NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2025

by | Dec 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2025

Recapping Saturday’s action and the most notable headlines during the holiday break in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists, and also scored the winning goal in the shootout, as the league-leading Colorado Avalanche nipped the Vegas Golden Knights 6-5. Martin Necas scored twice, and Sam Malinski collected three assists for the 28-2-7 Avalanche, who sit atop the overall standings with 63 points. Alexander Holtz and Noah Hanifin each had two points for the Golden Knights (17-8-11), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 45 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon continues to lead the league with 31 goals, but now sits second in points (64) to Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (68).

Speaking of McDavid, he scored to extend his points streak to 12 games, but his Edmonton Oilers fell 3-2 to the Calgary Flames. Dustin Wolf stopped 29 shots while Yegor Sharangovich, Ryan Lomberg, and Blake Coleman scored for the 16-18-4 Flames. Evan Bouchard also scored for the Oilers (19-14-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other Oilers news, they reached a mutual agreement with David Tomasek to terminate his contract to enable the 29-year-old forward to return to Europe. He had five points in 22 games this season.

Los Angeles Kings forward Alex Laferriere tallied his first career NHL hat trick to lead his club over the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 6-1. Anze Kopitar collected three assists for the Kings, who improved to 16-12-9. Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks (21-15-2), who have dropped six of their last eight games (2-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Ross Johnston was fined over $2,800.00 by the league’s department of player safety last week for roughing Seattle Kraken forward Tye Kartye

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to seven games in a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Rookie winger Igor Chernyshov scored his first NHL goal, and William Eklund also had a goal and an assist for the 18-17-3 Sharks, who snapped a three-game losing skid. Conor Garland and Filip Hronek each had two points, and Marco Rossi netted his first goal for the Canucks, who slipped to 15-19-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini’s goal was his 20th of the season. He’s well ahead of last season’s pace, when he finished with 25 in 70 games. The Sharks played without forward Will Smith, who is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Canucks center Elias Pettersson returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning doubled up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Nikita Kucherov scored two goals, and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 24 shots as the Lightning picked up their third straight win, improving their record to 21-13-3. Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand replied for the 20-15-5 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning announced the signing of defenseman J.J. Moser to an eight-year, $54-million contract extension. The annual average value is $6.75 million, which is double his current AAV of $3.375 million. Moser has played well for the Lightning since joining them in a trade from Utah in the summer of 2024. He has 12 points in 34 games this season with a plus/minus of plus-24, logging over 21 minutes per game.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson had a goal and two assists as his club beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 to pick up their eighth straight win. Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn, and Peyton Krebs each had two points for the surging Sabres (19-14-4). David Pastrnak scored for the 20-18-1 Bruins, who have dropped five straight games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forward Tanner Jeannot missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Minnesota Wild downed the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 4-3. Matt Boldy scored two goals (including the winner in overtime), while Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes each picked up three points for the 23-10-6 Wild. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist for the struggling Jets (15-17-4), who are winless in their last five contests (0-2-3).

Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies each had three points in a 7-5 win over the Ottawa Senators. Max Domi collected three assists for the Maple Leafs (17-15-5). Claude Giroux, Jordan Spence, and Stephen Halliday each had two points for the 18-14-5 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux played in his 1,300th career NHL regular-season game. Meanwhile, Maple Leafs forward William Nylander left this game with a lower-body injury in the second period, but he will be traveling with the Leafs to Detroit for Sunday’s game against the Red Wings.

Last week was a busy one for the Maple Leafs. They fired Marc Savard as their power-play coach, replacing him with Steve Sullivan. The club has no plans to replace general manager Brad Treliving or head coach Craig Berube. They also welcomed back defenseman Chris Tanev, who’d been sidelined since Nov. 1 with an upper-body injury.

