NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2026

by | Sep 25, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2026

Recapping Thursday’s preseason action, the Blue Jackets finally sign Adam Fantilli, the Blackhawks sign Oliver Moore to a four-year extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks rookie forward Ivar Stenberg tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in a 10-0 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Michael Misa had a goal and three assists, Igor Chernyshov had two goals and an assist, Mason Marchment scored twice, and Alex Nedeljkovic turned in a 21-save shutout.

San Jose Sharks prospect Ivar Stenberg (NHL Images).

The Carolina Hurricanes rallied from a four-goal deficit to defeat the Nashville Predators 6-5. Logan Stankoven scored twice (including the tying goal) and added an assist; Taylor Hall had three assists, and Felix Unger Sorum tallied the winning goal. Justus Annunen turned aside 31 shots for the Predators.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel scored in overtime and picked up two assists in a 5-4 win over the Utah Mammoth. Shea Theodore had three assists for the Golden Knights, and Kevin Stenlund had three assists for the Mammoth.

The Seattle Kraken overcame a 3-1 deficit to nip the Calgary Flames 4-3 on a shootout goal by Berkly Catton. Matty Beniers had two assists, and Brandon Montour and Ryker Evans scored in the third period to force overtime and the shootout. Devin Cooley made 23 saves for the Flames.

An overtime goal by Alex DeBrincat lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon and forward Jiri Kulich left this game with injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lyon appeared to injure his left shoulder in the first period. Head coach Lindy Ruff is optimistic that he’s not seriously hurt. Kulich departed in the second period with an undisclosed injury for precautionary reasons.

St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington stopped 17 shots to blank the Chicago Blackhawks 1-0. Calle Rosen scored the only goal as the Blues spoiled Patrick Kane’s first game with the Blackhawks since returning on a two-year contract signed in July.

The Edmonton Oilers got a 25-save performance from goalie Tristan Jarry in a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Isaac Howard had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, while Linus Karlsson replied for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oft-injured Canucks forward Filip Chytil left this game in the first period after clipping skates with a referee and crashing into the end boards. Chytil is being evaluated for a shoulder injury.

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Joseph Woll kicked out 28 shots to shut out the Boston Bruins 2-0. Matvei Michkov and Cole Knuble scored for the Flyers. Michael DiPietro made 26 saves for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers forward Trevor Zegras received a minor penalty for “improperly wearing his equipment” by tucking his jersey into the back of his pants. Meanwhile, Flyers defenseman Helge Grans left the game with a lower-body injury.

The Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Cole Reinhardt and Kai Schwindt each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers. Jansen Harkins tallied twice for the Lightning.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Cam Talbot had a 15-save shutout, and Valeri Nichushkin scored in a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Dmitri Voronkov had two assists for the Blue Jackets. Sergei Murashov stopped 13 shots for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Penguins announced that forward Ben Kindel is sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Meanwhile, winger Andrei Kuzmenko will be taking time away from the team for family reasons after his father was killed in a bear attack while on a fishing trip in southern Siberia. My condolences to Kuzmenko and his family.

New York Rangers forward Will Cuylle had a goal and an assist in regulation and scored the winner in a shootout to defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Nico Daws made 20 saves for the Devils.

HEADLINES

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed center Adam Fantilli to a six-year contract worth an average annual value of $13.75 million.

Fantilli, 21, missed the opening week of training camp as negotiations with Blue Jackets management took longer than anticipated. His new contract puts the Jackets over the $104 million salary cap by $1.204 million. However, the club will become cap-compliant by placing sidelined goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (shoulder) and Isac Lundestrom (Achilles tear) on long-term injury reserve.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ripples from Leo Carlsson’s offer sheet in July continue to be felt throughout the league. Carlsson’s new contract reset the market for young NHL talent. It also caught some teams off-guard, forcing them to pay much more than expected to re-sign their best young players.

