NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2026

by | Apr 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2026

Mitch Marner, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt each have five-point games, the Hurricanes and Wild clinch playoff berths, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane becomes the highest-scoring American player, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mitch Marner tallied a hat trick and collected two assists to lead the Vegas Golden Knights over the Calgary Flames 6-3. Ivan Barbashev had a goal and two assists for Vegas (34-26-16), who picked up their second straight win under interim coach John Tortorella. With 84 points, the Golden Knights are third in the Pacific Division. Blake Coleman scored twice for the 31-36-8 Flames.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart stopped 19 saves in his return to action after being sidelined by a leg injury since Jan. 8.

New Jersey Devils forwards Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each had five points in a 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Hughes had two goals and three assists while Bratt had a goal and four assists for the Devils (39-34-2). Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist for the 38-29-9 Capitals (85 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Devils announced that rookie forward Arseny Gritsyuk will undergo season-ending surgery for an upper-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth with a 5-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Logan Stankoven scored two goals while Taylor Hall and Sebastian Aho each had two assists for the 48-21-6 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 102 points. Denton Mateychuk scored for the Blue Jackets (38-26-12), who are 0-4-1 in their last five games. They sit outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal played in his 1,400th NHL regular-season game.

The Minnesota Wild punched their ticket to the postseason by defeating the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Matt Boldy scored two goals, including his 40th of the season, and collected an assist while Ryan Hartman also tallied twice for the Wild (41-21-12), who sit third in the Central Division with 96 points. Tom Wallinder and Jake DeBrusk replied for the 22-45-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first game between the two clubs since the Canucks traded Quinn Hughes to the Wild in December. Hughes collected an assist against his former club. This loss ensured the Canucks will finish last in the overall standings, improving their odds of winning the draft lottery next month.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Alex DeBrincat had two goals for the 40-27-8 Red Wings, who sit out of the Eastern wild-card spot with 88 points. Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny scored for the Flyers (37-26-12), who are two points behind the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 1,393 regular-season points, Kane surpassed Hall of Famer Brett Hull (1,391 points) to become the league’s all-time leading American scorer. Earlier this season, he overtook Mike Modano (1,374 points) to become the highest-scoring American-born scorer.

Foerster was playing in his first game after missing 49 games recovering from arm surgery.

The Ottawa Senators reclaimed the final Eastern wild card by beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-1. Lars Eller scored the winning goal, Ridly Greig had a goal and an assist, and Linus Ullmark stopped 21 shots for the Senators (39-26-10), who have 88 points and hold the wild card over the Red Wings with 33 regulation wins. Mattias Samuelsson scored for the 46-22-8 Sabres, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in 14 years. They’ll get another chance to do so when they face the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Sabres forward Sam Carrick didn’t play as he’s week-to-week with an injured left arm. Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven was absent from this game with an upper-body injury.

A hat trick by Anthony Cirelli carried the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists for the 47-22-6 Lightning, who sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 100 points. Egor Chinahkov scored twice for the Penguins (38-22-16), who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning placed defenseman and team captain Victor Hedman on long-term injury reserve. He hasn’t played since March 19.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored twice, including the winning goal, as his club nipped the New York Rangers 3-2. Nick Suzuki collected two assists while Jacob Fowler made 22 saves for the Canadiens (44-21-10), who hold third place in the Atlantic with 98 points. Adam Fox and Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers (31-36-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield has 49 goals, sitting one back of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy.

The Florida Panthers got a 28-save performance from Sergei Bobrovsky (including 15 in the third period) in a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers (37-35-3). Fraser Minten had the only goal for the 43-25-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 94 points.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 22 saves to shut out the Winnipeg Jets 3-0. Matt Duchene, Arttu Hyry, and Adam Erne were the goal scorers for the 45-19-12 Stars, who hold second place in the Western Conference with 102 points. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18 of 21 shots for the 32-31-12 Jets (75 points), who are three points behind the San Jose Sharks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Elias Salomonsson left this game midway through the second period after a high hit from Stars winger Jason Robertson.