The New York Islanders got a 27-save shutout from David Rittich to blank the New York Rangers 2-0. Anders Lee and Simon Holmstrom were the goal scorers as the Islanders improved to 21-13-4 on the season. Igor Shesterkin stopped 24 of 25 shots for the 19-17-4 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rittich got the call as Islanders starter Ilya Sorokin is on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Isles center Bo Horvat returned to action after missing five games. Meanwhile, Rangers captain J.T. Miller missed this game as he was placed on IR last week.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The Hurricanes ended a three-game winless skid (0-2-1) and improved to 23-11-3, leading the Eastern Conference with 49 points. Michael Rasmussen and Andrew Copp scored for the 22-14-3 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes played without forward Seth Jarvis and defenseman Jaccob Slavin. Both are listed as week-to-week with upper-body injuries.

An overtime goal by Jakob Chychrun gave the Washington Capitals a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Aliaksei Protas had a goal and two assists, and Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (20-13-5) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Jesper Bratt tallied twice for the 20-16-2 Devils, who are winless in their last three (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals forward Ryan Leonard was activated off IR on Dec. 23.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi tallied twice, and Nick Lardis scored the shootout winner in a 4-3 upset of the Dallas Stars. Arvid Soderblom made 28 saves for the 14-17-6 Blackhawks, who ended a six-game losing streak. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists for the Stars (25-7-7) as their points streak extended to six games (4-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was fined over $2,600.00 last week for cross-checking Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle.

The St. Louis Blues beat the Nashville Predators 3-2, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Pavel Buchnevich scored two goals, and Robert Thomas collected two assists for the 15-16-8 Blues. Tyson Jose and Fedor Svechkov replied for the Predators (16-17-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Dec. 23, Predators forward Steven Stamkos played in his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game.

IN OTHER NEWS…

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Jake Evans will be sidelined for four to six weeks with an injured left knee. Goaltender Sam Montembeault has been recalled from his conditioning stint in Laval. Rookie netminder Jacob Fowler gets the start on Sunday against the Lightning.

TSN: Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour underwent hand surgery last week and is out for four weeks.

TSN: The ECHL has a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Hockey Players Association (PHPA) to end a two-day-old strike by the players.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 18, 2025

by | Dec 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 18, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the latest on the sale of the Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho scored two goals and collected an assist to lead his club to a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (22-9-2), who picked up their fifth straight win and hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. Filip Forsberg replied for the Predators, who dropped to 13-16-4.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook left this game with a lower-body injury. Predators winger Cole Smith returned to action after missing 19 games with an upper-body injury.

A shootout goal by Jesper Bratt lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 2-1. Connor Brown opened the scoring for the Devils, who improved to 19-14-1. Pavel Dorofeyev tied the game for the Golden Knights (16-6-10), who took over first place in the Pacific Division with 42 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (illness) and defenseman Shea Theodore (upper-body injury) missed this game and are listed as day-to-day. Jeremy Lauzon returned to the lineup after missing the past month with an unspecified injury. Devils defenseman Brett Pesce returned after missing 24 games with an upper-body injury. 

The Utah Mammoth got a goal and an assist from Clayton Keller in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves as the Mammoth improved to 17-16-3. Emmitt Finnie scored for the Red Wings (19-13-3), who remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 41 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vejmelka picked up his league-leading 15th win of the season.

Florida Panthers forwards Anton Lundell, Carter Verhaeghe, and Sam Bennett scored as their club held off the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Daniil Tarasov made 27 saves, and Brad Marchand had two assists for the 18-13-2 Panthers, who have won three straight games and six of their last seven. Joel Armia and Kevin Fiala replied for the Kings (14-10-9), who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings center Phillip Danault missed his third straight game with the flu. He’s been the subject of recent trade speculation, but there is no indication that the Kings intend to move him before the upcoming NHL holiday roster freeze (Dec. 20-27).

The St. Louis Blues blanked the Winnipeg Jets 1-0 on a goal by Justin Faulk. Joel Hofer turned in a 24-save shutout for the Blues, who improved to 13-15-7. Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves for the 15-16-2 Jets, who are 1-4-1 in their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Kyle Connor’s points streak ended at nine games.

HEADLINES

TRIBLIVE.COM: Multiple reports indicated Fenway Sports Group has reached an agreement in principle to sell the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Hoffman Family of Companies.

The purchase price is reportedly between $1.7 billion and $1.8 billion. Fenway Sports Group purchased a controlling interest in the Penguins from Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle in 2021 for $900 million.

