NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2026

by | Feb 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2026

The Lightning overcome a four-goal deficit to defeat the Bruins in their Stadium Series game, the three stars and Rookie of the Month for January are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning overcame a 5-1 deficit to beat the Boston Bruins 6-5 on a shootout goal by Jake Guentzel before a sellout crowd of 64,617 fans at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Nikita Kucherov led the comeback with a goal and three assists while Brandon Hagel had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (35-14-4), who picked up their third straight win to remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 74 points. Morgan Geekie had two goals and an assist, and Jeremy Swayman made 41 saves for the Bruins (32-20-4).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins’ undisciplined play was their undoing, enabling the Lightning to tally three straight power-play goals in the second period to cut the deficit from 5-1 to 5-4, setting the stage for Kucherov’s tying goal and Guentzel’s game-winner.

The game featured the first-ever goalie fight in an outdoor NHL game, as the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Bruins’ Swayman dropped the gloves following a scrum in front of the Bruins’ net.

Lightning defenseman and team captain Victor Hedman made his return to action in this game after being sidelined since Dec. 9 by elbow surgery. Teammate Anthony Cirelli left this contest late in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

An overtime goal by Sebastian Aho gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Jordan Staal and Alexander Nikishin gave the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead, but the Kings (23-17-14) forced overtime on third-period goals by Samuel Helenius and Quinton Byfield. The Hurricanes (34-15-6) sit second in the Eastern Conference with 74 points and hold first place in the Metropolitan Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson left this game early in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider scored two goals as his club held off the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3. Troy Terry, Jacob Trouba, and Ryan Poehling each had two points for the Ducks (29-23-3). Mitch Marner, Ivan Barbashev, and Tomas Hertl replied for the Golden Knights (25-16-14), who cling to first place in the Pacific Division with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Terry returned to action after being sidelined since Jan. 6 with an upper-body injury. The Ducks also placed center Leo Carlsson (thigh) on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Bruins winger David Pastrnak, and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard are the league’s three stars for January 2026. Bruins forward Fraser Minten is the league’s Rookie of the Month for January 2026.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed goaltender Calvin Pickard on waivers Sunday. If he clears, he’ll be sent to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield following the Olympic break.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the lack of reliable goalie depth in the trade market, Pickard could be claimed by another NHL club on Monday. Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal believes the Philadelphia Flyers are the most likely to pluck Pickard off the waiver wire.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed veteran center Sheldon Dries to a two-year contract extension. It’s a two-way contract with an average annual value of $875, 000 at the NHL level.

DOSE.CA Montreal Canadiens goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen could be heading overseas next season. The 29-year-old Finnish netminder is on a one-year contract with the Canadiens and has spent this season with their AHL affiliate in Laval.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

by | Jan 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, injury updates, contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Utah Mammoth’s 3-2 win over the New York Rangers was overshadowed by a lower-body injury suffered by Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin with seven minutes remaining in the first period. Following the game, head coach Mike Sullivan said the former Vezina Trophy winner was undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi scored in overtime for the 20-20-3 Mammoth, who got regulation goals from Dylan Guenther and Michael Carcone. Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck tallied for the 20-18-6 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing Shesterkin for a significant period of time could be devastating for the Rangers’ efforts to secure a playoff berth. Following the game, the Mammoth traded defenseman Juuso Valimaki to the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations.

The Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Minnesota Wild 4-2. Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves while Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who improved to 18-14-9. Jared Spurgeon had a goal and an assist for the 25-11-8 Wild, as their six-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Kings as captain Anze Kopitar left the game with a lower-body injury and winger Joel Armia departed with an upper-body injury. After the game, it was reported that Kopitar left the dressing room without any apparent limp. There was no update on Armia’s status.

Washington Capitals rookie winger Justin Sourdif tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Sourdif also collected two assists to finish the night with five points, while Alex Ovechkin scored twice and Connor McMichael picked up four assists for the 22-15-6 Capitals. Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Jacob Trouba, and Beckett Sennecke replied for the Ducks (21-18-3) as their winless skid reached six games (0-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger Tom Wilson missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, the Ducks have two wins in their last dozen games. They’ve tumbled from first place to fifth in the Pacific Division, leaving them clinging to the final Western Conference wildcard berth.

