NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

by | Dec 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

Four-point performances for Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Drasaitl, the Islanders snap the Avalanche’s 17-game point streak, Rangers winger Artemi Panarin reaches a scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each collected four points as the Edmonton Oilers thumped the Seattle Kraken 9-4. McDavid had a hat trick and collected an assist, while Draisaitl had a goal and three assists as the Oilers improved to 12-11-5. Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko picked up two assists as his club dropped its fourth straight game, slipping to 11-8-6.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Mason Marchment missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day.

The New York Islanders ended the league-leading Colorado Avalanche’s 17-game points streak with a 6-3 victory. Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 35 shots for the 15-10-3 Islanders. Martin Necas netted a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (19-2-6), who suffered their first regulation loss since Oct. 25, when they fell 5-1 to the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders honored Avalanche center Brock Nelson with a tribute video in his first game back as a visitor. He spent 12 seasons with the Isles from 2013-14 to 2024-25, scoring 310 goals and 294 assists for 604 points in 901 games before being traded to the Avs last March. Nelson collected an assist in this game.

Meanwhile, Islanders winger Jonathan Drouin was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist to reach 900 career NHL regular-season points as his club doubled up the Ottawa Senators by a score of 4-2. J.T. Miller had three assists, and Mika Zibanejad scored to extend his points streak to five games as the Rangers improved to 15-12-2. Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson each had two points for the 13-10-4 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Shane Pinto left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and will be reevaluated on Friday. Before the game, the Senators indicated that defenseman Thomas Chabot will be out for another 10 days with an upper-body injury, while blueliner Artem Zub (lower body) and forward Lars Eller (undisclosed) are day-to-day.

Evgeni Malkin scored two goals (including the game-winner) and picked up an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Rookie winger Ville Koivunen tallied his first career NHL goal for the Penguins (14-7-5). Brandon Hagel potted two goals for the 16-9-2 Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Islanders.

Before the game, the Lightning announced the signing of Ryan McDonagh to a three-year contract extension. Beginning in 2026-27, the 36-year-old defenseman will earn an average annual value of $4.1 million.

Meanwhile, Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports a source has dismissed rumors that the sale of the Penguins by Fenway Sports Group to the Hoffman Family of Companies had fallen through. According to Kingerski’s source, the transaction remains in process, but has been held up due to “complications” on external details.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McCann scored twice in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who picked up their third straight win and improved to 13-11-3. Seth Jarvis tallied for the Hurricanes (16-8-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll left this game after the second period with a lower-body injury. The severity of the injury remains unclear.

The Nashville Predators got an overtime goal from Steven Stamkos in a 2-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Ryan O’Reilly tied the game in the third period for the 10-13-4 Predators, who’ve won four of their last five games. Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers, as the struggling Stanley Cup champions have lost four straight, falling to 12-13-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos scored with the Panthers’ net knocked off its moorings. However, the goal was allowed based on rule 63.7, which states that a goal can be awarded on a dislodged net if there’s an imminent scoring chance for the attacking team.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored for the third straight game as his club held off the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 2-1. Wyatt Kaiser’s first of the season held up as the game winner for the Blackhawks (12-9-6). Trevor Moore replied for the 12-8-7 Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty returned to action for the first time since being sidelined with an injured left foot in mid-November.

The Columbus Blue Jackets clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-5 on a shootout goal by Kirill Marchenko. Adam Fantilli scored two goals (including the tying goal late in the third period), while Sean Monahan and Zach Werenski each had three assists for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 13-9-5. Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane each had a goal and an assist for the 14-12-2 Red Wings, who’ve lost five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchenko returned to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha had two goals in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Morgan Geekie and Elias Lindholm each had three points, and Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the 16-13-0 Bruins. Pavel Buchnevich and Pius Suter replied for the Blues, who dropped to 9-12-7.

The Calgary Flames tallied three unanswered third-period goals to upset the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves, while Matt Coronato and Rasmus Andersson each had a goal and an assist for the 10-15-4 Flames. Yakov Trenin replied for the 15-8-5 Wild.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE GAZETTE: The Winnipeg Jets will host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 NHL Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.

