NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 21, 2025

by | Nov 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 21, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin moves up the NHL all-time points list, three-point performances from Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied a hat trick in an 8-4 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Ovechkin finished with four points, as did forward Ethen Frank with two goals and two assists. The Capitals have won three straight and improved to 11-8-2. Canadiens goaltenders Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes gave up seven goals on 35 shots as their club lost for the seventh time in their last eight games (1-4-3) and dropped to 10-7-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin moved past Joe Sakic into 10th place on the all-time points list with 1,643. Meanwhile, Canadiens center Jake Evans left this game in the third period following a high hit from Capitals winger Tom Wilson.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar each had two goals and an assist to defeat the New York Rangers 6-3. Martin Necas collected three assists for the first-overall Avalanche (14-1-5, 33 points), who’ve won seven straight games. J.T. Miller tallied twice for the 10-10-2 Rangers, who lost their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is the league leader in goals with 15 and points with 36. He also moved past Peter Stastny into second place among the Avalanche’s all-time points leaders with 1,051. Joe Sakic is the leader with 1,641. Meanwhile, Avalanche rookie Gavin Brindley left this game with a lower-body injury in the first period.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel scored twice and picked up an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Shea Theodore had three assists for the Golden Knights (10-4-6) as they extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2). Nate Schmidt scored for the Mammoth, who are 1-4-3 in their last eight and dropped to 10-8-3.

The Columbus Blue Jackets nipped the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on an overtime tally by Adam Fantilli, who finished the game with two goals and an assist. Zach Werenski picked up three assists for the Blue Jackets (11-8-2). John Tavares had a goal and an assist for the 9-9-3 Maple Leafs, who have one win in their last seven contests (1-4-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube provided an update on the status of goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who’s been sidelined since Nov. 11 with an upper-body injury. Berube said the injury was worse than they originally thought, adding the netminder isn’t ready yet to return to the ice. He remains hopeful that Stolarz will get back to action soon.

An overtime goal by Jack Guentzel gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Lightning Nick Paul scored in his season debut since undergoing surgery for an upper-body injury in mid-September as Tampa Bay improved to 11-7-2. Trent Frederic scored for the 9-9-5 Oilers, who have one win in their last five contests (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning placed defenseman Victor Hedman (undisclosed) on injured reserve. He’s expected to be sidelined for two weeks.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Tye Kartye, Shane Wright, and Jaden Schwartz lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Brandon Montour had two assists as the Kraken improved to 10-5-2. Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen scored for the 10-6-4 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Andre Burakovsky left the game late in the first period following a high hit from Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who received no penalty on the play. Connor Bedard, Burakovsky’s teammate, pulled no punches when asked about the incident following the game. “It’s back-to-back games, guys going right to the head,” Bedard said. “Nothing really happens. I think it sucks. He’s a great player. It’s bullshit.”

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored to extend his goal streak to five games and his points streak to six as his club doubled up the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 4-2. Jake Oettinger kicked out 34 shots for the Stars (13-5-3), who’ve won six of their last seven contests. Forwards Elias Pettersson and Linus Karlsson replied for the 9-11-2 Canucks, who have one win in their last six games (1-3-2).

The New York Islanders got a 29-save shutout performance from Ilya Sorokin to blank the Detroit Red Wings 5-0. Maxim Shabanov tallied two goals and collected an assist as the Islanders picked up their sixth win in their last seven games and improved to 12-7-2. John Gibson allowed five goals on 21 shots for the 12-8-1 Red Wings.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 31 shots to shut out the New Jersey Devils 1-0. Sam Reinhart tallied the only goal for the 11-8-1 Panthers. Jake Allen stopped 23 of 24 shots for the 13-6-1 Devils.

An overtime goal by Travis Sanheim gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Travis Konecny had two assists as the Flyers improved to 10-6-3 on the season. Justin Faulk tallied both goals for the 6-9-6 Blues.

Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson snapped a 2-2 tie with 1:38 remaining in the third period to beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Linus Ullmark made 23 saves for the win as the Senators improved to 10-6-4. Beckett Sennecke and Mason McTavish scored for the 13-7-1 Ducks, who remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 27 points.