Fantilli was coming off his entry-level contract, which should’ve given the Blue Jackets full leverage in their contract negotiations. However, his value as their top center, uncertainty about the future of top defenseman Zach Werenski and scoring winger Kirill Marchenko, and pressure on the club to make the playoffs ensured Fantilli would get a more lucrative deal.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks signed forward Oliver Moore to a five-year contract extension worth $4.25 million AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moore had 19 points in 51 games as a rookie last season. His speed, versatility, and two-way skills give him the potential to become a top-six forward with the Blackhawks.

THE SCORE: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman replied to Mark Messier’s criticism of the club hiring Mike Babcock as head coach.

“I think if he really wants to see what’s going on firsthand, he’s more than welcome to come here,” Hyman said. “I think Oilers fans love him. Like I said, there’s a lot of excitement, there’s a lot of positivity here – nothing but good is happening right now. So, to try and spew something negative right now, I think it’s his opinion. Like I said, I have a lot of respect for him, and if he’d like to see what’s going on he’s more than welcome to come down.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ll all learn soon enough whether the criticism about Babcock’s hiring was justified.

THE ATHLETIC: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Steven Lorentz on waivers as a potential prelude to signing defenseman Nick Blankenburg, who is in training camp on a professional tryout offer.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators placed goalie Levi Merilainen on waivers.

NHL.COM: The league and the Winnipeg Jets announced that the statistical history of the club will include the original Jets (1979-80 to 1995-96) and their years as the Atlanta Thrashers (1999-2000 to 2010-11).










NHL Rumor Mill – July 14, 2026

by | Jul 14, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – July 14, 2026

Are the Canucks getting any closer to trading center Elias Pettersson? Are they interested in Kraken center Shane Wright? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ELIAS PETTERSSON SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance was asked if the Vancouver Canucks will give center Elias Pettersson the chance this season to regain some semblance of his previously high-scoring form to increase his trade value.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Drance believes the Canucks’ preference is to trade the 27-year-old Pettersson if the opportunity presents itself. However, it’s a complicated move to pull off because of his declining production and expensive long-term contract.

TSN: Travis Yost believes the question that teams should ponder if they’re interested in Pettersson is whether he’s an intriguing buy-low trade candidate or one that screams, “buyer beware!”

Yost dives into the analytics to lay out how Pettersson’s performance has dropped over the past two years, particularly how his skating has changed since his productive seasons. He also pointed out how much the quality of talent around Pettersson has declined.

Ultimately, Yost believes Pettersson’s days are numbered in Vancouver. If his play improves this season, he could garner more attention in the trade market, noting that the rising salary cap would make his contract go from toxic to intriguing.

OILERS NOW WITH BOB STAUFFER: CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal was asked about trade speculation linking Pettersson to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Dhaliwal believes the Penguins “have some level of interest” in Pettersson. He noted there’s a rumor claiming the Canucks want center Ben Kindel in return. However, Dhaliwal rejected that idea, saying the Penguins aren’t giving up a promising young player such as Kindel for a bad contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong bounce-back performance this season will definitely enhance Pettersson’s value in the trade market. Teams will likely still prefer the Canucks retain salary to facilitate a trade, but with the cap rising in 2027-28 to $113.5 million, his contract could become more palatable for some clubs willing to take the risk.

Dhaliwal doesn’t believe a Pettersson trade to the Penguins (or anyone else) is close to happening. He said Pettersson has not been approached by the Canucks about waiving his no-trade clause.

THE CANUCKS ARE INTERESTED IN SHANE WRIGHT

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports the Canucks are the preferred destination for Shane Wright. The Seattle Kraken are reportedly shopping the 22-year-old center.

According to Kuzma, the Canucks are intriguing to Wright because of what the club could become in a few years. He has a year remaining on his entry-level deal, which gives him incentive to produce and contribute to the Canucks’ rebuild, and if he does, they can lock him up.

OILERS NOW WITH BOB STAUFFER: Rick Dhaliwal recently said the Canucks were interested in Wright. However, he indicated that the Kraken’s asking price was high. Dhaliwal believes they want players like Zeev Buium or Tom Willander in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken aren’t under pressure to move Wright. They’ve indicated they want what they consider a fair return and won’t be forced into making a move they don’t like.