DAILY FACEOFF: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

San Jose Sharks winger Jeff Skinner returns to action on Friday against the Dallas Stars. He’s been sidelined for 10 games with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said rookie winger Justin Sourdif will miss “a little bit of time” with a lower-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: The criminal case against former NHL player Ryan Kesler is headed to trial in Michigan. Kesler is charged with two misdemeanour counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree. He has pleaded not guilty.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 3, 2025

by | Dec 3, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 3, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, a growing number of clubs are interested in Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood, plus the latest on the rumor linking Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry to the Oilers.

CANUCKS WINGER KIEFER SHERWOOD DRAWING INTEREST IN THE TRADE MARKET

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports there is plenty of interest in Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old Vancouver Canucks winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. He has a team-leading 12 goals and carries an affordable $1.5 million cap hit.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images).

LeBrun said the Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, and Dallas Stars were among a long list of clubs to express an interest in Sherwood. The Canucks aren’t rushing into this, as they intend to take their time evaluating the trade market. LeBrun wondered if some of those teams might be willing to sign Sherwood to a contract extension, which would increase his trade value for the Canucks.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon looked at what impact Sherwood could have for the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Flyers could seek a short-term replacement for sidelined winger Tyson Foerster, while the Islanders could do the same for winger Kyle Palmieri. The Bruins need more secondary scoring, and the Lightning could use a little more experience with relative unknowns such as Gage Goncalves, Curtis Douglas, and Dominic James scattered throughout their lineup.

NHL.COM: Dan Rosen believes the Columbus Blue Jackets have a realistic shot at acquiring Sherwood. They’re in the hunt for the playoffs and could benefit from adding his gritty two-way game to their top-nine forwards. He also suggested Sherwood could make sense for the Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline confirmed that the Blue Jackets were among the teams to contact the Canucks about Sherwood, who is a Columbus native. He also doesn’t rule out the Bruins as a suitor, pointing out that Sherwood and Bruins forward Sean Kuraly are long-time friends.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sherwood is the current standout in a thin trade market thus far. It’s understandable why the Canucks are taking their time as they’re hoping his value will improve. However, there is a danger that his performance (especially his offense) could drop off as the season progresses, as well as the risk of injury.

WOULD THE OILERS BE INTERESTED IN PENGUINS GOALIE TRISTAN JARRY?

NHL.COM: Dan Rosen was asked what level of interest the Edmonton Oilers could have in Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry.

Rosen believes the only way the Oilers make a move for Jarry is if they think he’ll backstop them to the Stanley Cup. He pointed out that they don’t know if he’d be worth the risk over the remaining two years of his contract, while they at least know what they have in current starter Stuart Skinner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry can blow hot and cold like Skinner, but the latter has carried them to two straight Stanley Cup Finals. Jarry also has an injury history that would be a concern for the Oilers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2025

by | Dec 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2025

Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt collects his fourth shutout in six starts, Steven Stamkos, Jamie Benn, and David Perron reach notable career milestones, the three stars and the rookie of the month for November are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves for his fourth shutout in his last six games to blank the Edmonton Oilers 1-0. Jonas Brodin scored the only goal as the Wild improved to 15-7-5. Stuart Skinner made 23 saves for the Oilers, who slipped to 11-11-5.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wallstedt became the second-fastest goaltender in NHL history to record five career shutouts, doing so in 15 games. Frankie Brimsek holds the record with nine games.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos scored to reach his 1,200th career NHL regular-season point in a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Juuse Saros stopped 27 shots, and Michael Bunting had a goal and an assist for the Predators (9-13-4). Morgan Frost replied for the 9-15-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is the sixth active player to reach the 1,200-point milestone, joining Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrik Kane, and Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar.

Predators forward Ozzy Wiesblatt scored his first NHL goal. He pointed skyward to honor his late brother Orca Wiesblatt, who died in a car accident in September.