Final sale of the Penguins requires approval from the NHL Board of Governors, which is expected to be a formality that should unfold with little difficulty.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The upcoming change of ownership isn’t expected to adversely affect the Penguins’ current front office or their salary-cap payroll.

Lemieux and Burkle maintained a minority stake in the Penguins. It is uncertain what role, if any, they’ll have with the incoming ownership.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers forward Tyson Foerster is expected to be sidelined for five months following shoulder surgery. He suffered the injury during a Dec. 1 game against the Penguins.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour is being evaluated for an injury suffered on Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche.

THE ATHLETIC: The New York Rangers called up prospects Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL winger Milan Lucic signed with the EIHL’s Fife Flyers.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2025

by | Dec 17, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 17, 2025

Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson is drawing more interest, the latest on the Maple Leafs, an update on Alex Tuch’s contract situation following the Sabres’ change in management, the Flyers seek a center, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

GROWING INTEREST IN FLAMES DEFENSEMAN RASMUS ANDERSSON

CALGARY SUN: In the wake of the Vancouver Canucks trading defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild last Friday, Kent Wilson recently examined the implications of that deal for the Flames.

With Hughes off the trade block, the Flames’ Rasmus Andersson becomes the best defenseman available. He’s not on the same skill level as Hughes and won’t fetch a comparable return. The Wild shipped three promising young players (Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, and Liam Ohgren) and a 2026 first-round pick to Vancouver.

Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (NHL Images).

The Hughes trade could also raise interest in Flames forwards Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman. Potential suitors include the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Washington Capitals.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Calgary Flames received an increase in calls about Andersson after the Quinn Hughes trade.

Andersson, 29, is due to become an unrestricted free agent next July. LeBrun wonders if the Flames will move him as a rental player or attempt a sign-and-trade scenario in order to get a better return.

The Toronto Maple Leafs attempted to acquire Andersson at last season’s trade deadline. LeBrun said they’ve circled back on him. They are believed to be among the teams that Andersson would consider with, if a trade can be worked out between the two clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson’s rumored willingness to sign with Toronto is likely tied to his relationship with Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving, who was GM of the Flames for most of Andersson’s tenure in Calgary.

LATEST MAPLE LEAFS SPECULATION

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving would like to add one or two top-six forwards. However, the Leafs’ lack of depth in their prospect pool could hamper those efforts.

Dreger later said that the Maple Leafs have continued interest in Rasmus Andersson or another top-four defenseman in the trade market. He also mentioned that they could use a top-line winger to skate alongside center Auston Matthews.

NESN: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Boston Bruins attempted to acquire Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth last summer before he was traded to the Maple Leafs.

Maccelli hasn’t been a fit with the Maple Leafs, who would be open to moving him. Friedman isn’t sure if the Bruins would still be interested in the struggling winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with Andersson, any attempt by the Leafs to land one of the bigger names in the trade market will be hindered by their limited number of tradable assets on their roster and within their prospect pipeline.

Treliving will wait and see if the asking prices go down or if more players become available as more teams drop out of the playoff race. However, that might not come soon enough to bring in the help the Leafs need.

UPDATE ON ALEX TUCH’S CONTRACT TALKS WITH THE SABRES

TSN: Contract extension discussions with Alex Tuch’s representatives are among the issues facing Jarmo Kekalainen, who replaced Kevyn Adams on Monday as the Buffalo Sabres new general manager.

Kekalainen told reporters on Tuesday that he intends to take charge of the situation. He said the teams appreciate and like Tuch, and want to get him signed. The 29-year-old winger is UFA-eligible next summer. He’s completing a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $4.75 million.

Pierre LeBrun reports Kekalainen had a pretty good feel for what his predecessor discussed with the Tuch camp. According to LeBrun, the previous negotiations fizzled because the Sabres weren’t willing to go double digits on the AAV (over $10 million annually).

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek believes the Dallas Stars could be a good destination for Alex Tuch. He thinks the Stars are going for it again this season and believes Tuch would fit in well with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tuch will depart via free agency next July unless Kekalainen can somehow talk him down from $10 million annually. If so, expect the veteran winger to become available leading up to the March 6 trade deadline.

