NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2026

by | Oct 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2026

Recapping Monday’s games, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will retire after this season, the three stars of the week are revealed, the NHLPA responds to league commissioner Gary Bettman’s comments about no-trade and no-movement clauses, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle scored two goals and added an assist to lead his club to a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Michael Amadio had a goal and an assist, and Drake Batherson scored on a breakaway for the 2-0-0 Senators. James Hagens replied for the Bruins (2-2-0) as they dropped their second straight game.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark left this game after the second period for precautionary reasons after suffering what appears to be an undisclosed minor injury. Ullmark will be reevaluated on Tuesday.

Before the game, the Senators announced that defenseman Jake Sanderson is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 13 saves to shut out the San Jose Sharks 5-0. Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen scored their first goals of the season, and team captain Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist as the Stars picked up their first win of the season (1-2-0). Sharks captain Macklin Celebrini missed this game after suffering a lower-body injury during warmups and will be reevaluated on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks (2-1-0) are a very different team without Celebrini. They cannot afford to have their two-way superstar sidelined for long.

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1, leaving the latter winless in their first four games (0-2-2). Ilya Mikheyev and Pontus Holmberg each had a goal and an assist, and Nikita Kucherov collected two assists for the 2-1-0 Lightning. Tyson Foerster replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov has 1,128 career regular-season points, leaving him 10 away from breaking Steven Stamkos’ franchise record of 1,137.

Third-period goals by Alex Iafallo, Adam Lowry, and Cole Perfetti powered the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Backup goaltender Clay Stevenson made 30 saves for the 2-0-1 Jets. Declan Carlile and Ben Kindel each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (2-1-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are off to a better-than-expected start without starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who remains suspended without pay by the club for not reporting to training camp last month. If they keep exceeding expectations, it’ll make it easier for general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to remain patient in his search for a suitable trade offer for Hellebuyck.

HEADLINES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Long-time Washington Capitals superstar winger Alex Ovechkin announced that he intends to retire at the end of this season.

In a statement, the 41-year-old Capitals captain said he and his family decided this summer that this season would be his last in the NHL. “I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it’s the right decision,” Ovechkin said.

Ovechkin is the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer with 929. He is 11 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most combined goals (regular season and playoffs) in league history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer in NHL history and the greatest player in Capitals history, taking that franchise to its greatest heights and turning it into one of the league’s most popular teams. However, critics believe his legacy has been tainted by his affiliation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, and Vancouver Canucks center Paul Cotter are the league’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 4.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports NHL Players’ Association assistant executive director Ron Hainsey blasted NHL commissioner Gary Bettman over his recent remarks regarding no-trade and no-movement clauses.

In a recent interview, Bettman said that some players were using no-trade and no-movement clauses to force trades to specific teams, suggesting that the league might discuss changes to those clauses with the PA if it became a trend.

Hainsey said the PA believes the no-trade, no-movement clauses are being used as originally intended. “It’s a player’s right to negotiate salary, salary structure, term, as well as a no-move or no-trade with their club if they’re able to do so and bargain in good faith,” Hainsey said. “It’s pretty simple if you’ve negotiated a no-trade. Whether it’s 10 teams or 15 or 32, the club isn’t able to trade you to those teams without your consent.”

“The beginning of this conversation about no-move and no-trade clauses, we do take as an attack on players’ CBA-negotiated rights,” Hainsey said. “And we will treat it as such.”

Player agent J.P. Barry was among several player agents LeBrun spoke with who rejected Bettman’s suggestion about possible changes to those clauses.

“Players give up significant compensation demands to obtain a no-trade clause,” Barry said. “They are ‘purchased’ by the player. If they’re going to try to eliminate no-trade clauses, then we should also discuss elimination of the buyout and the hard cap at the same time.”

Barry pointed out how much the players have given up in previous collective bargaining. “We have no performance bonuses outside of rookie contracts, no player or club options, no renegotiation clauses, and the maximum length of contracts has been ratcheted down to six or seven years.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I knew there would be pushback from the PA but I wasn’t expecting it this quickly.

This topic began this summer because Brady Tkachuk forced a trade from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin requested a trade, and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is staging a holdout to try and force the Winnipeg Jets to trade him.

To be fair to Bettman, he said that one summer of such activity doesn’t constitute a trend. He also said that if it became a trend, the league might have to discuss it with the PA in the next round of collective bargaining.

Nevertheless, Bettman’s comments were considered a shot across the bow to the NHLPA, prompting it to return fire.

This could be a tempest in a teapot if other players do not emulate Tkachuk, Larkin and Hellebuyck. Considering the blowback that Larkin’s trade request has generated from Detroit fans and media, and Hellebuyck’s ongoing suspension without pay for not reporting to training camp, it could discourage other players from considering that tactic.

NHL general managers don’t have to wait for the next round of CBA talks to address this issue. In any current or future contract negotiations with players who want no-trade/no-movement clauses, they can simply negotiate what those clauses will look like. It’s what they currently do, as a quick look at the terms of Larkin’s no-trade clause and Hellebuyck’s no-movement clause on PuckPedia can attest.

If a GM doesn’t want a player on a full NTC or NMC to request a trade, he can negotiate that the NTC/NMC be voided or that the player must submit an agreed-upon number of preferred trade destinations.