The Seattle Kraken got a 41-save performance from goaltender Philipp Grubauer to defeat the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-1. Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist for the 19-14-7 Kraken, who extended their points streak to eight games (7-0-1). Adam Klapka scored for the Flames (18-20-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle played in his 1,100th career NHL regular-season game. Speaking of the Flames, prospect defenseman Zayne Parekh set a record for most points by a Canadian blueliner in a World Junior Championship tournament, finishing with 13 as Canada took home the bronze medal in the 2026 WJC.

A three-goal first period powered the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. John Gibson made 35 saves while James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists for the 25-15-4 Red Wings, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Tim Stutzle collected two assists to extend his point streak to 13 games for the Senators (20-16-5).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews were the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 4, 2026.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn will miss the start of the club’s six-game road trip due to facial injuries suffered during the third period of Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

SPORTSNET/TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was placed on injured reserve. Defenseman Jake McCabe will be sidelined for a week with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The Panthers hope he’ll return to action before the Olympic break in February.

BOSTON.COM: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm will miss some time due to an undisclosed injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman John Klingberg on injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed Christian Dvorak to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.15 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dvorak has played a key role in the rebuilding Flyers improvement this season. The 29-year-old two-way center has nine goals and 25 points in 39 games, putting him on track for a career-best 18 goals and 50 points.

Dvorak might not be able to maintain that level of production throughout this new contract. Nevertheless, the Flyers see him as a key part of their future. He’s currently on a one-year, $5.4 million contract. With the salary cap rising significantly over the next two seasons, his new cap hit won’t take a significant chunk out of the Flyers’ cap payroll.

TSN: The St. Louis Blues signed forward Alexey Toropchenko to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $2.5 million.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed defenseman Egor Zamula on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zamula could sign with another NHL club once his contract is officially terminated on Tuesday.

TSN: Defenseman Jack Johnson officially retired as an NHL player, joining the Vancouver Canucks as a pro scout.

In 19 NHL seasons (2006-07 to 2024-25), Johnson had 342 points in 1,128 regular-season games with the Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks. He also had 21 points in 57 playoff games and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

NHL.COM: Former player, coach, and general manager Bob Pulford died on Monday at age 89.

Pulford spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings from 1956-57 to 1971-72. He spent 14 of those seasons with the Leafs, winning four Stanley Cups. He had 281 goals and 643 points in 1,079 regular-season games, and 51 points in 89 playoff games. In 1991, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Following his playing career, Pulford went on to spend five seasons coaching the Kings, winning the Jack Adams Award in 1974-75. He went on to spend five years coaching the Chicago Blackhawks and served as their general manager during four different periods between 1977 and 2005.

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2025

by | Dec 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2025

A milestone win for Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, Predators forward Steven Stamkos poised to reach 600 goals, Islanders forward Mathew Barzal fined, the Blue Jackets trade Yegor Chinakhov to the Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves for his 446th career NHL regular-season win as he backstopped his club over the Washington Capitals by a score of 5-3. Sam Reinhart scored two goals (including his 20th of the season), and Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to eight games for the 21-15-2 Panthers. Tom Wilson tallied twice for the Capitals (20-14-5), who have three wins in their last 11 contests.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky moved ahead of Terry Sawchuk into eighth place on the all-time goaltender wins list. He needs nine more victories to surpass Curtis Joseph, who is seventh with 454 wins, and 14 more to vault over Henrik Lundqvist (459) into sixth place.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 4-3 win over the Utah Mammoth. Luke Evangelista had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who’ve won four of their last five games and improved to 17-17-4. Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist for the 18-19-3 Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After a slow start to this season, Stamkos has 17 goals and 25 points in 38 games. He’s also one goal away from becoming the 22nd player in league history to reach 600 career regular-season goals, and only the third active player to do so.

Before this game, the Mammoth placed starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka (upper body) on injured reserve.

The Buffalo Sabres picked up their ninth straight victory by doubling up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Zach Benson scored the winning goal for the Sabres, who improved to 20-14-4 on the season. Brayden Schenn and Jimmy Snuggerud replied for the Blues, who dropped to 15-17-8.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are one win away from tying the franchise record of 10 straight victories. Team captain Rasmus Dahlin returned to the lineup after spending time with his fiancée in Europe as she continues her recovery from a heart transplant earlier this year.

