NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2026

by | Apr 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2026

On the eve of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, check out the latest on Connor Hellebuyck, Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck, Thatcher Demko, Dylan Larkin, and more from players that didn’t make the postseason in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

WINNIPEG SUN: Gordon Anderson reports Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck expressed his unhappiness over his club’s tumble from winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season to missing the 2026 postseason.

Hellebuyck owned up to his share of blame for the Jets’ demise this season and didn’t put himself above criticism for his performance. He still believes they have “a very good team,” but he believes things have to change if they’re going to challenge for the Stanley Cup.

Hellebuyck said he’s made Winnipeg his home, and he likes it there, but his ultimate goal remains winning the Stanley Cup. He acknowledged the difficulty that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff faces bringing in talent through trades and free agency because of the club’s location and its reputation as a city that players don’t want to go to.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anderson noted that Hellebuyck is in a re-evaluating frame of mind, but he believes that doesn’t mean the three-time Vezina Trophy winner could be eyeing the exit. However, not everyone shares that opinion. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill.

Jonathan Toews appears to be at a crossroads after this season. The 37-year-old Jet center staged a comeback after three years away recovering from health issues, but admitted that he struggled to keep up with the pace of the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews was on a one-year contract with the Jets. It remains to be seen if they’ll bring him back for another season, which could leave him facing retirement.

Mark Scheifele has been selected to play for Team Canada in next month’s IIHF World Championship. The 33-year-old Jets center enjoyed a career-high 103-point performance, setting the franchise single-season points record. Teammate Dylan DeMelo has also accepted an invitation to play for Canada.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center John Tavares will also be playing for Canada in the World Championship.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Darren Dreger reported St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas and Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly will join Tavares and Scheifele on Team Canada at the Worlds.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Maple Leafs, the club is interviewing former captain and Hall of Famer Mats Sundin for a position in their hockey department.

TSN: Aleksander Barkov will play for Finland in the IIHF World Championship. The Florida Panthers captain missed the entire 2025-26 regular season and the 2026 Winter Olympics recovering from knee surgery.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Vincent Trocheck revealed his 14-game absence at the start of this season was due to a bacterial infection in one of his lungs. He underwent surgery and spent a week in a hospital, hooked up to chest tubes.

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (NHL Images)

“It was very scary,” Trocheck said. “I thought I was dying.”

Trocheck recovered and played the remainder of this season. The 32-year-old center was the subject of frequent trade speculation as management continues to retool its roster. He said he’s not sure what’s going to happen in the offseason.

THE ATHLETIC: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox raised some eyebrows earlier this season when he appeared noncommittal about his future with the club. However, he’s now encouraged by the “encouraging signs” that he saw from the club during the season’s final weeks, including his own improved performance during that stretch.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko believes his season-ending hip surgery will improve his performance going forward. He was upbeat during his exit interview with the press, expressing his belief that the club has addressed the issues that derailed its season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demko’s new three-year contract (with an average annual value of $8.5 million) begins on July 1. His performance over that period will be crucial to the Canucks’ rebuilding plans.

DAILY FACEOFF: Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said he knew last year that Quinn Hughes wouldn’t sign a contract extension. That is what pushed him to trade the 26-year-old superstar defenseman to the Minnesota Wild last December.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rutherford first dropped that hint at his end-of-season media availability last year. That’s what prompted the trade rumors that dogged Hughes and the Canucks until he was shipped to the Wild in December.

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin remains committed to getting the club into the playoffs despite missing its decade-long postseason drought.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Red Wings, they and Patrick Kane have a mutual interest in bringing him back next season. The 37-year-old winger and future Hall of Famer is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jared McCann underwent a medical procedure on Thursday related to the lower-body injury that hampered him during the second half of last season and throughout this season. He anticipated that it would take 8-10 weeks to recover.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL: Golden Knights center William Karlsson continues to rehab a lower-body injury and will miss the club’s upcoming first-round series against the Utah Mammoth. Karlsson has been sidelined since Nov. 8.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed defenseman Nils Lundkvist to a two-year contract extension worth an AAV of $1.75 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The St. Louis Blues announced assistant coaches Claude Julien and Mike Weber will not be brought back. Their contract will expire at the end of June.

