct 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2025

Jets center Mark Scheifele, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, and Canadiens winger Cole Caufield tie franchise records. Get the details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele scored two goals in a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, tying former teammate Blake Wheeler for the Jets 2.0 franchise points record with 812. Kyle Connor collected two assists for the Jets, who extended their win streak to three games. Flyers winger Matvei Michkov scored his first of the season as his club has dropped three of its first four games (1-2-1).

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Auston Matthews lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the New York Rangers 2-1. Matthews tied Mats Sundin for the most regular-season overtime goals (14) in Leafs history. William Nylander also scored for the Leafs, who’ve won three of their first five games. Juuso Parssinen replied for the Rangers, who dropped their third straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Luke Fox reports Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz believes there should be a rule change when a goalie loses his mask during play.

Under NHL rules, play can continue against a goalie who is not wearing a mask if a scoring chance is imminent. Stolarz’s mask was knocked off by a shot from Rangers forward Matt Rempe, but the Rangers still controlled the play, forcing the Leafs’ goalie to make a save without his mask before a stoppage in play.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored the tying goal with 20 seconds remaining in the third period and the winning goal in the final seconds of overtime for a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Caufield tied Howie Morenz for the most regular-season overtime goals in franchise history with 10. Oliver Kapanen also scored for the Canadiens, who have won four of their last five to sit in first place in the Atlantic Division. Steven Stamkos and Nick Perbix scored for the Predators, who are 2-2-1 to open the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield’s tying goal came after teammate Lane Hutson blocked an attempt at an empty-net goal by Jonathan Marchessault. Hutson quickly fired a long pass to Caufield, and the rest is history.

The Vegas Golden Knights held off the Boston Bruins 6-5, extending their season-opening points streak to five games (3-0-2). William Karlsson scored twice, Mark Stone had three assists, and Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev picked up two points for the Golden Knights. Michael Eyssimont and Sean Kuraly each had two points for the Bruins, who’ve dropped two straight after winning their first three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dorofeyev is tied with Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto for the most goals this season with six. Stone leads all skaters with nine assists, and Eichel is the points leader with 11. Golden Knights forward Brett Howden and defenseman Noah Hanifin missed this game due to injuries.

Earlier in the day, the Golden Knights announced the signing of free-agent goaltender Carter Hart to a professional tryout offer.

A hat trick by Bo Horvat powered the New York Islanders to their first win of the season (1-3-0) by doubling up the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Mathew Bazal had a goal and an assist, and David Rittich stopped 31 shots for the Islanders. Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a horrible game for Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard. His defensive mistakes led to breakaway goals by Barzal and Horvat.

Shootout goals by Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Seattle Kraken 4-3. Pinto also scored in regulation to tie Pavel Dorofeyev with his league-leading sixth goal, while Dylan Cozens tied the game late in regulation. Chandler Stephenson tallied twice for the Kraken, who are 2-0-2 in their first four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Senators announced team captain Brady Tkachuk underwent surgery on his injured hand. He is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

Kraken forward Frederick Gaudreau left the game after the second period with an undisclosed injury.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1, handing the defending Stanley Cup champions their third straight loss after they opened the season with three straight wins. Timo Meier had a goal and an assist while Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier also scored for the Devils, who have won three straight. Evan Rodrigues scored for the Panthers.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and winger Conor Garland each had a goal and an assist as they overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 5-3 upset of the Dallas Stars. Thatcher Demko made 28 saves for the Canucks, who are 2-2-0 to start the season. Jason Robertson had two assists for the Stars, who suffered their first loss after opening the season with three straight wins.