A shootout goal by Philipp Kurashev lifted the San Jose Sharks to a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 31 shots for the Sharks as they improved their record to 10-8-3. Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist for the 10-6-5 Kings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2025

by | Nov 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2025

Hat trick performances by the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard, the Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini, and the Lightning’s Jake Guentzel, a milestone game for the Jets’ Mark Scheifele, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard tallied his second career hat trick (and his second of the season) in a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Rookie forward Oliver Moore had a goal and an assist as the Blackhawks (10-5-4) are 5-0-1 in their last six games. Rasmus Andersson had a goal and an assist for the 5-13-2 Flames, who’ve lost five of their last six.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is on a roll, with 11 goals in as many games. His 13 goals tied him with six other players for second among NHL scorers, and is tied for second in points with San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini.

Before this game, the Flames claimed center John Beecher off waivers from the Boston Bruins.

Speaking of Macklin Celebrini, his overtime goal completed a hat trick to nip the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Will Smith collected two assists, and Yaroslav Askarov made 24 saves as the Sharks improved to 9-8-3 on the season. JJ Peterka scored both goals for the Mammoth (10-7-3), leaving them with a record of 2-5-3 in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was also Celebrini’s second hat trick of the season, making it the second time in NHL history that multiple hat tricks were scored by two players age 20 or younger. The last time was on Feb. 19, 1944, by Jack Hamilton and Bud Poile of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a hat trick from Jake Guentzel in a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists while Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 31 shots for the 10-7-2 Lightning. Nico Hischier replied for the Devils (13-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele collected three assists and became the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (898) in a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, and Neal Pionk each had a goal and an assist as the Jets improved to 12-7-0. Zach Werenski scored to become the first defenseman in Blue Jackets history to reach 400 career points. His club’s record slipped to 10-8-2 as its five-game points streak (3-0-2) ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko’s points streak ended at 12 games.

Detroit Red Wings rookie Nate Danielson had a goal and an assist for his first two NHL points to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Lucas Raymond also had a goal and an assist,and team captain Dylan Larkin scored for his 600th career NHL regular-season point as the Red Wings moved into first place in the Atlantic Division. Jordan Eberle and Ryker Evans tallied for the Kraken, who dropped to 9-5-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord returned to action after being sidelined by a lower-body injury since Nov. 5.

The New York Islanders got their fifth win in six games by holding off the Dallas Stars 3-2. Kyle Palmieri got the game-winning goal and picked up an assist for the 11-7-2 Islanders. Jason Robertson scored both goals for the Stars (12-5-3) as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for hitting Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov from behind late in the third period. Romanov had to be helped off the ice, but did not require off-site treatment. Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom missed this game due to illness.

William Nylander’s overtime goal lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the St. Louis Blues 3-2, snapping a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Jake McCabe and Steven Lorentz also scored, and Joseph Woll made 28 saves for the 9-9-2 Maple Leafs. Nathan Walker and Dalibor Dvorsky replied for the Blues, who have dropped three straight and fallen to 6-9-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the New York Rangers 3-2, ending the latter’s six-game road win streak. Tomas Hertl collected two assists, and Shea Theodore tallied the winning goal as the Golden Knights improved to 9-4-6. Vincent Trocheck and Jonny Brodzinski replied for the 10-9-2 Rangers.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Penn State University forward Gavin McKenna has struggled thus far in his first season in the NCAA.

Ranked as the early top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft, the 17-year-old left wing has four goals and 15 points in 14 games, but his performance hasn’t been as dominant as expected. He’s struggled at even strength and with the physical style of the NCAA game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna wanted to test himself against NCAA competition, and he’s finding that it’s more challenging than he expected. How he responds and adjusts over the rest of this season could determine whether he remains the top prospect in next year’s draft.

DAILY FACEOFF/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ville Koivunen is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, the club placed winger Philip Tomasino on waivers.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring is expected to be sidelined for an extended period with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins $2,000.00 for embellishment during a Nov. 9 game against the Utah Mammoth.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2025

by | Nov 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2025

The Predators beat the Penguins in the first games of their Global Series, Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer makes history with an overtime goal, and the latest injury updates in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Steven Stamkos lifted the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first game of their two-game Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. The Predators (6-9-4) overcame a 1-0 deficit as Filip Forsberg scored late in the third period to send the game to overtime. Evgeni Malkin scored for the 9-5-4 Penguins.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images).