Before the game, the Blues announced forward Pius Suter will miss approximately four weeks with an ankle injury.

An overtime goal by Jackson Blake lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (24-11-3) as they hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 51 points. Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves for the 19-17-5 Rangers, who are 1-2-1 in their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes announced goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov underwent surgery for a nagging lower-body injury that could sideline him for the remainder of the season. They also claimed center Noah Philp off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers.

The Columbus Blue Jackets got a 27-save performance from goalie Jet Greaves to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Kirill Marchenko scored to collect his 30th point of the season while Charlie Coyle and Cole Sillinger each picked up two assists for the 17-15-6 Blue Jackets, who have won three straight games. Jake Sanderson replied for the Senators (18-15-3), who are 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The start of this game was pushed back to 7:30 PM ET as mechanical issues with the Blue Jackets’ jet delayed their arrival into Ottawa. They played without forward Isac Lundestrom, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Before the game began, the Blue Jackets traded forward Yegor Chinakhov to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Details and analysis below in the Headlines section.

Senators center Shane Pinto and defenseman Tyler Kleven returned to action after being sidelined by injuries.

Edmonton Oilers netminder Calvin Pickard kicked out 41 shots in a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his points streak to 13 games as the Oilers (20-14-6) took over first place in the Pacific Division with 46 points. Adam Lowry scored for the struggling Jets (15-18-4), who are winless in their last six games (0-3-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Andrew Mangiapane was a healthy scratch as trade rumors are swirling. I’ll have more about his situation in today’s Rumor Mill.

Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson had a goal and three assists to lead his club over the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2. Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Jared Spurgeon each had a goal and an assist for the 24-10-6 Wild. Vegas goalie Carter Hart gave up five goals on 12 shots before being replaced by Akira Schmid. The Golden Knights (17-9-11) have one win in their last six games (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl was ejected in the first period for boarding Wild winger Ryan Hartman.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini extended his points streak to eight games with a goal and two assists as his club held off the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves for the 19-17-3 Sharks. Troy Terry tallied twice and collected an assist for the Ducks (21-16-2), who have lost three straight and have two wins in their last nine contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Frank Vatrano (upper-body injury) and defenseman Radko Gudas (illness) missed this game, while forward Ryan Strome was a healthy scratch for the third straight game.

Colorado Avalanche forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, extending their winning streak to eight games. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots for the 29-2-7 Avalanche, who lead the league with 65 points. Corey Perry and Joel Armia replied for the Kings (16-13-9).

An overtime power-play goal by Connor Zary lifted the Calgary Flames over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Dustin Wolf stopped 24 shots, and Blake Coleman also scored for the 17-18-4 Flames. Andrew Peeke scored for the Bruins (20-18-2), who are winless in their last six (0-4-2).

The Vancouver Canucks got 37 saves from Kevin Lankinen in a 3-2 shootout win over the Seattle Kraken. Liam Ohgren tallied the winning goal while Linus Karlsson and Elias Pettersson scored in regulation for the 16-19-3 Canucks. Jaren McCann and Ryan Winterton replied for the 16-14-7 Kraken as their four-game win streak ended.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Nikita Kucherov, Seattle Kraken right wing Eeli Tolvanen, and Montreal Canadiens right winger Juraj Slafkovsky were the league’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 28.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders forward Mathew Barzal was fined $5,000.00 by the league’s department of player safety for slashing Columbus Blue Jackets winger Mason Marchment on Sunday.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW/THE ATHLETIC: The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forward Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round draft pick, and a 2027 third-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A 2020 first-round pick by the Blue Jackets, Chinakhov was projected to become a top-six forward. However, he struggled with injury and inconsistency over the past two seasons. During the summer, his agent requested a trade for his client, citing “misunderstandings” with head coach Dean Evason. He bounced around the Jackets’ forward lines this season.