The Colorado Avalanche extended their season-opening points streak to five games (4-0-1) by dropping the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1, leaving them with one win in their first four games. Valeri Nichushkin tallied twice, and Cale Makar had a goal and an assist. Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 32 shots for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, Cam Atkinson signed a one-day contract with the Blue Jackets and officially announced his retirement. The 36-year-old forward spent 10 of his 13-season NHL career with the Blue Jackets. In 809 regular-season games with Columbus, Philadelphia Flyers, and Tampa Bay Lightning from 2011-12 to 2024-25, Atkinson had 253 goals and 236 assists for 489 points. He also had 26 points in 35 playoff games.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored two goals and set up another in a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Shayne Gostisbehere had three assists, and Frederik Andersen stopped 23 shots for the Hurricanes, who remain undefeated to start the season (4-0-0). Leo Carlsson replied for the Ducks (2-2-0).

The Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Filip Hallander’s first NHL goal was the game-winner, and Erik Karlsson collected two assists for the 3-2-0 Penguins. Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala scored for the Kings, who’ve dropped four of their last five contests (1-3-1).










NHL Rumor Mill – October 16, 2025

by | Oct 16, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – October 16, 2025

Could the Oilers make a big addition to their roster this season? Will the Flyers end up trading Christian Dvorak? Are the Hurricanes seeking a goalie? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples noted that the rising salary cap and the presence of superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have prompted some Oilers fans to speculate about the club pursuing star players from struggling teams, such as Buffalo’s Alex Tuch.

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch (NHL Images)

However, Staples doesn’t see the Oilers acquiring a top-line forward like Tuch or a No.1 goaltender during this season. He pointed out that the club is up against the $95.5 million salary cap, and they have little to trade other than their 2027 first-round pick.

The only players the Oilers have earning more than $2 million annually who lack no-trade protection are defensemen Evan Bouchard and Brett Kulak, and goaltender Stuart Skinner. Bouchard isn’t going anywhere; the Oilers won’t move Skinner if he performs well this season, leaving only Kulak.

Staples believes the earliest the Oilers can make a significant addition to their roster is next summer, when they’ll have more salary cap space to use in the unrestricted free agent market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers could surprise by making a move by the March trade deadline. However, Kulak won’t fetch much in return, and their 2027 first-rounder is likely to be a low pick in that round, which also affects its trade value.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz recently wondered how long Christian Dvorak will be with the Philadelphia Flyers this season. The 29-year-old center signed a one-year, $5.4 million contract this summer as a free agent.

Kurz said the Flyers plan to remain competitive at least through the March 6 trade deadline. If they can’t, Dvorak could become a trade candidate. He’s the type of forward a playoff team covets because of his two-way game and his ability to play center or wing.

BLEACHER REPORT: Frank Seravalli reported the Carolina Hurricanes are monitoring the waiver wire for a goaltender after Pyotr Kochetkov was placed on injured reserve earlier this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes got a win from call-up Brandon Bussi against the San Jose Sharks earlier this week. They could stick with him and starting goalie Frederik Andersen until Kotchetkov is healthy.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 15, 2025

by | Oct 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 15, 2025

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reaches another milestone, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk sidelined for weeks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens took their home-opener by downing the Seattle Kraken 5-4 in overtime. Cole Caufield scored twice, including the winning goal, and Ivan Demidov tallied the tying goal late in the third to force the extra period. Jared McCann had a goal and an assist for the Kraken. The Canadiens have won three straight since dropping their season-opener to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens held a video tribute to their late Hall of Famer Ken Dryden, prompting a touching standing ovation from the fans.

Earlier in the day, the Canadiens announced that president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes agreed to contract extensions. The duo has done an impressive job rebuilding the roster by focusing on young talent.

Speaking of young talent, RG. Org’s Marco D’Amico reports that Canadiens prospect Michael Hage is following up an impressive freshman season with the University of Michigan to become a more complete two-way center in his sophomore campaign.

The Habs see the 19-year-old Hage as a future center. For now, he’s focused on playing for Canada at the 2026 World Juniors and helping Michigan win a national championship.

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews had two goals in a 7-4 drubbing of the Nashville Predators, handing the latter their first loss of the season. John Tavares, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson each collected three points for the Leafs while Nick Perbix had a goal and an assist for the Predators.