Speaking of the Sharks, they regained the final Western wild card with a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Collin Graf scored his 20th goal of the season while William Eklund and Zack Ostapchuk each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (36-31-7), who’ve won four straight games and now have 79 points. John Tavares scored for the 32-31-13 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the loss, the Maple Leafs have been officially eliminated from the postseason race for the first time in 10 years. Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Nashville Predators winger Luke Evangelista scored in the eighth round of the shootout to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-4. The Predators (35-31-9) had a 4-1 lead, but the Kings (30-26-19) stormed back to tie the game. Both clubs sit behind the Sharks with 79 points each.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have more wins than the Predators and Kings, and they also have a game in hand over both clubs.

The Edmonton Oilers picked up their fifth straight win by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Adam Henrique, Matt Savoie, and Vasily Podkolzin scored for the 39-28-9 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 87 points. Nick Lardis scored for the 27-35-14 Blackhawks, who were officially eliminated from the playoff race for the sixth straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are tied with the Anaheim Ducks, but the latter holds first place with two more wins and a game in hand.

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Dylan Guenther had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth (39-30-6), who hold the first Western wild card with 84 points. Jordan Eberle and Bobby McMann replied for the 32-31-11 Kraken, who have dropped seven of their last eight games to sit four points behind the Sharks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2026

by | Mar 19, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2026

Sidney Crosby returns to action for the Penguins, Alex Ovechkin ties another scoring record, the latest from the general managers’ meetings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A seven-goal third period set the stage for Sean Walker’s overtime goal from a beautiful set-up by Sebastian Aho as the Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5. Jackson Blake had a goal and two assists while Nikolaj Ehlers collected three assists for the Hurricanes (43-19-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 92 points. Erik Karlsson scored twice and picked up an assist, and Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist in his return to action for the 34-18-16 Penguins, who are in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby suffered a lower-body injury during the Olympics that sidelined him for 11 games. Before this game, the league fined Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis $5,000 for high-sticking Columbus Blue Jackets winger Conor Garland on Tuesday.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 25th goal of the season, and Cole Hutson scored in his NHL debut in a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Logan Thompson made 34 saves for the Capitals (34-27-8). Tim Stutzle replied for the 34-24-9 Senators (77 points), who remain five points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin reached the 25-goal plateau for the 20th time, tying him with Gordie Howe for the most in league history. In case you’re wondering, he holds the record for the most 30-goal seasons with 19. Hutson is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson.

A shootout goal by Wyatt Johnston lifted the Dallas Stars over the Colorado Avalanche 2-1. Jake Oettinger stopped 33 shots, and Jason Robertson scored for the 43-15-10 Stars, who sit in second place in the overall standings with 96 points. Cale Makar tallied his 20th goal of the season for the Avalanche (44-13-10), who hold first overall with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Entering 2026, the Avalanche were so far ahead in the overall standings that some observers wondered if they’d break the Boston Bruins’ 2022-23 record for the most wins (65) and points (135). However, they’ve stumbled since Jan. 4 with a record of 13 wins, 11 losses, and three overtime losses.

The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on an overtime goal by Noah Cates. Dan Vladar kicked out 34 shots while Luke Glendening and Owen Tippett scored in regulation for the 32-23-12 Flyers. Cutter Gauthier had a goal and an assist for the 37-27-4 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Trevor Zegras’ first game in Anaheim since being traded last summer to the Philadelphia Flyers. He spent five seasons with the Ducks and received a loud ovation from the fans when a tribute video was played during a TV timeout.

Before this game, the Ducks announced that forward Ross Johnston will miss the next three to four weeks with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Ducks play-by-play man Steve Carroll will retire at the end of this season. He’s been calling their games for 27 seasons.

A shootout goal by Joel Farabee gave the Calgary Flames a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Blues. Connor Zary scored in regulation while Devin Cooley turned aside 26 shots for the 27-34-7 Flames. Dylan Holloway replied for the 27-30-11 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues matched a league record with three successful coach’s challenges.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes had a goal and two assists to lead his team over the New York Rangers by a score of 6-3. Connor Brown also had a goal and two assists for the 35-31-2 Devils. Mika Zibanejad, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Conor Sheary scored for the 28-32-8 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Hughes, he wasn’t happy that his Olympic “golden goal” puck and that of Team USA women’s team scorer Megan Keller were being held in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He called it “bulls**t” and felt the pucks belonged to the players who scored those goals.