FLYERS SEEK A CENTER

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports the Philadelphia Flyers are seeking another center, specifically for their fourth line. It might also make sense for them to add a middle-six center, given Noah Cates’ struggles in the faceoff circle.

If UFA-eligible centre Christian Dvorak opts to head to market next summer, Kurz wondered if the Flyers might get more aggressive and pursue a higher-end option like Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues or Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators.

Kurz doesn’t see the Flyers dangling their high-end young players or top prospects as trade bait. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to part with some of their future assets for a player who could help them make a playoff push.

KINGS CENTER PHILLIP DANAULT REPORTEDLY REQUESTS A TRADE

RG.ORG’s Marco D’Amico reports sources indicating that center Phillip Danault has requested a trade. His camp hopes to secure a deal sooner rather than later, perhaps before the upcoming NHL holiday roster freeze (Dec. 20-27).

D’Amico said the Kings are willing to wait it out because they seek a player-for-player trade. The Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Carolina Hurricanes are among the teams reportedly interested in Danault.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Over the weekend, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Kings aren’t inclined to move Danault without a good reason because good centers are hard to come by in this season’s trade market. A trade request could be the inclination they need.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2025

by | Dec 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2025

Quinn Hughes and Zeev Buium debut with their new clubs, the Mammoth stage a three-goal comeback win, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Quinn Hughes scored in his debut game with the Minnesota Wild in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman each had three points for the Wild (19-9-5) as they picked up their fourth straight win. Alex Steeves and Andrew Peeke replied for the 19-14-0 Bruins as their four-game win streak ended.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild acquired Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. He’s not committed to signing a contract extension, but the 26-year-old superstar defenseman said he will be “extremely open-minded” about it before his deal expires in 2027.

Meanwhile, Kaprizov reached the 20-goal plateau for the sixth consecutive season. Bruins winger Viktor Arvidsson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Zeev Buium had a goal and an assist in his first game with the 12-17-3 Canucks. Luke Hughes scored for the Devils (18-14-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buium, Marco Rossi, and Liam Ohgren were part of the return the Canucks received from the Wild in exchange for Hughes. All three played in this game.

Earlier in the day, the Canucks placed center Elias Pettersson on injured reserve and activated Rossi off IR. They also sent winger Lukas Reichel to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford after he cleared waivers.

An overtime goal by Dylan Guenther completed a 5-4 comeback by the Utah Mammoth over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Mammoth overcame a 3-0 deficit in the third period and took a 4-3 lead before the Penguins’ Justin Brazeau tied it to force overtime. Michael Carcone tallied twice for the Mammoth, who improved to 16-15-3. Brazeau had two goals and Ben Kindel had a goal and two assists for the Penguins (14-8-9), as their winless streak extended to 0-1-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second game in as many days that the Penguins blew a big lead, having fallen 6-5 in overtime to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Penguins rookie goalie Sergei Murashov gave up five goals on 37 shots.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov tallied in the shootout to lift the Carolina Hurricanes over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Hurricanes rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi made 24 saves to extend his win streak to nine games, giving him 11 in 12 games this season. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist as the 16-9-6 Flyers extended their winless skid to 0-0-3, while the Hurricanes (21-9-2) have won four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 44 points. Their blueline got a boost with the return of Jaccob Slavin, who missed 29 games with a lower-body injury.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 27-save performance from Jakub Dobes for a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson each collected two assists for the Canadiens, who improved to 17-11-4. Zach Hyman scored for the 15-12-6 Oilers.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson extended his goal streak to four games as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots for the Sabres, who have won three straight games and improved to 14-14-4. Chandler Stephenson scored for the 12-12-6 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Mason Marchment missed this game with the flu.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway suffered a lower-body injury during practice on Sunday.

ESPN.COM: The NHL Board of Governors would like to have more games in which both home and road teams wear solid-colored jerseys.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

by | Dec 14, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

The ongoing fallout from the Quinn Hughes trade in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said it was around the time of the American Thanksgiving weekend last month that Quinn Hughes informed the Vancouver Canucks that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension next summer.