New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer became the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal (18 years, 70 days) to nip the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Emil Heineman and Jonathan Drouin also scored for the Islanders (10-6-2), who picked up their fourth straight win. JJ Peterka and Dylan Guenther scored for the 10-7-1 Mammoth, who have dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer sits atop this season’s rookie scoring race with 15 points in 18 games.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Sebastian Aho. Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and collected an assist, and Shayne Gostisbehere picked up three assists as the Hurricanes improved to 12-5-0. Center Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (8-9-2), who are winless in their last three contests (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forwards Seth Jarvis and Jesperi Kotkaniemi left this game with injuries. Jarvis was accidentally clipped in the eye by Svechnikov’s stick in the first period, but he’s not expected to miss much time. Kotkaniemi left after the first period with a lower-body injury.

Earlier in the day, the Canucks placed goaltender Thatcher Demko (lower body) on injured reserve.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras had two goals and an assist in regulation and tallied the only goal in the shootout in a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Blues. Owen Tippett had a goal and three assists, and Christian Dvorak also had two goals and an assist for the 9-5-3 Flyers. Richard Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Jimmy Snuggerud each had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who dropped to 6-8-4.

INJURY UPDATES

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Joseph Woll from his AHL conditioning stint, and placed captain Auston Matthews (lower body) on injured reserve.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW/CBS SPORTS: Devils center Jack Hughes suffered a hand injury during a team dinner on Thursday when he slipped and cut his hand in a fluke accident. He’s not expected to play against the Washington Capitals on Saturday and will continue to be evaluated.

Meanwhile, the Devils placed forward Connor Brown (upper body) on injured reserve.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Alex Newhook underwent surgery on Friday to repair a fractured ankle. He is expected to be sidelined for four months. The Canadiens also announced that defenseman Kaiden Guhle will be out for 8 to 10 weeks with a partially torn adductor muscle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will test the depth of the young Canadiens roster. Newhook was off to a terrific start before this injury with 12 points in 17 games. Guhle’s been out since Oct. 16.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings goaltender John Gibson returned to practice on Friday after leaving Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks with an upper-body injury. He revealed he’d left due to a headache after being struck by two shots off his facemask.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed defenseman Troy Stecher on waivers and demoted winger Isaac Howard to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. The moves were made to create room for winger Zach Hyman and blueliner Alec Regula, who are both returning from injuries.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2025

by | Nov 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2025

Panthers winger Brad Marchand nets his 1000th point, the Senators re-sign Shane Pinto, Scott Wedgewood signs an extension with the Avalanche, remembering hockey pundit Larry Brooks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand collected two assists, including his 1,000th career NHL regular-season point, in a 6-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell, and Eetu Luostarinen each had three points, and Danill Tarasov made 37 saves for the 9-7-1 Panthers. Rasmus Sandin had a goal and an assist for the struggling Capitals (8-8-1), who have two wins in their nine games.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is off to a sizzling start to this season. The 37-year-old winger leads the Panthers with 11 goals and 20 points in 16 games.

The Ottawa Senators got two goals and an assist from Tim Stutzle to defeat the Boston Bruins 5-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Claude Giroux and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and an assist for the Senators (9-5-4), who’ve won three of their last four contests. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie each had a goal and an assist for the 11-8-0 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Senators announced Shane Pinto had agreed to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.5 million. The 25-year-old center was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next July. This contract doubles Pinto’s AAV and will enable him to become eligible for unrestricted free agent status at age 29.

Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas scored twice and collected two assists to lead his club over the Buffalo Sabres 6-3. Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games as the Avalanche (12-1-5) holds first place in the overall standings with 29 points. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist as the 5-8-4 Sabres are winless in their last five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche announced that Scott Wedgewood agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $2.5 million. The 33-year-old backup goalie played well as he filled in for sidelined starter Mackenzie Blackwood, leading the league with 10 wins in 14 contests.

Before this game, the Avalanche activated defenseman Samuel Girard off injured reserve. He’d been sidelined for the past 15 games.

The Dallas Stars thumped the Montreal Canadiens 7-0. Jason Robertson scored two goals and picked up an assist, Radek Faksa collected three assists, and Casey DeSmith stopped 24 shots for the shutout as the Stars (11-4-3) picked up their third straight win. Jakub Dobes got the hook after giving up five goals on 13 shots for the 10-5-2 Canadiens, who have one win in their last five games (1-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second straight lopsided loss for the Canadiens against a bigger, more experienced Western Conference team. They still hold first place in the Atlantic Division over the Senators and Bruins based on games played, but this promising club has more work to do to compete against Stanley Cup contenders such as the Stars. In the meantime, they could be without forward Alex Newhook for a while. He left this game in the second period when he injured his right leg after he was sent crashing into the end boards.