It will be interesting to see if Chinakhov can get his NHL career back on track in Pittsburgh. Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas acknowledged Chinakhov’s issues, but indicated that his club conducted its due diligence before making this move. He stated that they liked the winger’s size, speed, and two-way skills.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Penguins, they placed defenseman Ryan Graves on waivers.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens have tapped Sam Montembeault as their starting goalie for Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers. Montembeault was recently recalled from a conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Laval.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2025

by | Nov 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2025

The Flyers set a franchise record against the Devils, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reached a points milestone, Lightning winger Brandon Hagel had a four-point performance, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Philadelphia Flyers scored four first-period goals, including three in 26 seconds, in a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Tyson Foerster tallied twice in 17 seconds, and Noah Cates had a goal and two assists for the 11-6-3 Flyers. Nico Hischier scored two goals and set up another as the Devils (13-7-1) dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers set a franchise record for the fastest three goals in one period.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist for his 500th career multipoint game in a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. Brandon Montour scored in overtime, and Mason Marchment had a goal and an assist as the Kraken improved to 11-5-5. Evgeni Malkin scored for the Penguins (10-6-5), who have one win in their last six games (1-2-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is sixth on the all-time multipoint games list. Wayne Gretzky leads with 824 games, followed by Jaromir Jagr (540), Marcel Dionne and Mark Messier (513), and Gordie Howe (511).

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel scored two goals and collected two assists in a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists as the Lightning (12-7-2) extended their winning streak to three games. Jakob Chychrun had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-2 Capitals as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov and teammate Brayden Point left this game with undisclosed injuries. There was no postgame update regarding their statuses. Meanwhile, Capitals forward Nic Dowd missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood made 35 saves to shut out the Nashville Predators 3-0. Nathan MacKinnon scored to extend his points streak to 12 games as the league-leading Avalanche (15-1-5, 35 points) extended its win streak to eight games. Juuse Saros stopped 23 of 24 shots as the Predators (6-11-4) have lost seven of their last eight contests (1-5-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators captain Roman Josi returned to action after being sidelined since late October with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Avalanche announced that forward Gavin Brindley is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings got an overtime goal from Alex DeBrincat as they overcame a 3-1 deficit to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Cam Talbot stopped 31 shots, and defensemen Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot each had a goal and an assist for the Detroit Red Wings, who improved to 13-8-1 and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 27 points. Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (11-8-3).

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington made 30 saves as his club held off the New York Islanders by a score of 2-1. Brayden Schenn and Pius Suter scored for the 7-9-6 Blues, who ended a four-game winless skid (0-1-3). Anders Lee replied for the Islanders (12-8-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues placed forward Alexandre Texier on unconditional waivers for contract termination. The Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators are believed to be the front-runners, with the Canadiens considered the favorites to sign him. The 26-year-old winger is in his seventh NHL season. He’s a speedy two-way checking-line forward whose best season was a 30-point performance with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they picked up their first win in two weeks with a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Noah Dobson and Josh Anderson each tallied twice for the Canadiens, who improved to 11-7-3 after dropping seven of their previous eight games (1-4-3). William Nylander had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 9-10-3 and have lost seven of their last eight contests (1-5-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Edmonton Oilers got two goals from Jack Roslovic to defeat the Florida Panthers 6-3 in their first game since facing each other in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Stuart Skinner kicked out 35 shots, and blueliners Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm each had three points for the 10-9-5 Oilers, ending their three-game losing skid. Anton Lundell and Mackie Samoskevich each had a goal and an assist as the Panthers dropped to 11-9-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s expected to travel with the team on Sunday and play in Monday’s game against the Nashville Predators.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle snapped a 2-2 tie to give his club a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. He also collected an assist to finish the game with two points as the Senators (11-6-4) picked up their third win in four games. John Klingberg and Barclay Goodrow replied for the 10-9-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot returned to action after missing three games with an upper-body injury. However, he left this contest in the third period after reinjuring himself.

The Utah Mammoth nipped the New York Rangers 3-2 on a third-period goal by Nick DeSimone. JJ Peterka and Clayton Keller also scored for the 11-8-3 Mammoth, ending a four-game winless skid (0-1-3). Vladislav Gavrikov had a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who’ve lost four straight games and dropped to 10-11-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers captain J.T. Miller missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored in overtime in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Gauthier, Troy Terry, and Jackson LaCombe each had a goal and an assist as the Ducks improved to 14-7-1, sitting in first place in the Pacific Division with 29 points. Jack Eichel had two assists for the Golden Knights (10-4-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mitch Marner was the goat of this game as his turnover in front of his own net led to Gauthier’s game-winner.