An overtime goal by Vladislav Gavrikov lifted the New York Rangers over the Dallas Stars 3-2. Artemi Panarin had two assists for the Rangers (14-12-2), who have three wins in their last four games. Kyle Capobianco and Mikko Rantanen scored for the 17-5-5 Stars as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dallas captain Jamie Benn played his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game. Meanwhile, Stars winger Tyler Seguin left the game early in the first period after injuring his right leg following a collision with Gavrikov. Earlier in the day, the Stars announced defenseman Lian Bichsel will miss multiple weeks with a lower-body injury suffered in Sunday’s win over the Ottawa Senators.

The Ottawa Senators improved to 13-9-4 with a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Brady Tkachuk and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each had two points for the 13-9-3 Canadiens, who have lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators forward David Perron collected an assist in his 1,200th career regular-season NHL game. Tkachuk’s goal was his first of the season after missing 20 games with an injured thumb.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied twice to lead his club over the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-1. The league-leading Avalanche (19-1-6, 44 points) extended its point streak to 17 games. Linus Karlsson scored for the 10-14-3 Canucks, who have two wins in their last 11 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league with 22 goals and 46 points. Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood left this game in the second period for precautionary reasons with tightness in his back. Meanwhile, teammate Valeri Nichushkin returned to action after missing eight games with a lower-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Boston Bruins 5-4, snapping a four-game losing skid. Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist for the 14-11-2 Red Wings. Hampus Lindholm had three assists, and Alex Steeves tallied two goals for the Bruins (15-13-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins winger David Pastrnak missed his third straight game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to be sidelined for the rest of this week. Meanwhile, winger Viktor Arvidsson returned to action after being out since Nov. 15 with a lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got their third win in their last four games by downing the Florida Panthers 4-1. Troy Stecher and Dakota Joshua each had a goal and an assist, and Joseph Woll turned aside 26 shots for the 12-11-3 Maple Leafs. Sam Reinhart got the only goal for the Panthers (12-12-1), who’ve dropped three straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo will be sidelined longer than expected with a lower-body injury. He’s been out since Nov. 13 and recently suffered a setback in his recovery.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 27 shots to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Bo Horvat and Anthony Duclair scored for the Islanders (14-10-3) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Dominic James scored for the 16-8-2 Lightning, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 34 points.

A shootout goal by Shea Theodore gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Carter Hart made 27 saves in his season debut with the Golden Knights (12-6-8). Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-6 Blackhawks, who have one win in their last seven games.

The Washington Capitals picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. Alex Ovechkin collected two assists for the Capitals (16-9-2). Adrian Kempe scored for the 12-7-7 Kings.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, and Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard are the league’s three stars for November 2025. Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt is the Rookie of the Month for November.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers forward Tyson Foerster will be sidelined for two to three months with an upper-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Mathieu Olivier (upper body) was placed on injured reserve

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The NHL is sending a memo to its 32 teams reminding them about its rule requiring players to wear helmets during warmups. This comes after the Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils violated that rule in recent games. Neither club is expected to be punished beyond a warning.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 1, 2025

by | Dec 1, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 1, 2025

Check out the latest on the Islanders and Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ISLANDERS SPECULATION

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears recently listed several factors that could play into the Islanders’ approach to the March 6 trade deadline.

Their current record suggests they’re more of a playoff contender than originally thought when the season began. They could also have over $12 million in usable salary-cap dollars if or when Alexander Romanov and Semyon Varlamov join Pierre Engvall on long-term injury reserve.

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee (NHL Images).

Meanwhile, veteran forwards Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau are on expiring contracts, which could make them valuable trade chips if the Isles become sellers. However, it’s difficult to imagine general manager Mathieu Darche trading either player if his club continues playing the way it has.

Improving their defense corps should be the Islanders’ priority. They miss the sidelined Romanov on the left side, and they never fully replaced the departed Noah Dobson on the right. Sears considered Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames as an obvious fit. Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks could be another, but he’s reportedly not among the players the Canucks would consider moving.

The Isles could use another scorer and some physicality among their bottom-six forwards.