An overtime goal by Quinton Byfield lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Byfield and Drew Doughty each finished with two points for the 9-5-4 Kings, who’ve won three straight games. John Tavares scored two goals and Dennis Hildeby turned aside 33 shots for the Leafs (8-8-2), who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs played without captain Auston Matthews and goaltender Anthony Stolarz. Matthews will be sidelined for at least a week with a lower-body injury, while Stolarz is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Leafs placed center David Kampf on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.

Kings captain Anze Kopitar was held scoreless in his last regular-season game in Toronto. He has never scored against the Leafs on their home ice.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat had two goals and an assist to beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-3. Patrick Kane collected two assists to reach the 1,350-point milestone as the Red Wings (10-7-0) snapped a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Leo Carlsson’s point streak ended at 11 games as the 11-5-2 Ducks (23 points) have lost two straight games, holding a one-point lead over the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings goaltender John Gibson left this game after the second period with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Ducks activated Ryan Strome from injured reserve for this game. It was his season debut after suffering an upper-body injury during training camp.

Columbus Blue Jackets forwards Mathieu Olivier and Charlie Coyle each had three points to nip the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 5-4. Winger Kirill Marchenko picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games as the Blue Jackets picked up their second straight win and improved to 9-7-1. Leon Draisaitl scored two goals and Connor McDavid had two assists for the Oilers, who slipped to 8-7-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner did not play in this game. He’s out with an upper-body injury and could be sidelined for a while. “It’s not short-term,” coach Dean Evason said.

The Seattle Kraken got two goals from Jordan Eberle as they rallied to a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Vince Dunn had a goal and two assists for the Kraken as they improved to 8-4-5. Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist for the 10-7-0 Jets, who’ve lost four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Jets activated defenseman Dylan Samberg off injured reserve for this game. He made his season debut after being sidelined for six weeks.

A shorthanded overtime goal by Jean-Gabriel Pageau gave the New York Islanders a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer had a goal and an assist as the Islanders (9-6-2) picked up their third straight victory. Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl, and Reilly Smith replied for the 7-4-5 Golden Knights, who are winless in their last four (0-2-2).

The Calgary Flames got a 16-save shutout from goaltender Dustin Wolf to blank the San Jose Sharks 2-0. Blake Coleman and Samuel Honzek were the goal scorers for the 5-12-2 Flames as they ended a three-game losing streak. Yaroslav Askarov gave up one goal on 34 shots for the 8-7-3 Sharks as their four-game win streak ended.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Long-time hockey pundit Larry Brooks passed away on Thursday at age 75 following a brief bout with cancer.

Brooks spent 38 years with the Post, covering the Rangers, Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. In 2018, he received the Elmer Ferguson Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame in recognition of his achievements in covering the game. Brooks also served as president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association from 2001 to 2003.

Brooks’ passing prompted an outpouring of tributes throughout the NHL from past and present players, coaches, general managers, league executives, and pundits. Among them was former Rangers head coach John Tortorella, who had a sometimes testy relationship with Brooks. Tortorella called him an icon, adding he would be missed by the hockey community.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to Brooks’ family, friends, and his colleagues at the Post. I followed his work regularly since 1998, when I started this website. I didn’t always agree with what he wrote, but I respected his work. There was no denying that he was a well-connected, entertaining, old-school hockey scribe whose passion for the game shone through in every article that he wrote. His Sunday “Slap Shots” column was a must-read.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes skipped practice on Thursday, but head coach Adam Foote remains hopeful he’ll be able to suit up on Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s currently listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for boarding Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi on Wednesday.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Devils, they placed forward Zack MacEwen (lower body) on injured reserve.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios is selling his Malibu beachfront mansion. The list price is nearly $60 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2025

by | Nov 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2025

The Oilers stage a comeback win, the Rangers finally win at home, Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, and Duncan Keith highlight the 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame inductions, the 3 stars of the week are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored twice, Jake Walman netted the tying goal, and Jack Roslovic scored in overtime as the Edmonton Oilers overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4. Walman finished with three points (including two goals) for the Oilers, who snapped a three-game winless skid (0-2-1) and improved to 7-6-4. Adam Fantilli and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist for the 7-7-1 Blue Jackets, who are winless in their last four (0-3-1).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Oilers placed center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (undisclosed) on injured reserve, moved winger Kasperi Kapanen (undisclosed) on long-term injury reserve, and activated forward Mattias Janmark off injured reserve.