Anaheim Ducks forward Chris Kreider scored twice, including the winner late in the third period, to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected two assists, moving past Steve Yzerman into ninth place among the all-time assist leaders with 1,065.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner stopped 30 shots to blank the New York Rangers 2-0. Trent Frederic and Adam Henrique were the goal scorers. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin allowed one goal on 21 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers became the first team in NHL history to be shut out in their first three home games of the season.

The Vegas Golden Knights extended their season-opening points streak to four games (2-0-2) by overcoming a 2-0 deficit to double up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Jack Eichel tallied twice while Mitch Marner and Tomas Hertl each had two points. Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill left the game after the first period with a lower-body injury and was still being evaluated after the game. Akira Schmid made 19 saves for the win.

An overtime goal by Jakob Chychrun lifted the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tom Wilson had a goal and two assists for the Capitals as they picked up their third straight victory. Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning.

Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger kicked out 39 shots in a 5-2 victory against the Minnesota Wild. Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists for the Stars, while Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist for the Wild. Stars center Matt Duchene left the game in the third period following a hit by Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton.

The Carolina Hurricanes beat the San Jose Sharks 5-1. Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi made 16 saves in his NHL debut, and Logan Stankoven collected two assists. William Eklund scored for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Hurricanes placed netminder Pyotr Kochetkov on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

TSN: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is expected to miss at least four weeks with a hand/wrist injury suffered during their loss to the Nashville Predators on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk’s absence will be a significant early test for the Senators. Someone must step up and fill the leadership void.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Senators, winger Drake Batherson is expected to make his season debut on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. Batherson missed the first three games of the regular season after suffering an upper-body injury during training camp.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet cited his club’s high penalty minutes and an offseason ankle issue as the reasons behind Matvei Michkov’s reduced ice time thus far. The 20-year-old sophomore winger has yet to score while averaging 15 minutes of ice time per game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov was among the league’s rookie scoring leaders last season. His performance will be a crucial part of the rebuilding Flyers this season.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports revenue projections for this season are strong enough that the players won’t have escrow deducted from their paychecks. They’ll also have escrow money refunded from 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Friedman also said that there’s talk of the salary cap for 2026-27 being higher than the projected $104 million. There could be more clarity on the issue following the Board of Governors meetings in New York this week.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL defenseman Erik Johnson has landed an analyst gig with ESPN. Johnson announced his retirement earlier this month.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2025

by | Oct 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2025

A milestone goal for Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, the debut of Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Jonathan Toews played his first game with the Jets, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist, and Evgeni Malkin collected three assists, and Justin Brazeau broke a 3-3 tie as the Pittsburgh Penguins nipped the New York Islanders 4-3. Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer had an assist for his first NHL point. He was the first-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has 626 career regular-season goals, moving past Joe Sakic into fifth place for the most goals with one franchise. Former Penguin Mario Lemieux is fourth with 690. Penguins rookie Harrison Brunicke scored his first goal, becoming the first player from South Africa to score in the NHL.

The Dallas Stars held off the Winnipeg Jets for a 5-4 victory. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists, and Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Kyle Connor had a hat trick as the Jets rallied from a 5-1 deficit, but fell short. Jonathan Toews was held scoreless in his debut with the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Jets placed forward David Gustafsson on waivers.

Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto scored twice (including the go-ahead goal) and picked up an assist to down the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4. Brady Tkachuk and Artem Zub also collected three points as the Senators overcame a 3-1 deficit. Nikita Kucherov tallied twice, and Brayden Point had a goal and two assists for the Lightning.