NHL.COM: The league announced it has set a total attendance record for the fourth straight year. The new record is 23,158,522, which is 97.3 percent capacity. The per-game average was 17,651.

DAILY FACEOFF: Eight NHL teams will have salary-cap overages for 2026-27. Those expenditures are mostly related to performance bonuses.

The New York Islanders have the largest bonus overage carryover ($3.5 million), all from rookie Matthew Schaefer reaching the maximum possible bonuses for a player on an entry-level contract.

NHL.COM: Winger Ivar Stenberg of Swedish Hockey League club Frolunda sits at No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of the top International skaters. Penn State forward Gavin McKenna is ranked as the top North American skater.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2026

by | Apr 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2026

The Flyers, Ducks, and Kings clinch playoff berths, the Hurricanes claim first place in the Eastern Conference, the Sabres take the Atlantic Division title, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A shootout goal by Tyson Foerster and a 24-save effort by Dan Vladar lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 to clinch their first playoff berth since 2019-20. The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead on goals by Bradley Nadeau and Nikolaj Ehlers, but Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras rallied the Flyers in the second period. The Flyers (42-27-12) clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points, while the 52-22-7 Hurricanes secured first overall in the Eastern Conference with 111 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Flyers were among the better teams in the league since the Olympic break, riding a 17-7-1 record to an unexpected berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They will face their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the opening round.

The Flyers’ victory eliminated the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets from the postseason race.

The Hurricanes scratched Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Staal, Jaccob Slavin, and Shayne Gostisbehere to rest them for the upcoming playoffs. They also recalled goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov from a two-game conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Chicago. He’s been sidelined for the past three months recovering from surgery for a lower-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings clinched the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Quinton Byfield scored two goals, Trevor Moore and Alex Leferriere each had a goal and an assist, and Anton Forsberg stopped 28 shots for the 35-26-19 Kings (89 points). Adam Larsson and Frederick Gaudreau replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg was named the NHL’s first star for the week ending Apr. 12. Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark was named the second star, and Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was the third star.

Kraken forward Jared McCann missed this game as he’s out for the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini tallied twice to nip the Nashville Predators 3-2, ending the latter’s playoff hopes. Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves, and Igor Chernyshov had a goal and an assist for the 38-34-8 Sharks (84 points), who were also eliminated from postseason contention. Luke Evangelista scored both goals for the 38-33-10 Predators (86 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks’ victory over the Predators and the Kings’ win against the Kraken ensured the idle Anaheim Ducks clinched their first playoff berth since 2017-18. The Ducks (42-32-6) hold third place in the Pacific Division with 90 points. They face the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday and the Predators on Thursday to conclude their regular-season schedule.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

The Vegas Golden Knights are 6-0-1 under interim coach John Tortorella after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 6-2, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. Jack Eichel had a goal and three assists while Mark Stone had a goal and two assists for the 38-26-17 Golden Knights, who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Gabriel Vilardi and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are the fifth team in NHL history to miss the playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy, joining the 1992-93 and 2024-25 New York Rangers, the 2007-08 Buffalo Sabres, and the 2014-15 Boston Bruins.

The Jets’ disappointing season overshadowed Mark Scheifele’s career-best performance. He had a goal and an assist to reach 101 points to set the franchise’s single-season points record.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored twice (including his 40th goal of the season) in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (50-23-8), who clinched the Atlantic Division title with 108 points. Ryan Greene replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a remarkable season for the Sabres, rising from last place in the Eastern Conference in early December to top their division and end a 14-year playoff drought. It’s the fifth-best performance in franchise history.