Speaking of the Canucks, Dhaliwal also indicated that the Anaheim Ducks called them about taking forward Frank Vatrano off their hands. He believes the Ducks must include some sweeteners in the deal to “get rid of guys like Frank Vatrano.”










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2026

by | Jan 26, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2026

A milestone game for Penguins stars Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang, hat-trick performances by the Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke and the Avalanche’s Brock Nelson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins got two goals by rookie Ben Kindel to nip the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Evgeni Malkin scored for the third straight game as the Penguins (26-14-11) picked up their fourth straight win. Jake DeBrusk and Teddy Blueger replied for the Canucks (17-30-5), who have two wins in their last 17 games (2-13-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Malkin and his teammates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang. They became the fourth trio in NHL history to play 1,000 games (regular season and playoffs) together. The others are Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, and Anze Kopitar with the Los Angeles Kings (1,040), Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane (1,004) with the Chicago Blackhawks, and Alex Delvecchio, Gordie Howe, and Marcel Pronovost (1,001) with the Detroit Red Wings.

Malkin appeared to be injured as his teammates celebrated their win on the bench. However, Penguins coach Dan Muse said the 39-year-old center was fine.

It was a special game for Kindel. The native of Coquitlam, BC, had over 180 supporters in attendance at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena cheering him on.

Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke (NHL Images).

Anaheim Ducks rookie forward Beckett Sennecke scored in overtime to complete his first career NHL hat trick in a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. Lukas Dostal stopped 32 shots for the Ducks as they won their seventh straight game and improved to 28-21-3. Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Flames, who are winless in four straight games (0-2-2) as their record dropped to 21-25-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sennecke now leads this season’s rookie class with 18 goals and sits second in points with 41. Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov leads in that category with 43.

Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson tallied a hat trick to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves for the 35-6-9 Avalanche, who lead the league with 79 points. Max Domi scored for the slumping Maple Leafs (24-19-9), who are 1-4-2 in their last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Maple Leafs forward William Nylander issued an apology for flipping off a TV camera while he was sitting in a booth with other injured teammates. He claimed it was done in a moment of frustration, and he didn’t mean to upset anyone. The league is looking into the matter.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar provided an update on sidelined captain Gabriel Landeskog, who’s been sidelined since Jan. 4 with a rib injury. Landeskog hopes to return in time to play for Sweden in the Winter Olympics next month. Bednar said the winger is progressing. “Hopefully, everything works out, but it’s going to be tight.”

Ottawa Senators rookie forward Stephen Halliday scored twice and collected an assist in a 7-1 drubbing of the Vegas Golden Knights. Dylan Cozens tallied two goals, and Brady Tkachuk picked up three assists for the 24-21-7 Senators. Rasmus Andersson scored his first goal for the Golden Knights (25-14-12), who have lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark returned from his leave of absence for mental health reasons, serving as a backup for Mads Sogaard. The baseless rumors that arose during his absence recently drew a sharp rebuke from NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh, who criticized media figures and online influencers for invading the players’ personal lives.

A four-goal third period powered the Florida Panthers to a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Tobias Bjornfot had two goals, and Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (28-20-3), who picked up their third straight win. Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the 21-28-3 Blackhawks.

Jordan Eberle netted two points as the Seattle Kraken held off the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Joey Daccord turned aside 27 shots for the 23-19-9 Kraken. Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (27-23-2).

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: recently reported the New York Islanders plan to relocate their AHL affiliate from Bridgeport, Conn, to Hamilton, Ontario.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Tampa Bay Lightning placed rookie defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous (lower body) on injured reserve.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico profiled Montreal Canadiens prospect defenseman Bryce Pickford, who signed an entry-level contract with the Canadiens last month. After being passed over in the 2024 NHL Draft, Pickford’s performance with the Medicine Hat Tigers last season made him a core player during their run to the WHL championship. That put Pickford on the Canadiens’ radar, who chose him in the third round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pickford is having a record-setting performance this season, scoring the most goals in one season by a WHL defenseman (33 and counting).