Following Kyle Palmieri’s season-ending knee injury, Sears suggested Darche shouldn’t make any hasty decisions that might sacrifice future first-round picks or top prospects to replace the sidelined winger or bolster their defense.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports Palmieri’s injury has put the Islanders among the rumored suitors for Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old winger is enjoying a career-best performance thus far. Canucks management is wary that he’ll regress, but is also buoyed by the possibility that he’ll return a first-round pick, and possibly more, in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuzma observed that the Islanders may not wish to mortgage their future in pursuit of Sherwood, but he believes they’d have to at least part with a first-rounder to land the feisty winger. That would also apply to any other significant player (Andersson, Hronek) that they could be monitoring in the trade market.

UPDATE ON THE SENATORS

THE ATHLETIC’s Julian McKenzie cited a report by TSN’s Darren Dreger on Friday in which Dreger claimed that Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios would like to add a forward or a defenseman to his roster. However, he doesn’t think that Staios is going to be “a big game hunter” in the trade market.

Dreger also dismissed the possibility of promising defenseman Carter Yakemchuk becoming a trade chip. “Not going to happen.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staios wants to improve his roster, but not at the expense of his top prospect. Yakemchuk is projected to fill the role of a top-pairing, right-shot defenseman.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports league sources told him that there is “virtually no chance” that the Senators will find a trade partner for Alex Formenton’s rights. The 26-year-old winger is a restricted free agent, and the deadline for him to sign a new NHL contract is 5 pm ET on Dec. 1.

The Senators have tried to trade Formenton’s rights for months, seeking a draft pick in return. If he’s not traded and signed by Monday’s deadline, he’ll be ineligible to play in the NHL this season.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 30, 2025

by | Nov 30, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 30, 2025

Check out the latest on the Canucks, Oilers, Maple Leafs, and Blackhawks in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

RUMORS FROM SPORTSNET’S SATURDAY NHL HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman felt there might be a quick trade involving Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old Vancouver Canucks forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Friedman noted he’s “a really good player,” carrying an affordable salary ($1.5 million). However, there’s nothing imminent, and it may not happen fast.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images).

Winger Conor Garland didn’t play in last night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. However, that is injury-related and not because he’s being held out of the lineup for trade purposes.

Friedman believes teams such as the Minnesota Wild, Boston Bruins, and Philadelphia Flyers could be interested in some of the Canucks’ veterans who are on expiring contracts. Nevertheless, the Canucks aren’t in a hurry and are willing to take their time and see what the trade market looks like.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports a NHL source close to the situation said the Boston Bruins had contacted the Canucks about Sherwood and Garland. They’re in the market for more scoring depth. Murphy also indicated that the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, and Detroit Red Wings have expressed an interest in Sherwood.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner wondered if Canucks blueliner Filip Hronek might be in play. The 28-year-old has five seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $7.25 million and a full no-movement clause.

Rosner believes Hronek could be a good fit alongside rookie star Matthew Schaefer, which in turn could help the Islanders become a Stanley Cup contender. He wondered if a package offer of the 2026 first-round pick that originally belonged to the Colorado Avalanche, a conditional third-round pick, and a depth player would be enough to get the job done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The current Canucks management has a reputation for making moves well ahead of the annual trade deadline. However, that doesn’t mean they’re going to pull the trigger in late November or early December, especially when teams aren’t as willing to meet their asking prices at this time of year.

The earliest they’ll make those moves will likely be January, which was when they shipped J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers last season.

As for Hronek, Friedman stated last week that he’s unlikely to be available. The Canucks are only looking to move pending UFAs or those with less than two years on their contracts, with superstar Quinn Hughes excluded from that list. Any club wanting Hronek must offer up more than draft picks and a depth player, assuming he’ll waive his no-movement clause.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports struggling goaltender Stuart Skinner has not sought a trade from the Edmonton Oilers. He also said the Oilers won’t make a trade just for the sake of doing so or to make a lateral move. They’d rather not make a move than a bad or a panic move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s because there are slim pickings for goalies in the trade market. Friedman indicated there are teams with spare goalies (Columbus, Pittsburgh, Buffalo) but the Oilers don’t consider what’s available to be an improvement over their current tandem of Skinner and Calvin Pickard.