The Tampa Bay Lightning blew a 3-1 lead, but an overtime goal by Nikita Kucherov gave them a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Kucherov finished with two points to reach 130 points for the second time in his career as the 50-25-6 Lightning (106 points) will face the Montreal Canadiens in the opening round of the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected an assist to reach 1,400 regular-season points.

Florida Panthers winger Cole Reinhart scored twice for a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Matthew Robertson and Gabe Perreault replied for the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick made 14 saves on 17 shots in his final NHL game. The 40-year-old netminder announced that this game will be his last as he is retiring at the end of this season. Following the game, the Panthers lined up to shake hands with Quick.

Quick won three Stanley Cups during his 19-season NHL career, two of those with the Los Angeles Kings. His best seasons were with the Kings, setting numerous single-season and career goaltending records over his 16 seasons in Los Angeles and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2011-12. He finishes his career with a record of 410 wins, 307 losses, and 90 overtime losses, with a 2.51 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage, and 65 shutouts.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche nipped the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on a shootout goal by Nathan MacKinnon. Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves for the Avalanche, who won the Presidents’ Trophy last week as the top team in the standings. Connor Ingram also made 30 saves for the Oilers (40-30-11), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 91 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game. Oilers center Leon Draisaitl resumed skating with his teammates as he recovers from a knee injury, but he’s not expected to be ready for their opening game of the playoffs.

Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque scored his first NHL hat trick and added an assist in a 6-5 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The playoff-bound Stars overcame 3-0 and 5-3 deficits for the win. William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the final home game for long-time Maple Leafs radio broadcaster Joe Bowen, who is retiring after this season. He received a lengthy standing ovation from Leafs fans.

The Maple Leafs got a bit of good news yesterday. With the Kings clinching a playoff berth, the conditional 2026 third-round pick they received from them in the Scott Laughton trade becomes a second-round pick.

The St. Louis Blues scored five unanswered goals to upset the playoff-bound Minnesota Wild 6-3. Jimmy Snuggerud had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who were recently eliminated from postseason contention. Nick Foligno had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who rested several of their veterans, including forwards Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek, and defensemen Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber.










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 – January 9, 2026

by | Jan 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2026

Red Wings forward Patrick Kane reaches a notable scoring milestone, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon reclaims the lead in the scoring race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Patrick Kane scored twice to become the fifth U.S.-born NHL player to reach 500 career regular-season goals as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Jake DeBrusk scored for the Canucks (16-22-5), who are winless in their last five games (0-3-2). The Red Wings improved to 26-15-4.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane joined Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538), Jeremy Roenick (513), and Joe Mullen (502). He’s also the first to reach that milestone since Tkachuk in April 2008.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists to reclaim the lead in the NHL scoring race (78 points) as his club thumped the Ottawa Senators 8-2. Brock Nelson and Josh Manson each tallied two goals for the league-leading Avalanche (32-4-7, 71 points) as they snapped a two-game losing skid. Shane Pinto and Brady Tkachuk replied for the 20-18-5 Senators, who have only two wins in their last eight games (2-7-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators signed free-agent James Reimer in an effort to shore up their struggling goaltending. Reimer, 37, could join the club this weekend.

Earlier in the day, the Senators released a statement expressing extreme disappointment with social media posts regarding starting goalie Linus Ullmark. This is in response to what the club called “fabricated and false stories” regarding the reason behind Ullmark’s leave of absence for personal reasons.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid extended his points streak with a goal and an assist to nip the Winnipeg Jets 4-3, leaving the latter winless in their last 11 games (0-7-4). Evan Bouchard snapped a 3-3 tie midway through the third period for the Oilers (22-16-6). Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who dropped to 15-22-5.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1. Evgeni Malkin scored in his first game since being sidelined by an upper-body injury on Dec. 4, and Sidney Crosby had two assists to push his points streak to eight games for the 21-12-9 Penguins, extending their winning streak to six games. Luke Hughes scored for the Devils (22-20-2), who are 2-6-1 in their last eight contests.