The Vegas Golden Knights overcame a 3-2 deficit for a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Jack Eichel scored the tying goal and collected an assist for the Golden Knights. Jeff Skinner scored his first goal with the Sharks after joining them in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid effort by the Sharks was undone as goaltender Alex Nedeljovic allowed Eichel’s weak game-tying goal late in the third period, followed by a costly turnover near his own blueline on Reilly Smith’s overtime goal.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored the go-ahead and insurance goals to beat the New Jersey Devils 6-3. K’Andre Miller tallied twice in his debut with the Hurricanes, while Jesper Bratt and Luke Hughes each had two points for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltender Frederik Andersen got the win as Pyotr Kochetkov was unavailable for this game after getting injured in practice earlier this week. He will be evaluated on Friday.

An overtime goal by Fraser Minten lifted the Boston Bruins over the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 4-3. Casey Mittelstadt, Tanner Jeannot, and Elias Lindholm also scored for the Bruins, while Connor Bedard and Andre Burakovsky each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson did not come out for the third period due to an undisclosed injury.

The New York Rangers got a 37-save performance from Igor Shesterkin as he shut out the Buffalo Sabres 4-0. Alexis Lafreniere and J.T. Miller each had a goal and an assist, giving Mike Sullivan his first win as head coach of the Rangers. Alex Lyon stopped 29 shots for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers center Vincent Trocheck left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Sabres forward Josh Norris suffered an upper-body injury in the third period.

Speaking of shutouts, Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild made 26 saves to blank the St. Louis Blues 5-0. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy each had three points, and Ryan Hartman scored two goals. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington gave up five goals on 21 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Wild general manager Bill Guerin defended his club’s signing Kaprizov to an eight-year deal with a league-leading $17 million average annual value (AAV). “Look, everybody’s got a price to where they want to play in their market, and Kirill is worth that to us. He’s that important to us,” Guerin said. “And we couldn’t take the chance of letting him go.”

The Wild announced forward Nico Sturm is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a back injury.

Montreal Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes turned aside 30 shots in a 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, spoiling the latter’s season opener. Zack Bolduc and Oliver Kapanen scored in their second straight games, and Mike Matheson had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens. Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings netminder John Gibson was pulled in the second period after giving up five goals on 13 shots.

A four-goal third period carried the Vancouver Canucks over the Calgary Flames 5-1. Filip Chytil tallied twice for the Canucks, who also got goals from Kiefer Sherwood, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and Brock Boeser. Morgan Frost scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Adam Foote’s first win as head coach of the Canucks. Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl left this game in the third period after being struck in the back of the head by a puck.

The Florida Panthers downed the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on a third-period goal by Brad Marchand. Anton Lundell also scored for the Panthers, while Noah Cates replied for the Flyers, who got a 32-save effort by Dan Vladar.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros kicked out 37 shots, and Ryan O’Reilly scored the winning goal to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1. Michael Bunting also scored for the Predators, and Dmitri Voronkov tallied for the Blue Jackets.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon’s early third-period goal held up as the winner in a 2-1 victory against the Utah Mammoth. Ross Colton also scored for the Avalanche, who got a 32-save performance by netminder Scott Wedgewood. Dylan Guenther tallied for the Mammoth.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 on goals by Vince Dunn, Mason Marchment, and Jared McCann. Ducks rookie Beckett Sennecke tallied his first career NHL goal.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 8, 2025

by | Oct 8, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – October 8, 2025

The potential effect of Connor McDavid’s new contract on the UFA market, the latest on Jack Eichel’s contract talks with the Golden Knights, Lane Hutson’s negotiations with the Canadiens, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HOW MCDAVID’S CONTRACT COULD AFFECT THE UFA MARKET

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes the Los Angeles Kings would’ve attempted to sign Connor McDavid had he gone to free agency next July. He also thinks the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and Dallas Stars would’ve been among the suitors for the 28-year-old center, who signed a two-year extension with the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes all eyes will be on Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar as the next big contract explosion. He claims the Avalanche have prepared for it and could just hand him a blank check. Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks could be another.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both players are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July 2027. The earliest their teams can attempt to re-sign them is July 1, 2026.