Hughes walked back his comments on Thursday, claiming he’s honored that the puck is in the Hall. “It’s like the most special place in hockey,” Hughes said. “So yeah, I’m honored that it’s there. Obviously, I think things were taken crazy (this week). That’s just the way I felt.”

Meanwhile, Hockey Hall of Fame curator Phillip Pritchard said the puck “was never Jack’s to own.” He explained that the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation stage the Olympic Games. Since 1998, the IIHF has been responsible for collecting, authenticating, and preserving items from the Olympic and world championship tournaments. It was the IIHF that officially donated Hughes’ golden goal puck to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Players who score milestone goals in the NHL are typically allowed to keep the pucks and gear for themselves. The Hall will frequently request items for its collection, but there’s no guarantee that the player or team will donate them.

That’s why Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin kept the puck from his record-breaking 895th goal last season. However, he donated his gear from that game to the Hall last summer.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman continues to swat aside calls for changes to the playoff format, claiming he’s “more than comfortable” with the current setup. Bettman made those remarks to reporters as this week’s three-day meetings of general managers wrapped up on Wednesday.

Things got a bit spicy during the GM meetings when Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek sought further clarification on a controversial goaltender interference ruling that went against his team in a recent game against the Ottawa Senators. He reportedly didn’t sound very satisfied with what he heard.

Russia’s participation in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey remains in doubt if that country’s war with Ukraine continues. Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly denied a report from Czechia claiming Sweden, Finland, and Czechia wouldn’t participate if Russia does.

Bettman also defended the department of player safety after it received widespread criticism for the five-game suspension handed to Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who is out for the rest of the season as a result.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bettman and Daly discussed other topics, but these were the main points worth passing along. Nothing of any real surprise, other than Verbeek raising a stink about the goaltender interference rule.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers placed winger Brad Marchand on long-term injury reserve with an undisclosed injury. He’s been sidelined since March 6, raising doubts as to whether he’ll return before the end of the season.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Islanders signed winger Cole Eiserman to an entry-level contract.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed forward Zachary L’Heureux to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $875,000.

HOCKEY 24/7: Penn State forward and potential 2026 first-overall draft pick Gavin McKenna is among the 10 candidates for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2026

by | Mar 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2026

Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov has a five-point game, Oilers center Leon Draisaitl is out for the rest of the regular season, Canadiens winger Cole Caufield tallied his 40th goal of the season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov scored a hat trick and collected two assists in a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Brandon Hagel had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (41-21-4), who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 86 points. Bobby McMann and Jared McCann replied for the 31-27-9 Kraken, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 71 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov overtook Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for second place in the scoring race with 111 points, sitting four points behind Edmonton Oilers captain Nathan MacKinnon.

The Edmonton Oilers defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-3. Max Jones scored the tie-breaker, and Zach Hyman netted the insurance goal for the 34-26-9 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 77 points. Kiefer Sherwood and Dmitry Orlov each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (32-28-6), who sit one point behind the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Oilers announced that center Leon Draisaitl will miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury. Draisaitl sits second among Oilers scorers with 97 points and fourth among NHL scorers, so his absence will be a significant test for the Oilers as they attempt to nail down a playoff berth in the Western Conference.

An overtime goal by Cole Caufield lifted the Montreal Canadiens over the Boston Bruins 3-2. Caufield and Nick Suzuki each finished with a goal and an assist, while Jakub Dobes stopped 26 shots for the Canadiens (37-20-10) as they continue to hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 84 points. Pavel Zacha scored both goals for the 37-23-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the first time that Caufield has reached the 40-goal plateau, making him the first Canadien to do so since Vincent Damphousse in 1993-94. Caufield also holds second place among NHL goal scorers this season, five goals behind Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon.

Before this game, the Canadiens announced that winger Kirby Dach would be sidelined for two to four weeks with an upper-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets pushed their points streak to 10 games with a 5-1 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Charlie Coyle had a goal and three assists while Jet Greaves turned aside 27 shots for the red-hot Blue Jackets, who improved to 35-21-11 and sit one point behind the Bruins and the idle Detroit Red Wings in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes (42-19-6) as they cling to first place in the East.