Montreal Canadiens winger Alexandre Texier netted his first NHL hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. Oliver Kapanen had a goal and two assists as the Canadiens (25-13-6) picked up their third straight win and sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Sam Bennett tallied both goals for the 22-18-3 Panthers, who have dropped seven straight games to the Canadiens since the 2023-24 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Brad Marchand missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed ailment. Meanwhile, TSN’s Chris Johnston said the chances were pretty high for sidelined Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (knee) to return to action this season, most likely during the playoffs.

Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo stopped 28 shots to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Sean Kuraly had a goal and an assist for the 23-19-2 Bruins, who have three wins in their last four games. Connor Zary scored for the Flames (18-22-4) as their losing skid reached four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Blake Coleman left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Earlier in the day, the Flames announced that rookie defenseman Zayne Perekh is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during the recent World Junior Championship.

The Buffalo Sabres picked up their 12th win in their last 13 games by dropping the New York Rangers 5-2. Mattias Samuelsson, Jason Zucker, and Ryan McLeod each had a goal and an assist for the 23-15-4 Sabres. Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck scored for the Rangers (20-19-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers captain J.T. Miller returned to action after missing the last two weeks with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Easton Cowan lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Scott Laughton scored against his former club, and Dennis Hildeby made 22 saves for the Maple Leafs (21-15-7) as they extended their points streak to eight games (6-0-2). Travis Konecny scored for the 22-12-8 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Konecny left the game at the end of the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes picked up their third straight win by downing the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Jalen Chatfield, Logan Stankoven, and Taylor Hall each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (27-14-3), who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 57 points. Ryan Poehling and Mikael Granlund replied for the Ducks (21-20-3), who are 0-7-1 in their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks winger Troy Terry missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone scored to extend his goal streak to six games in a 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Stone finished with three points, and Reilly Smith tallied twice for the Golden Knights (19-11-12), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 50 points. Boone Jenner and Sean Monahan each had two points for the Blue Jackets, who dropped to 18-18-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Earlier in the day, they placed defenseman Brayden McNabb (upper body) on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Blue Jackets defenseman Brendan Smith will be sidelined for three to four months after undergoing knee surgery on Jan. 6.

The Minnesota Wild got an overtime goal from Mats Zuccarello to defeat the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Kirill Kaprizov had two assists for the 26-11-8 Wild. Adam Larsson and Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken (20-14-8), who extended their points streak to 10 games (8-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros stopped 30 shots, and Filip Forsberg scored in the shootout for a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Ryan O’Reilly scored in regulation for the Predators (20-19-4). Simon Holmstrom tallied for the 24-15-5 Islanders.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Seven NHL players will be part of Slovakia’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s hockey tournament. Forwards include Juraj Slafkovsky of the Montreal Canadiens, Dalibor Dvorsky of the St. Louis Blues, Martin Pospisil of the Calgary Flames, and Pavol Regenda of the San Jose Sharks. Defensemen include Erik Cernak of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Martin Fehervary of the St. Louis Blues, and Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils.

THE ATHLETIC: St. Louis Blues head coach Jim Montgomery denied that starting goalie Jordan Binnington refused to be pulled from their 7-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. He also denied that backup Joel Hofer appeared to be hiding in the tunnel behind the Blues’ bench.