Friedman claimed that several teams were deterred or concerned that Hughes wouldn’t commit to a long-term extension at this time. However, the Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils weren’t bothered by it.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

The Devils felt they were in a better position because Hughes’ brothers, Jack and Luke, were on their roster. However, they couldn’t free up sufficient salary-cap space to make the deal happen.

Friedman believes the Wild’s offer (Center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick) was the best one, adding there was no way the Canucks would’ve received a better deal.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers were among six clubs confirmed to have made legitimate offers for Hughes. The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes also showed some interest.

The Philadelphia Flyers also considered Hughes, but didn’t want to part with the assets the Canucks were seeking. LeBrun also believes the Washington Capitals weren’t that involved because they didn’t want to move the kind of pieces it would’ve taken to get the deal done.

Hughes’ agent, Pat Brisson, said he and his client weren’t able to guarantee to any of the interested clubs whether he would sign with them or not. At some point, Hughes will decide if he likes Minnesota enough to sign an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One thing that works to the Wild’s advantage is they’re the only club that can offer him an eight-year, front-loaded extension. However, Hughes will have to decide before Sept. 15, 2026. After that, the maximum term for re-signing players is reduced to seven years as per the updated collective bargaining agreement.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted his players struggled to tune out the Quinn Hughes trade speculation swirling around their team.

Ever since Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last weekend that the Devils contacted the Canucks about Hughes, multiple names surfaced as trade candidates. Defenseman Simon Nemec and center Dawson Mercer were mentioned as potential trade chips that could have gone to Vancouver as part of a package offer.

Nichols believes those players can rest easy for now, but noted that Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald continues to work the phones in search of a trade to help his struggling team.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh believes the Devils’ biggest area of need is forward. He claimed Fitzgerald has inquired about Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly. However, struggling clubs like the Predators are setting high asking prices. Fitzgerald faces overpaying to keep the team afloat, or try to ride this out and hope the prices drop.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-battered Devils will get some help as their sidelined players return to action. Whether they will get back in time to prevent the club from sliding further out of contention remains to be seen.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reported the Canucks liked Washington prospect Cole Hutson when the two sides were discussing a potential trade package for Hughes. However, the Capitals didn’t want to part with their top defensive prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson, 19, is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens star Lane Hutson. Chosen in the second round (43rd overall) by the Capitals, he’s in his second season with Boston University.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch wonders if the Quinn Hughes trade, and the goalie swap that saw the Edmonton Oilers ship Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tristan Jarry, will shake the trade market loose.

The St. Louis Blues are reportedly open for business, and the Canucks still intend to entertain offers for their UFA-eligible players. The Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, and Nashville Predators are also prepared to make moves.

Garrioch pointed out that the upcoming holiday roster freeze begins at 11:59 pm ET on Dec. 19 and will remain in place until 12:01 am ET on Dec. 28.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2025

by | Dec 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2025

The Sharks’ five-goal comeback win, Tristan Jarry’s debut with the Oilers, and Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s return to action highlight the recaps of Saturday’s action in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the third period to upset the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5 on an overtime goal by John Klingberg, who finished the game with two goals. Tyler Toffolli scored twice and assisted on two others while Macklin Celebrini and Alexander Wennberg each had three points as the Sharks improved to 16-14-3. Bryan Rust and Anthony Mantha each had a goal and two assists for the Penguins (14-8-8), who are winless in their last four games (0-1-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev left this game with upper-body injuries. Earlier in the day, the Sharks provided an update on center Michael Misa, saying he was not injured as originally reported and will report to Canada’s training camp for the upcoming 2026 World Junior Championship.