The New York Rangers picked up their first home win of the season by beating the Nashville Predators by a score of 6-3. Artemi Panarin tallied twice, and Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and two assists for the Rangers (8-7-2). Rookie forward Matthew Wood scored all three goals for the Predators, who are winless in five games (0-3-2) and dropped to 5-9-4 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers center Vincent Trocheck collected two assists as he returned to action after missing 14 games with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Wood is among the few bright spots for the struggling Predators. The 20-year-old rookie winger sits third among their scorers and fifth among NHL freshmen with 10 points in 11 games.

An overtime goal by Mathew Barzal lifted the New York Islanders over the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves as the Islanders, who improved their record to 8-6-2. Timo Meier had a goal and an assist for the Devils (11-4-1), who collected a point and sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 23 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Zack MacEwen returned to the lineup after missing 13 games with an upper-body injury.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand extended his goal streak to five games in a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Jesper Boqvist and Sam Reinhart also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots for the 8-7-1 Panthers. Tomas Hertl and Ivan Barbashev replied for the Golden Knights (7-4-4), who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Former NHL stars Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, Duncan Keith, and Alexander Mogilny were among those officially inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Monday.

Former women’s stars Jennifer Botterill and Brianna Decker were also inducted into the Players’ category. Jack Parker and Daniele Sauvageau were inducted into the Builders’ category.

Chara thanked fellow Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom for inspiring him as a player. He also thanked several of his Boston Bruins teammates, including Patrice Bergeron, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2011.

Keith thanked his mother for taking him to practices when he was a child. He also thanked Trent Yawney, his first coach with the Blackhawks, his long-time defense partner Brent Seabrook, and his son, Colton Keith.

Thornton thanked several Hall of Famers for inspiring him as a child and during his NHL career, including Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Pat LaFontaine, Cam Neely, Eric Lindros, and Steve Yzerman. He got emotional as he thanked his wife and children.

Mogilny didn’t attend the ceremony, but sent a video message thanking the teams he played for and their fans. He also joked that he had a shot of Russian vodka to celebrate, as he was unable to return to sleep after getting the call from the Hall at three in the morning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the HhoF Class of 2025. You can watch the full induction speeches by following the link above.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, and Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson were the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 9.

TSN: Buffalo Sabres forward Jiri Kulich will miss a significant period of time this season due to a blood clot issue that is described as serious. Head coach Lindy Ruff expects Kulich to return later this season, depending on how things go over the next several weeks.

NESN: Boston Bruins center Casey Mittelstadt is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks defenseman Nick Leddy has been activated off injured reserve. He’s been sidelined since late October with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin has been named GM of Canada’s 2025 Spengler Cup team. Bergevin is currently an advisor with the Los Angeles Kings.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2025

by | Nov 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2025

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and the Canadiens’ Cole Caufield tie for the goal-scoring lead, the Ducks and Bruins extend their win streaks to six games, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and two assists while Cale Makar, Parker Kelly, and Jack Drury each tallied twice to thump the Edmonton Oilers 9-1. MacKinnon extended his points streak to eight games as the Avalanche (9-1-5) sits atop the overall standings with 23 points. Connor McDavid replied for the 6-6-3 Oilers, who’ve lost three straight games.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all NHL scorers with 23 points and is tied for first with 12 goals. As for the Oilers, this was a humiliating defeat at every level, raising further questions about their viability as a Stanley Cup contender.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored twice in a 6-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth, extending their points streak to six games (4-0-2) as they sit atop the Atlantic Division with 22 points (10-3-2). Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens. Kailer Yamamoto and Lawson Crouse scored for the 9-6-0 Mammoth, who’ve dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield’s 12 goals tied him with MacKinnon for the league goal-scoring lead.