Montgomery explained that he attempted to pull Binnington after Chicago scored its seventh goal, and Binnington was waiting for Hofer to replace him before heading to the bench. However, Hofer was not fully dressed because he had to watch the game from the dressing room due to a lack of room on the St. Louis bench. Play had resumed by the time Hofer was ready to go.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks acquired backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit, depth defenseman Nolan Allen, and a 2028 seventh-round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the contract of permanently sidelined defenseman Ryan Ellis, minor-league defenseman Jake Furlong, and a 2028 fourth-round pick.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Jack McGregor, a former Pennsylvania state senator who founded the Pittsburgh Penguins, died on Tuesday at age 91. He was the team’s first president and chief executive officer from 1967 to 1970.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to McGregor’s family, colleagues, and the Penguins’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2026

by | Jan 1, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2026

The Predators’ Steven Stamkos and the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon reach scoring milestones, the Sabres tie their franchise wins record, Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey roster is announced, and more in the first NHL Morning Coffee Headlines of the New Year.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Steven Stamkos tallied his 600th career NHL regular-season goal as the Nashville Predators overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Luke Evangelista collected two assists for the 18-17-4 Predators, who’ve won five of their last six games. Mark Stone and Ben Hutton scored for the Golden Knights (17-10-11), who have one win in their last seven contests (1-4-2).

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is the 22nd player in NHL history to reach the 600-goal plateau. He can overtake Jarri Kurri (601), Dino Ciccarelli (608), and Bobby Hull (610) to move into 19th place before the end of this season. Stamkos also has a chance to surpass Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic (625 each), but at his current rate of production, he might have to wait until next season to do so.

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, including his 400th career NHL regular-season goal, and Valeri Nichushkin netted a hat trick in a 6-1 drubbing of the St. Louis Blues. MacKinnon also collected two assists as the league-leading Avalanche (67 points) won their ninth straight game, becoming the first time this season to reach 30 wins. Dalibor Dvorsky replied for the 15-18-8 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is tied with Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid for the points lead (70), but he’s running away with the goal-scoring lead with 34, sitting nine ahead of Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy and Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie.

The Buffalo Sabres tied a franchise record with their 10th straight win by upsetting the Dallas Stars 4-1. Tage Thompson scored twice and picked up an assist for the 21-14-4 Sabres. Mavrik Bourque netted the only goal for the Stars (25-8-7), who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Sabres finished 2025 holding the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. When they began the month, they were only one point out of last place in the Conference. Before this game, the Sabres announced that goalie Alex Lyon had returned to Buffalo for further evaluation for a lower-body injury and activated goalie Colten Ellis from injured reserve.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had two goals and an assist as his club ended a six-game losing skid with a 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Elias and Hampus Lindholm each had a goal and an assist while Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves for the 21-18-2 Bruins. Zach Hyman and Jack Roslovic scored for the Oilers (20-15-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 14 games.

An overtime goal by Darren Raddysh lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 4-3. Raddysh and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist, while Brandon Hagel collected three assists for the 23-13-3 Lightning, who have won five straight games. Jansen Harkins, Beckett Sennecke, and Mason McTavish tallied for the Ducks (21-16-3), who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the 1,000th career NHL regular-season game for Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, making him the 32nd bench boss in league history to achieve that milestone. Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak returned to action after missing 17 games with an injured hand.

Before this game, the Ducks announced that forward Frank Vatrano suffered a shoulder fracture during their Dec. 27 game against the Los Angeles Kings and is out for six weeks.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson scored twice and picked up an assist in a 6-3 win over the New York Rangers. Justin Sourdif also had two goals for the Capitals, who improved to 20-14-5. Adam Fox had a goal and an assist in his first game since Nov. 29 as his Rangers (19-18-5) have one win in their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forwards Conor Sheary and Noah Laba left this game with injuries.

The Detroit Red Wings held off the Winnipeg Jets 2-1. Dylan Larkin and Mason Appleton scored for the 24-14-3 Red Wings, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 51 points. Logan Stanley replied for the 15-19-4 Jets, who remain without a win in their last seven games (0-4-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first time that former Chicago Blackhawks teammates Patrick Kane (now with the Red Wings) and Jonathan Toews (Jets) faced each other in an NHL game. The duo was the nucleus of the Blackhawks’ three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015.