Speaking of red-hot teams, the Buffalo Sabres blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 2-0 to pick up their 10th win in their last 11 games. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 28 saves for his first shutout of the season while Josh Doan and Josh Norris were the goal scorers as the Sabres (42-20-6) remain in second place in the Eastern Conference with 90 points. Adin Hill stopped 23 of 24 shots for the 31-23-14 Golden Knights, who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 76 points.

The Minnesota Wild blew a 3-1 lead before downing the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Mats Zuccarello. Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists, and Brock Faber picked up three assists for the 39-18-12 Wild, who are in third place in the Central Division with 90 points. Frank Nazar and Louis Crevier each had a goal and an assist while Connor Bedard collected two assists for the 25-30-12 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek missed this game with a lower-body injury and is expected to remain sidelined for at least two more games.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal had three assists while Calum Ritchie had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brayden Schenn scored his first goal since being acquired by the Islanders (39-24-5) at the trade deadline. The Isles sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points. Steven Lorentz replied for the 29-28-12 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Islanders announced the signing of defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson to a three-year entry-level contract. Aitcheson, 19, was chosen 17th overall by the Islanders in last year’s draft. He has 70 points in 54 games with the OHL’s Barrie Colts. The New York Post reports he’ll likely only play for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport once his junior season ends.

The Nashville Predators got a 36-save performance from goalie Juuse Saros to nip the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 on a shootout goal by Ryan O’Reilly. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist for the 30-28-9 Predators (69 points), who sit two points behind the Kraken for the final Western wild-card spot. Kyle Connor had three assists for the Jets (28-28-11), who are four points back of the Kraken.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson tallied twice to snap a 20-game goalless drought in a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers. Marco Rossi and Brock Boeser each had three points for the 21-38-8 Canucks. Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett replied for the 33-31-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson also reached the 200-goal milestone in this game.

HEADLINES

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews’ season-ending knee injury has NHL stars such as Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Matthews’ teammate John Tavares pushing for change in the NHL’s department of player safety.

Matthews was injured following a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas. A repeat offender, Gudas received a five-game suspension from the league, which Matthews’ agent called “laughable and preposterous”.

Department head George Parros defended his staff on Tuesday. He stood by the five-game suspension, expressing confidence in the hard work his staff puts in to reach their decisions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That doesn’t excuse the fact that the DOPS got it wrong, very wrong, by handing Gudas what amounted to a slap on the wrist for ending Matthews’ season with a blatant cheapshot.

The on-ice officials made the right call by handing Gudas a major penalty and a game misconduct. However, Parros and his group made the latest in a long series of confusing decisions that have amounted to growing frustration and calls for change around the league. Whether anything will come of it remains to be seen.

ESPN.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes wants the Hockey Hall of Fame to give him back the puck from his gold-medal-winning overtime goal for Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

“I’m trying to get it. Like, that’s bulls**t that the Hockey Hall of Fame has it, in my opinion. Why would they have that puck?” Hughes said, adding that he wants to give the puck to his father.

The Hockey Hall of Fame has begun displaying Hughes’ “golden goal” puck and that of Megan Keller, whose overtime goal won gold for Team USA’s Women’s hockey team. “I don’t see why Megan Keller or I shouldn’t have those pucks,” Hughes said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not a good look for Hughes. Those pucks represent two great moments in hockey history and are on display for all hockey fans to enjoy.

Keller hasn’t made a similar comment, leading one to assume that she has no issue with her golden goal being displayed in the Hall.

Sidney Crosby’s “golden goal” from the 2010 Winter Olympics has been on display in the HHoF for years. Crosby has never asked for it to be returned to him.

TSN: Ottawa Senators defenseman Nick Jensen will undergo season-ending knee surgery.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins forward Blake Lizotte will miss the last four weeks of the Penguins’ season with an upper-body injury.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed prospect center Cole Knuble to an entry-level contract. The 21-year-old is the son of former NHL forward Mike Knuble.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2026

by | Mar 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s action, the host cities for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey are announced, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Evgeni Malkin had two goals and an assist in his return from suspension to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 7-2 drubbing of the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists, and Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist for the 34-18-15 Penguins, who hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points. Nathan MacKinnon tallied his league-leading 45th goal of the season for the Avalanche (44-13-9).

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Malkin served a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin. Brent Burns also scored for the Avalanche, netting his 271st career NHL regular- season goal to move past Bobby Orr into seventh place on the list of most goals by a defenseman.