Penguins defenseman Matt Dumba cleared waivers and was sent to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Tristan Jarry made 25 saves to win his first game with the Edmonton Oilers as they downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3. Connor McDavid scored two goals and set up another, Leon Draisaitl had three assists, and Vasily Podkolzin tallied twice for the 15-11-6 Oilers. Steven Lorentz had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who sank to 14-12-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, the Oilers acquired Jarry from the Penguins in exchange for Stuart Skinner in a multiplayer trade on Friday.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots in his return from knee surgery to defeat the Washington Capitals 5-1. Gabriel Vilardi scored two goals while Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, Adam Lowry, and Alex Iafallo each had two points for the 15-15-1 Jets, snapping a three-game losing skid. Jakob Chychrun tallied for the Capitals (18-10-4), who have lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are a different team with Hellebuyck in the lineup. They were 12-7-0 before his surgery, and 2-8-1 during his absence. Meanwhile, the Capitals took goalie Charlie Lindgren off injured reserve.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche picked up their 11th straight home win with a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who improved to 23-2-7 (53 points). Jonathan Marchessault and Tyson Jost replied for the 12-15-4 Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league this season with 26 goals and 55 points in 32 games.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb snapped a 2-2 tie as his club nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Mitch Marner had three assists as the Golden Knights (16-6-9) extended their points streak to seven games. Charlie Coyle and Yegor Chinakhov scored for the Blue Jackets, who have lost five straight and dropped to 13-13-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific Division with 51 points.

The Carolina Hurricanes overcame an early 2-0 deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jackson Blake scored the winner in the shootout while Shayne Gostisbehere picked up two assists for the Hurricanes (20-9-2), who collected their third straight win. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the 16-9-5 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 42 points.

New York Islanders forward Emil Heineman scored the winning goal in the shootout to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Ilya Sorokin made 32 saves while Matthew Schaefer and Calum Ritchie scored for the Islanders (19-11-3), who have won three straight games. Darren Raddysh and J.J. Moser scored for the Lightning (18-11-3) as they overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Islanders inducted Pat LaFontaine into their Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. LaFontaine began his 15-season NHL career with the Islanders in 1983-84, spending eight seasons with them and netting 566 of his 1,013 regular-season points with them. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.

An overtime goal by J.T. Miller gave the New York Rangers a 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens. It was the second of two goals for Miller, and teammates Will Cuylle and Noah Laba each had a goal and an assist for the 16-13-1 Rangers, who ended a three-game winless skid. Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson each had two assists for the Canadiens (16-11-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, it was announced that former Canadiens forward Bobby Rousseau had passed away at the age of 85. He spent 10 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Canadiens from 1960-61 to 1969-70, winning four Stanley Cups. Rousseau also played for the Rangers and Minnesota North Stars. He had 245 goals and 458 assists for 703 points in 942 regular-season games, and 84 points in 128 playoff games.

My condolences to Rousseau’s family, friends, and former teammates.

The Minnesota Wild squeaked past the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on a goal by Joel Eriksson Ek with 24 seconds left in the third period. Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves while Tyler Pitlick and Ryan Hartman scored for the 18-9-5 Wild, who picked up their third straight win. Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens scored for the Senators (14-13-4) as they overcame a 2-0 deficit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quinn Hughes will make his debut with Minnesota on Sunday against the Boston Bruins. The Wild acquired the superstar defenseman from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen stopped 30 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, ending a five-game losing streak. Ondrej Palat, Colton White, and Juho Lammikko each had two assists for the 18-13-1 Devils. Troy Terry replied for the 19-12-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Simon Nemec missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to miss some time, though no details have been provided yet as to how long he’ll be sidelined. He joins a growing list of injured Devils, including Jack Hughes, Brett Pesce, Arseny Gritsyuk, Evgenii Dadonov, Zack MacEwen, and Johnathan Kovacevic.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane tallied his 498th career regular-season NHL goal as his club blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. John Gibson turned in a 26-save shutout while Alex DeBrincat scored twice and had an assist for the 18-12-3 Red Wings. Arvid Soderblom made 20 saves on 23 shots for the 13-13-6 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks called up top prospect Nick Lardis for some offensive support. Meanwhile, Blackhawks center Connor Bedard missed this game with an upper-body injury. More information on his status is expected on Monday.

The Florida Panthers got a 15-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to defeat the Dallas Stars 4-0. Brad Marchand had two goals and an assist for the Panthers, who improved to 16-13-2. Jake Oettinger made 19 saves on 22 shots for the 21-7-5 Stars.

Calgary Flames forward Morgan Frost scored in overtime for a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Blake Coleman also scored, and Dustin Wolf turned aside 20 shots for the 13-16-4 Flames, who’ve won four of their last five contests. Adrian Kempe scored, and Darcy Kuemper kicked out 36 shots for the 14-8-9 Kings.