Toews stepped away from the game at the end of the 2022-23 campaign for health reasons before staging a comeback this season. Kane was shipped to the New York Rangers before the 2023 trade deadline.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist, and also netted the winning goal in a shootout to give his club a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Igor Chernyshov also had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (20-17-3) as they picked up their third straight victory. Vladimir Tarasenko, Marcus Foligno, and Mats Zuccarello replied for the 24-10-7 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini has points in nine straight games.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Nico Hischier, Arseny Gritsyuk, and Luke Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Hughes finished with two points for the 21-17-2 Devils, ending a four-game winless skid. Mason Marchment and Charlie Coyle tallied for the Blue Jackets (17-16-6).

Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund scored to extend his point streak to six games in a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Dustin Wolf stopped 26 shots, and Connor Zary had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who picked up their third straight win and improved to 18-18-4. Travis Konecny replied for the 20-12-7 Flyers.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Team Canada officially named its roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

Forwards:

Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks)
Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Bo Horvat (New York Islanders)
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Brad Marchand (Florida Panthers)
Mitch Marner (Vegas Golden Knights)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers)
Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights)
Nick Suzuki (Montreal Canadiens)
Tom Wilson (Washington Capitals)

Defensemen:

Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)
Thomas Harley (Dallas Stars)
Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche)
Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets)
Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues)
Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia Flyers)
Shea Theodore (Vegas Golden Knights)
Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche)

Goaltenders:

Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues)
Darcy Kuemper (Los Angeles Kings)
Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This roster mostly consists of players who skated for Canada in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

The biggest change is in net, as Kuemper and Thompson replaced the sidelined Adin Hill and the struggling Sam Montembeault. Nevertheless, the goaltending remains a question mark for Canada, especially given Binnington’s difficulties in goal this season.

Notable players passed over by Canada’s selection committee include Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie, and Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett.

The exclusion of Bennett was the biggest surprise. He played well for Canada in the 4 Nations tournament and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in June as the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan reports Utah Mammoth winger Clayton Keller, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson, and Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones will be named to Team USA’s Men’s Olympic roster. New York Rangers blueliner Adam Fox did not make the cut.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team USA’s roster will be officially announced on Jan. 2. Fox’s absence is a surprise, as he was part of their 4 Nations’ roster last February. Kaplan indicated that Rangers personnel involved with Team USA, including Rangers general manager Chris Drury, pushed hard for Fox but understood the decision due to Team USA’s depth at the blueline.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev is expected to miss significant time with a groin injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a difficult season for the 36-year-old Tanev. Injuries have already limited him to 11 games this season.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW/PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins traded winger Philip Tomasino to the Flyers in exchange for defenseman Yegor Zamula.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a swap of players who weren’t working out with their now-former clubs.

NHL.COM: Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Lowell MacDonald died on Dec. 28 at the age of 84. He spent seven of his 13-season NHL career with the Penguins, and also skated for the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings. He had 180 goals and 210 assists for 390 points in 506 regular-season games between 1961-62 and 1977-78, and 22 points in 31 playoff contests.

Injuries hampered MacDonald during his playing career. His best seasons were with the Penguins. He was named to the All-Star Game twice and was the first Penguins player to win an NHL award, taking home the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1972-73.

Following his playing career, MacDonald spent two decades at the University School of Milwaukee as a teacher, Athletic Director, and coach. A native of Thorburn, Nova Scotia, he was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Growing up in Nova Scotia during the 1970s, there weren’t many “Bluenoser” NHL players for me to cheer for back then. I didn’t get to see MacDonald play often unless the Penguins were playing the Montreal Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada. Nevertheless, I followed his career closely in The Hockey News and other sports publications.