The Calgary Flames upset the Dallas Stars 3-2 on a shootout goal by Nazem Kadri. Matt Coronato scored to extend his goal streak to four games for the 7-13-3 Flames. Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the 13-5-4 Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen received his second game misconduct in three games for boarding Coronato.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2025

by | Oct 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2025

Milestone games for the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman, the Kraken’s Brandon Montour makes an emotional return to action, the Red Wings stage a big comeback, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin played in his 1,500th career regular-season NHL game, but the Ottawa Senators spoiled the party with a 7-1 victory. Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson each had two goals and an assist for the Senators as they improved to 4-4-1. Trevor van Riemsdyk scored for the 6-3-0 Capitals, who also lost center Dylan Strome to a lower-body injury in the first period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is the 24th player in league history to reach 1,500 regular-season games. Only seven players missed fewer games on their way to that milestone, and the eighth to do so with one team. The Capitals superstar remains one goal away from becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 regular-season goals. Meanwhile, Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois returned to the lineup after missing five games with a lower-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Nikita Kucherov became the second player in franchise history to reach 1,000 regular-season points as the Tampa Bay Lightning nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Kucherov collected two assists, including the primary one on Anthony Cirelli’s game-winning goal. Cirelli and Jake Guentzel each scored twice, and Lightning captain Victor Hedman had two assists to reach the 800-point milestone. Troy Terry had a goal and an assist for the 4-3-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Steven Stamkos is the Lightning’s franchise points leader with 1,137. Hedman sits fifth among their all-time points leaders with 801. The Lightning (2-4-2) snapped a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). Meanwhile, Ducks center Mikael Granlund left this game with a lower-body injury.

The Seattle Kraken (5-2-2) got two goals from Jordan Eberle to hold off the Edmonton Oilers 3-2, tying them with the first-place Vegas Golden Knights (12 points) in the Pacific Division. Joey Daccord stopped 31 shots, and Matty Beniers collected two assists for the Kraken. Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse replied for the 4-4-1 Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour logged over 23 minutes in his return to action from a leave of absence on Oct. 18 to be with his family. His brother, Cameron, passed away due to ALS (otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) two days later. “I’m very, very happy to be his brother,” an emotional Montour said. “He’s probably smiling and chirping me up there, for crying.” My condolences to Montour and his family.

Earlier in the day, the Kraken placed sidelined winger Jared McCann (lower body) on injured reserve.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson scored the winning and insurance goals as his club overcame a 4-0 deficit for a 6-4 upset of the St. Louis Blues. Jonatan Berggren and J.T. Compher each had a goal and an assist for the 6-3-0 Red Wings. Jake Neighbours tallied two goals for the Blues (3-4-1), who’ve gone 1-3-1 in their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares’ 499th career regular-season goal came in overtime to lift his club over the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Tavares also picked up an assist while winger Matthew Knies had two helpers as the Leafs improved to 4-4-1. Tage Thompson tallied twice for the 4-4-1 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander missed this game due to an injury suffered on Friday night against the Sabres. Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly returned to the lineup after missing Friday’s contest with an undisclosed injury.

The Montreal Canadiens got a three-point performance from Ivan Demidov as they overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Demidov scored the game-winner and collected two assists, while Nick Suzuki scored to extend his points streak to nine games as the Canadiens (7-3-0) sit atop the Atlantic Division with 14 points. Center Elias Pettersson had a goal and two assists for the 4-5-0 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Canadiens announced winger Patrik Laine will be sidelined three to four months after undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly scored two goals and collected an assist, and Ozzy Wiesblatt scored the game-winner in a shootout to nip the Los Angeles Kings 5-4. Juuse Saros kicked out 36 shots in regulation and overtime as the Predators improved to 4-3-2. Joel Armia had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who fell to 3-3-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings captain Anze Kopitar was held scoreless in his return from a foot injury suffered on Oct. 17. Meanwhile, Predators captain Roman Josi missed this game as he’s listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves for a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, snapping a six-game losing streak. Morgan Geekie scored the game-winner while Mason Lohrei collected three assists for the 4-6-0 Bruins. Artturi Lehkonen tallied both goals for the Avalanche (5-1-3), who are winless in their last three (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Bruins defenseman Jordan Harris is reportedly considering surgery for a lower-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets blew a 4-2 lead but emerged with a 5-4 shootout win on a goal by Kirill Marchenko. Dmitri Voronkov tallied twice for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 4-4-0. Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha collected two points, and Arturs Silovs made 37 saves for the 6-2-1 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins winger Rickard Rakell left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Earlier in the day, the Penguins announced defenseman Caleb Jones will be sidelined for eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras netted his first two goals of the season, and Matvei Michkov scored the shootout winner to down the New York Islanders 4-3. Zegras finished the game with three points as the Flyers improved to 4-3-1. Defenseman Marshall Warren collected two assists in his NHL debut as his Islanders sit at 4-3-1.