Third-period goals by Jack McBain, Kailer Yamamoto, Michael Carcone, and Lawson Crouse lifted the Utah Mammoth over the Dallas Stars 6-3, snapping the latter’s 15-game point streak. With the win, the Mammoth improved to 35-27-6, holding the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 76 points. Sam Steel, Wyatt Johnston, and Adam Erne replied for the Stars (42-15-10), who sit second in the overall standings with 94 points, three behind the Avalanche.

Los Angeles Kings winger Artemi Panarin had an assist in his first game against the New York Rangers in a 4-1 win over his former club. Alex Laferriere had a goal and two assists, and Mikey Anderson netted a goal and an assist for the 28-24-15 Kings, who sit just behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western wild-card spot with 71 points. Vincent Trocheck scored for the 28-31-8 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panarin received a standing ovation from the Madison Square Garden crowd. The 34-year-old winger spent the best seasons of his career during his nearly seven years with the Rangers, with 205 goals and 402 assists for 607 points in 482 regular-season games. He’s sixth among NHL scorers during that period.

The Kings have the same amount of points as the Kraken, but the latter holds that wild card with a game in hand. They also have three more wins than the Kings. Meanwhile, Kings winger Adrian Kempe missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Calgary Flames 5-2. Patrick Kane tallied twice, and Alex DeBrincat collected three assists for the 37-23-8 Red Wings, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 82 points. Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato scored for the 26-34-7 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are tied with the Montreal Canadiens in points, but the latter holds third place in the Atlantic Division with two games in hand.

An overtime goal by Paul Cotter lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins. It was the second of two goals by Cotter while Jack Hughes collected three assists for the 34-31-2 Devils. David Pastrnak scored twice for the Bruins (37-23-7), who hold the final Eastern wild card with 81 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes passed the 400-point milestone (402). He became the fastest player in Devils history to reach that mark, doing so in 414 regular-season games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The NHL and NHL Players Association announced the host cities for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. Calgary and Edmonton will be the North American hosts, while Czechia’s capital city of Prague will be the European host.

The tournament will be held during the 2027-28 season, with 17 games in 13 days held in February 2028.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the World Cup of Hockey, Canada will have a new general manager as Doug Armstrong has stepped down from the role. Armstrong is the GM of the St. Louis Blues, but he will hand over that job to assistant general manager Alex Steen at the end of this season.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere, Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, and St. Louis Blues winger Jimmy Snuggerud are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 15, 2026.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Leon Draisaitl will be sidelined with a lower-body injury. Head coach Kris Knoblauch isn’t sure how long Draisaitl will be out of the lineup.

TVA SPORTS: Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said winger Kirby Dach’s recent upper-body injury isn’t expected to be a long-term issue.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Washington Capitals recently signed prospect defenseman Cole Hutson to a three-year entry-level contract. He’s the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson.

The Chicago Blackhawks signed prospect forward Sacha Boisvert to a three-year entry-level deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson and Boisvert played for the Boston University Terriers, whose season ended on Saturday when they were eliminated by the Connecticut Huskies in the Hockey East quarterfinals.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 23, 2026

by | Feb 23, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 23, 2026

Olympic Men’s Hockey wrap-up, and the latest news as the resumption of the regular-season schedule approaches in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

IIHF.COM: Canada’s Connor McDavid was named the most valuable player in the 2026 Olympic Men’s Hockey tournament. McDavid set a single tournament Olympic Men’s record with 13 points.

McDavid was also among the Tournament Directorate’s three best players, along with United States goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and defenseman Quinn Hughes.

Team USA wins gold in the 2026 Olympic Men’s Hockey tournament.

Those three players were also named to the Media All-Star Team, joining Canadian defenseman Cale Makar and forward Macklin Celebrini, and Slovakia forward Juraj Slafkovsky.

TSN: Hellebuyck was praised by his teammates for his outstanding performance in their 2-1 overtime victory over Canada in the gold-medal game.

Matthew Tkachuk considered Hellebuyck’s efforts to be “one of the best goaltending performances of all time.” US head coach Mike Sullivan called Hellebuyck’s efforts “heroic”.