The Anaheim Ducks picked up their sixth straight win by nipping the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on an overtime goal by Jacob Trouba. Leo Carlsson scored two goals and set up another as the 10-3-1 Ducks (21 points) opened a three-point lead over the 7-3-4 Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division. Pavel Dorofeyev and Kaeden Korczak scored as Vegas overcame a 3-1 deficit in the third period to force overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks are looking like they’re for real this season. Meanwhile, Golden Knights center William Karlsson left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins forward Morgan Geekie had a goal and an assist as his club extended its win streak to six games with a 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeremy Swayman made 30 saves for the Bruins (10-7-0), who sit second to the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division with 20 points. Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli, and John Tavares replied for the 8-6-1 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference before their win streak began. Before this game, they placed Elias Lindholm (lower body) on injured reserve. They also played without defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Casey Mittelstadt. McAvoy was away attending to a personal matter, while Mittelstadt was sidelined by a lower-body injury.

Meanwhile, Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz was pulled from this game in the second period after giving up four goals on 19 shots. Leafs forward Scott Laughton departed with an upper-body injury in the second period.

The San Jose Sharks won their third straight game by downing the Florida Panthers 3-1. Yaroslav Askarov kicked out 38 shots, Macklin Celebrini tallied his 10th goal of the season, and Will Smith collected two assists for the 7-6-3 Sharks. Brad Marchand extended his goal streak to four games for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who are 7-7-1 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-ravaged Panthers lost another player for a significant period as forward Jonah Gadjovich will miss the next three months as he undergoes surgery for an upper-body injury. They’re already missing Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov, and Tomas Nosek.

Sharks winger William Eklund (lower body) was moved to injured reserve.

New Jersey Devils goalie Jake Allen turned aside 33 shots and Jesper Bratt scored in the shootout for a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Arseny Gritsyuk also scored for the 11-4-0 Devils, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 22 points. Ryan Graves replied for the 9-4-3 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton missed this contest as he’s expected to miss a week with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators got two goals from Tim Stutzle, including the winner in overtime, to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Michael Amadio also scored for the 7-5-3 Senators. Matvei Michkov and Jamie Drysdale tallied for the Flyers (8-5-2).

Dallas Stars forwards Adam Erne and Sam Steel scored 47 seconds apart in the third period to lift their club to a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators. Miro Heiskanen, Wyatt Johntson, and Mavrik Bourque each had two points for the Stars (8-4-3). Ryan O’Reilly and Nick Blakenburg each had two points for the 5-8-4 Predators, who have lost four straight.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel scored for the sixth time in seven games as his club beat the Washington Capitals 3-2. Hagel and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 29 saves for the 8-5-2 Lightning, who’ve won seven of their last eight contests. Brandon Duhaime and John Carlson replied for the 7-7-1 Capitals, who’ve lost six of their last seven.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh left this game after the first period with an undisclosed injury. The Bolts were also playing without center Anthony Cirelli, who is recovering from an upper-body injury suffered against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.

The New York Islanders got a 33-save performance from Ilya Sorokin to shut out the New York Rangers 5-0, leaving the latter winless at home thus far this season (0-6-1). Bo Horvat tallied twice and Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Jonathan Drouin each had a goal and two assists for the 7-6-2 Islanders. Igor Shesterkin gave up four goals on 25 shots for the Rangers, who dropped to 7-7-2.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the 5-6-4 Sabres, who’ve lost three straight games. The Hurricanes picked up their third straight win and improved to 10-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. They also placed defenseman Jalen Chatfield (upper body) on injured reserve.

An overtime goal by Shane Wright gave the Seattle Kraken a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and two assists for the Kraken as they improved to 7-3-4. Dylan Holloway, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Jordan Kyrou scored for the 5-8-3 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord missed this game as he stayed in Seattle to receive treatment for an upper-body injury. They also activated defenseman Ryker Evans off injured reserve for this game. He made his season debut after being sidelined with an upper-body injury suffered during preseason play.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser’s third-period goal lifted his club over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves as the Canucks improved to 8-8-0. Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov each had three points for the Blue Jackets (7-7-0), who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CALGARY SUN: Flames rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Los Angeles Kings winger Warren Foegele will return to action during Sunday’s game against the Penguins. He’s been sidelined for two weeks with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL center and general manager Mel Bridgman passed away on Saturday at age 70.

Selected first overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft, Bridgman spent 14 seasons as a player from 1975-76 to 1988-89 with the Flyers, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and Vancouver Canucks. He captained the Flyers from 1979-80 to 1980-81, and the Devils from 1984-85 to 1986-87. Bridgman had 252 goals and 449 assists for 701 points in 977 regular-season games, and 67 points in 125 playoff contests.

After his playing career, Bridgman was named the first general manager of the Ottawa Senators in 1991, a role he held until 1993. He was inducted into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

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