The Florida Panthers got a 17-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to blank the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0, handing the latter their first regulation loss. Sam Reinhart, Cole Schwindt, and A.J. Greer scored for the Panthers, who improved to 5-5-0. Akira Schmid made 23 saves for the 5-1-2 Golden Knights.

Utah Mammoth forwards Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz each scored two goals in a 6-2 rout of the Minnesota Wild. Karel Vejmelka turned aside 32 shots for the 7-2-0 Mammoth, who extended their win streak to six games and hold first place in the Central Division with 14 points. Marcus Johansson scored both goals for the struggling Wild, who fell to 3-5-1.

The Dallas Stars got two goals from Miro Heiskanen to rally past the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. Jake Oettinger made 26 saves as the (4-3-1) Stars snapped a four-game losing streak. Jackson Blake and Sebastian Aho tallied for the 6-2-0 Hurricanes.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 18, 2025

by | Oct 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 18, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin inches closer to 900 goals, Nick Schmaltz leads the Mammoth to victory, Kings captain Anze Kopitar is sidelined, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 898th career regular-season goal and added an assist in a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Dylan Strome scored twice and collected two assists for the Capitals, who have won four straight after dropping their season opener. Filip Gustavsson kicked out 40 shots for the Wild, who have lost three of their first five games.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

The Utah Mammoth got a hat trick from Nick Schmaltz as they defeated the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Schmaltz also picked up an assist, and linemate Clayton Keller had a goal and three assists as the Mammoth have won two straight, and three of their first five contests. Macklin Celebrini and Jeff Skinner each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who are still seeking their first win of the season (0-2-2).

An overtime goal by Dylan Larkin gave the Detroit Red Wings a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. John Gibson made 31 saves for his first win with the Wings, and rookie teammate Axel Sandin-Pellikka scored his first NHL goal. JJ Moser replied for the Lightning. The Red Wings have won four straight after losing their season-opener, while the Lightning have one win in their first five games (1-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay winger Nikita Kucherov missed this game with an illness. The Lightning also placed defenseman Maxwell Crozier on injured reserve.

The Vancouver Canucks overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on a shootout goal by Brock Boeser. Kevin Lankinen made 31 saves, and Jake DeBrusk and Max Sasson also scored for the Canucks (3-2-0). Chicago forwards Ryan Donato and Tyler Bertuzzi scored, and goalie Spencer Knight turned aside 30 shots as the Blackhawks’ record slips to 2-2-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bertuzzi appeared to give the Blackhawks the lead with just over five minutes remaining in the third period, but it was overturned on a questionable goaltender interference call.

HEADLINES

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings captain Anze Kopitar is listed as week-to-week with an injured foot and is sidelined indefinitely. He was struck in the foot by a deflected shot during Monday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

Kopitar is in his 20th NHL season and intends to retire at the end of this season.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames have activated winger Jonathan Huberdeau from injured reserve. During his absence, the club has gone 1-4-0 to start the season.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed Vladislav Gavrikov as a free agent this summer, but the 29-year-old defenseman has struggled with his new team as the chemistry between him and defense partner Adam Fox remains a work in progress.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres forward Justin Danforth is expected to miss a significant period of time with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (upper body) is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Florida Panthers.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Carolina Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake $2,358.94 for slashing Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba on Thursday.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Seattle Kraken placed center Frederick Gaudreau (undisclosed) on injured reserve.

TSN: Former NHL superstar Jaromir Jagr has suited up for his 38th professional season as he’s skating with Rytiri Kladno in his native Czechia. This pushes his eventual induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame back another season. Under current rules, a player must be retired from pro hockey for three years before he can be inducted into the Hall.

Jagr began his professional career with Kladno in 1988-89 before going on to 24 seasons in the NHL from 1990-91 to 2017-18. He returned to Kladno midway through the 2017-18 campaign and has been with them since.