According to Tage Thompson, Hellebuyck “stole the game for us.” Zach Werenski was amazed by the type of saves he made in crucial moments, while Charlie McAvoy compared him to Team USA hero Jim Craig in the 1980 Winter Olympics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebucyk’s performance in the gold-medal game was comparable to Dominik Hasek backstopping Czechia to victory over Canada and Russia in the 1998 Olympics. He played the game of his life, reminding everyone why he’s the only active three-time Vezina Trophy winner.

DAILY FACEOFF: Quinn Hughes broke the record for the longest points streak by an American in the tournament during the NHL participation era. He finished with eight points in six games.

THE ATHLETIC: Quinn’s brother, Jack, scored the winning goal after having three teeth knocked out from a high stick by Canadian forward Sam Bennett in the third period. Bennett received a double-minor penalty, but Hughes later nullified the Americans’ man advantage by high-sticking Canada’s Bo Horvat.

The Hughes brothers praised team captain Auston Matthews’ performance and leadership in this tournament. The Toronto Maple Leafs star had been dogged by the perception that he cannot win big games when it matters.

“Doesn’t matter what anyone says now, Auston Matthews is a winner,” Jack said, while Quinn added, “That’s what the Toronto media should be talking about. Auston led us to a championship.”

SI.COM: Team USA center Brock Nelson continued his family’s legacy of winning gold in Olympic Men’s hockey. His grandfather, Bill Christian, won gold at the 1960 Squaw Valley Games alongside his great-uncle, Roger Christian. His uncle, Dave Christian, captured gold in the 1980 Lake Placid Games.

DAILY FACEOFF: The American players recognized the late Johnny Gaudreau following their gold-medal win. Matthews, Zach Werenski, and Matthew Tkachuk paraded Gaudreau’s No. 13 USA jersey around the ice. Tkachuk and Dylan Larkin brought Gaudreau’s young children, Noa and Johnny Jr, on the ice to pose with the players for the team photo.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was the most touching moment of this tournament. They never forgot Gaudreau, who would’ve played with them had he and his brother not been killed by an alleged drunk driver in 2024.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby sat out the gold medal game with a lower-body injury. He felt that he would’ve been a detriment to Canada’s chances had he played.

“It was about what’s best for our group and what gives us the best chance to win,” he said following the game. “That becomes pretty clear at that point. If I’m not going to go, I’m not (going to) compromise our team, put myself ahead of that.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby wanted to play, but his injury was apparently severe enough to hamper his performance. Knowing he couldn’t play to the best of his ability, he made the unselfish decision to put his team and his country first.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Canadian coach Jon Cooper was no fan of the 3-on-3 overtime format in the tournament. “You take four players off the ice, now hockey’s not hockey anymore. There’s a reason overtime and shootouts are in play, it’s all TV-driven to end games, so it’s not a long time. There’s a reason why (3-on-3) is not in the Stanley Cup Final or playoffs.”

Cooper made it clear that he wasn’t using the 3-on-3 format as an excuse. He acknowledged everyone knew the rules going into their tournament, and noted his club’s own 3-on-3 overtime win over Czechia in the quarterfinal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Had Canada won in overtime, American head coach Mike Sullivan might’ve said the same thing. Cooper’s right that it’s TV-driven to finish games within a set period of time, but as he also noted, everyone knew what the format would be. Teams have to be prepared for it.

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu believes Canada’s gold medal loss will linger, but the country’s hockey future is in good shape. He noted that McDavid, MacKinnon, Makar, and Celebrini will be back for the 2030 Olympics, and Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard and New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer could join them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those players will also be part of Canada’s roster in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. It wouldn’t be surprising if Beckett Sennecke of the Anaheim Ducks, Wyatt Johnston of the Dallas Stars, Noah Dobson of the Montreal Canadiens, and Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers could be part of Canada’s roster for that tournament.

NHL HEADLINES

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL’s regular-season schedule resumes on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

ROTOWIRE: Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson is expected to miss Wednesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils with a lingering upper-body injury.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen will miss his club’s first two games of their upcoming road trip with an undisclosed minor injury. Center Adam Henrique will return to action after missing the Oilers’ last 15 games.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov and defenseman Tobias Bjornfot returned to practice over the weekend and are expected to be ready when the Panthers’ schedule resumes later this week.