MacDonald was a trailblazer for Nova Scotia-born hockey players—my condolences to his family, friends, and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2025

by | Dec 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2025

Sidney Crosby surpasses Mario Lemieux as the Penguins’ all-time points leader, Oilers captain Connor McDavid overtakes Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the lead in the scoring race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Sidney Crosby scored and collected an assist to surpass Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ all-time points leader (1,724) in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Rickard Rakell also had a goal and an assist and tallied the game-winner as the Penguins (15-11-9) ended an eight-game winless skid (0-4-4). Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Juraj Slafkovsky each had two points for the 19-12-5 Canadiens.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby also moved past Lemieux into eighth place among the NHL’s all-time points leaders. He needs 32 points to surpass Steve Yzerman (1,755) for seventh. Crosby now needs 46 goals to break Lemieux’s all-time franchise goals record of 690.

Lemieux applauded Crosby’s achievement in a 30-second video message that was played later in the first period. Crosby was humble after the game, praising Lemieux for what he’s done for the Penguins. “I don’t think you can put a stat line or a number on what he means to this team and to hockey, so yeah, in my mind, he’s No. 1,” Crosby said.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens announced goaltender Sam Montembeault will rejoin the roster ahead of next Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Montembeault was loaned to the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate in Laval last week on a conditioning stint.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored for the fourth straight game and collected two assists as his club held off the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 4-3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tallied twice and collected an assist, and Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each had two points for the 18-13-6 Oilers, who’ve won seven of their last 10 games. Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin each had three points for the Golden Knights (16-8-10), who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid has overtaken Nathan MacKinnon, sitting in first place in the scoring race with 62 points, one ahead of the Colorado Avalanche center.

Oilers forward Trent Frederic was a healthy scratch from this game. The club also announced that goaltender Tristan Jarry will be out for two weeks with an injury, and activated winger Jack Roslovic from long-term injury reserve.

Speaking of MacKinnon, he scored twice to become the first player to reach 30 goals this season in a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Cale Makar and Brock Nelson each had a goal and two assists for the 26-2-7 Avalanche, who’ve won five straight games and remain in first place in the overall standings with 59 points. Ryan Hartman replied for the Wild (22-10-5) as their seven-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon had led the points race for weeks and seemed poised to run away with the Art Ross Trophy. McDavid’s surge in recent weeks indicates this could be an exciting race over the second half of the season.

An overtime goal by Moritz Seider lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Washington Capitals 3-2. Cam Talbot made 31 saves for the Red Wings (21-13-3), as they hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 45 points. Ethen Frank scored both goals for the 19-12-5 Capitals, who have two wins in their last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss Tuesday’s match against the Dallas Stars. Meanwhile, the Wings removed Mason Appleton from injured reserve after a 10-game absence.

The Ottawa Senators defeated the Boston Bruins 6-2. Fabian Zetterlund scored two goals and picked up an assist while Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and two assists for the Senators (18-13-4), as they collected their fourth straight win. David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha tallied for the 20-16-1 Bruins, who are 1-3-1 in their last five contests.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 26 shots as his club extended its win streak to six games with a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Josh Norris, Zach Benson, and Peyton Krebs scored for the 17-14-4 Sabres. Jack Hughes scored for the Devils (20-15-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Hughes’ first game since missing 18 games with an injured hand. Speaking of the Sabres, it has been confirmed that they’ve added Marc Bergevin as associate general manager and Josh Flynn as assistant GM.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored to extend his points streak to eight games as his club nipped the New York Rangers 2-1. Steven Stamkos also scored for the Predators (15-16-4), who have won five of their last seven contests. Jonny Brodzinski replied for the 18-16-4 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers were without team captain J.T. Miller, who is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

The Dallas Stars picked up their fourth straight win by downing the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1. Jake Oettinger made 27 saves, and Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist for the 25-7-5 Stars. Scott Laughton scored for the Maple Leafs (15-15-5), who have lost four of their last five games.

An overtime goal by Clayton Keller gave the Utah Mammoth a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Keller and Mikhail Sergachev each finished with two points for the Mammoth, who improved to 18-17-3. Kyle Connor scored two goals for the (15-17-3) Jets, who have three wins in their last 16 games.