The recent signings of McDavid and Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov convinced Friedman that there will be more players earning eight-figure salaries. He singled out Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor, Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe, Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas, and Buffalo Sabres power forward Alex Tuch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been speculation suggesting that some NHL teams might point to McDavid accepting well below market value to stay with the Oilers to get their own superstars to do the same. However, most player agents will simply say that McDavid’s case was a unique one that has no bearing on their clients’ contract situations.

For example, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been underpaid for years, partly because of his superstition about his No. 87, and partly because his previous contract was an extremely long one (12 years). Those deals no longer exist due to the implementation of contract term limits since 2013.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

Today, 45 players carry a higher AAV than Crosby. Not all of them are superstars.

UPDATE ON JACK EICHEL’S CONTRACT TALKS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports contract negotiations are ongoing between the Vegas Golden Knights and Jack Eichel. The 28-year-old center doesn’t want to go anywhere, and both sides are focused on an eight-year deal. LeBrun also said that Kirill Kaprizov’s $17 million average annual value with the Wild isn’t much of a factor in these negotiations.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman also noted it’s a happy marriage between Eichel and the Golden Knights, and he expects they’ll get a new deal done. He claimed the club would prefer to get Eichel and Mitch Marner for a combined $25 million. Marner is already earning $12 million annually on an eight-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel is earning $10 million annually on his current contract. The Golden Knights might be offering $13 million, but he could be seeking something between $14 and $15 million.

THE LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens made an eight-year contract extension offer to Lane Hutson. He believes it had some salary deferral, which the Hutson camp wasn’t interested in. Both sides are taking some time now to let things cool down before resuming discussions.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman felt that Hutson was hoping to sign an extension before the start of this season. He cited several sources claiming it was “slightly below 8 x $9 million”, including some deferral to lower the cap hit. The Canadiens also pitched a Canadian retirement compensation arrangement (RCA), which many players use to soften the tax burden. Hutson’s representatives were slightly above the $9 million AAV but weren’t interested in salary deferral or the RCA.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman indicated that the Canadiens still want to keep Hutson, and he still wants to stay. General manager Kent Hughes said the club’s fans shouldn’t be worried, pointing out that the 21-year-old defenseman isn’t eligible for unrestricted free-agent status until July 2031.

Hughes also acknowledged the recent new contracts for New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes and Anaheim Ducks blueliner Jackson Lacombe. He considers Hughes a better comparable for Hutson than Lacombe.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico believes the Canadiens are preparing to make a big trade during this season.

Instead of icing a 23-man roster to start this season, the Canadiens are using 22 players. In this way, they save about $775K in early-season salary obligations, which could compound into several million dollars by the trade deadline.

The Canadiens could be targeting a move before the December trade freeze (Dec. 20-27), as some teams could be pushed into becoming early sellers in the trade market. They’ll have around $14.5 million in prorated cap space by then, giving them a potential advantage over other teams.

UPDATE ON ROSLOVIC

TSN: Chris Johnston believed free-agent forward Jack Roslovic might not have to wait too long to land with an NHL team. He indicated that the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets are among several clubs already looking for forwards.

OTHER NOTABLE RUMORS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Philadelphia Flyers are “definitely checking” to see what’s available on defense in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: William James of Philly Hockey Now pointed out that defenseman Cam York is joining fellow Flyers blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen on injured reserve to start the season. They have over $6.6 million in cap space after trading away Ryan Ellis’ contract to San Jose earlier this week, giving them cap flexibility to add a defenseman.

The Vancouver Canucks are continuing their search for a center. The Toronto Maple Leafs want to add a top-six forward, while the Carolina Hurricanes are “always lurking.” The Ottawa Senators could attempt to make a big move this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Hurricanes, Friedman reported they attempted to sign Evan Bouchard to an offer sheet this summer before he eventually re-signed with the Oilers. They instead acquired blueliner K’Andre Miller from the New York Rangers.