SPORTSNET: Former NHL superstar Jaromir Jagr’s storied hockey career may be coming to a close. The 54-year-old forward last played in the NHL in 2017, but he’s continued his career with his hometown club in Kladno since then. However, he has only appeared in six games this season, with his last game on Dec. 21.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All good things must come to an end, and that includes Jagr’s remarkable playing career. If this is his final season as a player, he is assured of induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame following the mandatory three-year wait period.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 21, 2026

by | Feb 21, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 21, 2026

Canada and the United States advance to the Olympic Men’s gold-medal game, Finland and Slovakia to meet for the bronze medal, and the latest NHL news in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NEWS

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored with 35.2 seconds remaining in the third period to lift Canada over Finland by a score of 3-2.

Team Canada center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL.com)

Finland held a 2-0 lead early in the second period on goals by Mikko Rantanen and Erik Haula. However, they inexplicably went into a defensive shell for the rest of the game, allowing Canada to tie the game on goals by Sam Reinhart and Shea Theodore, setting the stage for MacKinnon’s game-winner.

Canada will face the United States in the gold-medal game on Sunday at 8 AM ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second straight comeback victory for Canada, and like their game against Czechia on Wednesday, it had its share of controversy.

Before Theodore’s goal, Canadian winger Brad Marchand collided with Finnish goaltender Juuse Saros after he appeared to be pushed by Haula. Both players quickly got to their feet, and Saros was back in position for Theodore’s shot, which deflected off his shoulder into the net.

Saros protested to the officials that it was goaltender interference, but there was no challenge from his coach. Some observers questioned that decision, but had that challenge failed (and it likely would’ve), the Finns would’ve been assessed a delay of game penalty with the score tied at two.

It should be noted that Saros was outstanding for Finland. With his teammates trying to sit on their two-goal lead, the Nashville Predators’ goaltender made 36 saves. If not for him, the Canadians lead would’ve been wider.

Finland challenged MacKinnon’s goal, claiming Canadian winger Macklin Celebrini was offside on a zone entry about a minute beforehand. However, the video review showed Celebrini was onside, albeit barely.

Canada got the win without team captain Sidney Crosby, who is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered against Czechia. Connor McDavid took over the captaincy for this game. Crosby could return to action in the gold-medal game on Sunday.

McDavid continues to be an offensive force for Canada. The Edmonton Oilers center set the Olympic men’s hockey single tournament points record with 13, breaking the previous mark of 11 points jointly held by Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Celebrini is also shining for Canada. The 19-year-old San Jose Sharks superstar sits second in points with 10 and leads all scorers in this tournament with five goals. He logged a team-leading 25:53 of ice time against Finland and also led Canada in shots and scoring chances.

The United States punched its ticket to the gold-medal game with a 6-2 victory over Slovakia.

Jack Hughes scored twice, Zach Werenski collected three assists, and Jack Eichel, Brady Tkachuk, and Tage Thompson each had a goal and an assist. Juraj Slafkovsky and Pavol Regenda replied for Slovakia, who will face Finland on Saturday in the bronze-medal game at 2:30 PM ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slovakia exceeded expectations in this tournament by getting this far, but this underdog club was no match for the powerful Americans, who held a 5-0 lead after two periods.

Thompson left this game after the second period with an undisclosed injury for precautionary reasons. An update on his status could be announced on Saturday.

The stage is now set for the rematch of the 4 Nations Face-Off final that everyone knew was coming. If Canada wins, they’ll become the first nation to win 10 gold medals in Olympic Men’s hockey. If the United States takes gold, it’ll be their third, and the first since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.

The Americans are looking forward to that game. Like Canada, they’re undefeated in this tournament. They feel they’re peaking as a team at the right time, but they’re not taking their Canadian opponents lightly.

NHL NEWS

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil is sidelined indefinitely with a facial fracture after a puck struck him during practice on Wednesday.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Matt Rempe will undergo a second procedure on his left thumb and will be placed on injured reserve. No timeline was given for his return.

TSN: Gavin McKenna collected eight points to lead Penn State to an 11-4 rout of Ohio State, breaking the school’s previous single-game record of five points. McKenna is the projected top prospect in this year’s NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna was recently charged with misdemeanor simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment following an alleged altercation in January. A felony charge of aggravated assault was subsequently dropped. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 11.