Friedman indicated that the Toronto Maple Leafs have been looking around in the trade market. However, he doesn’t believe there are any major organizational changes on the horizon.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Laurent Brossoit is on a conditioning stint with the club’s AHL affiliate as he continues to work his way back from knee and hip surgeries that have sidelined him since last April.

The Blackhawks no longer have room for Brossoit. Friedman said they have permitted teams to speak with the 32-year-old netminder. He carries a $3.3 million cap hit, which not many clubs can currently afford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: David Staples of the Edmonton Journal pointed out that Friedman recently speculated about the Oilers being one of those teams. However, his comments on Saturday about their unwillingness to make a lateral move with their goaltending suggest Brossoit might not be of interest to them.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2025

by | Nov 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2025

Recaps of Sunday’s action, the Sabres will terminate goalie Alexandar Georgiev’s contract, the Canadiens sign Alexandre Texier, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche picked up their ninth straight win by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 1-0. Scott Wedgewood turned in a 22-save shutout, and Cale Makar tallied the only goal for the 16-1-5 Avalanche, who sit atop the overall standings with 37 points. Spencer Knight stopped 25 shots for the Blackhawks (10-8-4), who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering an injured shoulder on Oct. 30.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt picked up his third shutout in his last four games by blanking the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 3-0. Danila Yurov, Brock Faber, and Kirill Kaprizov were the goal scorers as the Wild collected their fifth straight win and improved to 12-7-4. Jets goalie Eric Comrie turned aside 27 of 30 shots as the Jets fell to 12-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Neal Pionk left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

The New York Islanders got a 19-save shutout from David Rittich in a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Kyle Palmieri tallied the winning goal in the shootout for the 13-8-2 Islanders. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord kicked out 34 shots in regulation and overtime for the Kraken (11-5-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders announced that defenseman Alexander Romanov suffered a shoulder injury after being boarded by Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen last week. He will undergo surgery and will be sidelined for five to six months.

Speaking of Rantanen, he received a one-game suspension for his second game misconduct in three games for boarding Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato.

Meanwhile, the Islanders announced Sunday that center Jean-Gabriel Pageau is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 29 saves to upset the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to six games, and Ryan McLeod collected two assists for the Sabres, who improved to 9-9-4. Shayne Gostisbehere replied for the 14-6-2 Hurricanes, who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 30 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sabres placed goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. He’s expected to sign with KHL team HC Spartak Moscow.

Georgiev, 29, was a promising netminder earlier in his career with the New York Rangers, but he had no chance of landing the starter’s job with Igor Shesterkin in the lineup. He got that opportunity with the Colorado Avalanche, winning 40 games in 2022-23. However, his performance quickly declined as he struggled with the pressure of the job. A trade to the San Jose Sharks last season did little to improve his performance. He signed a one-year, $825K contract with the Sabres but was relegated to their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

In 303 NHL games, Georgiev has a record of 151 wins, 108 losses, and 26 overtime losses, with a 2.99 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage, and 15 shutouts.

The San Jose Sharks surprised the Boston Bruins with a 3-1 victory. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 34 shots while Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to five games for the 11-9-3 Sharks. Morgan Geekie scored his fifth goal in his last three games for the Bruins (13-11-0), who’ve lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins activated center Elias Lindholm off injured reserve for this game, and placed defenseman Charlie McAvoy (facial injury) on IR.

The Calgary Flames overcame a 1-0 deficit to pick up a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Rasmus Andersson collected three assists, Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist, and Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the 8-13-3 Flames, who have won three straight games. Filip Hronek and Quinn Hughes scored for the Canucks, who’ve lost three straight and dropped to 9-12-2.

IN OTHER NEWS..

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens signed former St. Louis Blues forward Alexandre Texier to a one-year contract with a prorated salary of $1 million. Texier, 26, agreed with the Blues to terminate his contract on Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Texier is an affordable depth signing for the Canadiens, whose ranks have been depleted by injuries in recent weeks. He’s expected to see checking-line duty with the Habs.

RG.ORG: Brandt Clarke is eyeing a long-term contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings. The 22-year-old defenseman is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He will be eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

Clarke sees himself being a King for the long term. He believes his improved play has boosted his value to the club’s defense corps.