As I’ve said before, this isn’t a hill the NHL wants to die on in the next round of collective bargaining. I can’t see doing anything that would jeopardize the stunning growth of hockey-related revenue over something that can already be addressed within the current CBA.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice downplayed speculation that team captain Aleksander Barkov could be sidelined 10-to-12 weeks with a left-knee injury. “Do not bet your hard-earned money on that,” Maurice said, indicating that they’ll have “a more solid answer” on Tuesday.

TSN: The Calgary Flames placed forward Connor Zary and defenseman Brayden Pachal on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zary’s appearance on the waiver wire raised eyebrows given his status as a first-round draft pick by the Flames. Injuries have hampered his once-promising career, but some observers wonder if another club (like the rebuilding Vancouver Canucks) might be tempted to claim the 25-year-old forward.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram has returned to the club after returning to Chicago over the weekend to be with his wife as she gave birth to twin girls.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Blackhawks, forward Andrew Mangiapane is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson (shoulder) is expected to make his season debut on Friday.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg is expected to miss a week with an undisclosed injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2026

by | Mar 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2026

Milestone games for Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, the Sabres extend their win streak to six games, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nikita Kucherov collected four assists to reach the 100-point mark for the sixth time in his career as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Corey Perry scored in his first game back with the Lightning (39-18-4) since being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson replied for the 27-26-11 Maple Leafs, who are 0-5-2 in their last seven games. The Lightning hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 82 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov is the third player to reach the 100-point plateau this season, sitting behind Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (106 points) and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (103). The Lightning played without defenseman Emil Lilleberg, who suffered a facial fracture during practice on Wednesday. He’s expected to miss two weeks.

The Buffalo Sabres kept pace with the Lightning with a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Tage Thompson scored to extend his points streak to 10 games, and Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots for the 38-19-6 Sabres (80 points), who have won six straight games. Zachary L’Heureux and Matthew Wood replied for the Predators (28-27-8), who have lost four of their last five and remain three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 64 points.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes tallied a hat trick and collected an assist to lead his club to their fourth straight win with a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Jesper Bratt had a goal and two assists for the 32-29-2 Devils. Will Borgen, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers (24-30-8).

An overtime goal by Josh Morrissey lifted the Winnipeg Jets over the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-2. Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists for the 26-26-10 Jets, who are five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 62 points. Linus Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (19-36-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Morrissey’s first game since getting injured during the Olympics. It was a memorable return as he moved past Dustin Byfuglien for the most points by a defenseman for this version of the Jets with 417 points.

The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Los Angeles Kings 4-3. Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice and had an assist, Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists, and Jakub Dobes kicked out 36 shots for the Canadiens (34-18-10), who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Anze Kopitar, Scott Laughton, and Alex Laferriere scored for the 25-23-14 Kings (64 points), who also sit three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laughton’s goal was his first for the Kings since being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday.

Speaking of the Kraken, they dropped a 7-4 decision to the Ottawa Senators. Shane Pinto had a goal and two assists, and Warren Foegele scored his first goal since being acquired from the Kings for the 31-22-9 Senators (71 points), who are four points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jordan Eberle collected two assists for the 29-24-9 Kraken (67 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his status. Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz departed in the first period after being accidentally cut on his face by the skate of Senators forward Nick Cousins. He was reportedly still being evaluated following the game.

As for the Bruins (35-22-5), they downed the Washington Capitals 3-1. Pavel Zacha, Viktor Arvidsson, and Elias Lindholm scored, and David Pastrnak collected two assists as they hold that final Eastern wild-card spot with 75 points. Aliaksei Protas replied for the Capitals (31-26-7).

An overtime goal by Bo Horvat gave the New York Islanders a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Ilya Sorokin stopped 30 shots, and Tony DeAngelo also scored for the 36-23-5 Islanders, who hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 77 points. Macklin Celebrini tallied his 32nd goal of the season, and Yaroslav Askarov made 32 saves for the Sharks (30-25-6), who sit one point behind the Kraken with 66 points

The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on a shootout goal by Trevor Zegras. Alex Bump scored his first goal in his NHL debut for the 29-22-11 Flyers. Rickard Rakell had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (31-17-14), who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points.

Calgary Flames forward Joel Farabee had two goals and an assist in a 5-4 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist in his first game with the Flames (25-30-7) since his acquisition from the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists for the 40-17-6 Hurricanes, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4. Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 shots to become the first goaltender to reach 30 wins this season as the Mammoth (34-25-4) has won three straight and holds the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 72 points. Damon Severson, Mathieu Olivier, Adam Fantilli, and Mason Marchment each had a goal and an assist for the 32-21-9 Blue Jackets, who sit two points behind the Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

IN OTHER NEWS…

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars center Roope Hintz is expected to miss some extended time after injuring his left leg during Friday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.

NHL.COM: Former Chicago Blackhawks forward and broadcaster Troy Murray passed away from cancer on Saturday at the age of 63.

Murray played 15 seasons in the NHL from 1981-82 to 1995-96, spending 12 of those seasons with the Blackhawks. In 915 regular-season games with the Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, and Colorado Avalanche, Murray had 230 goals and 354 assists for 584 points, as well as 43 points in 113 playoff contests. He won the Selke Trophy with the Blackhawks in 1985-86, and the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1995-96.

After retiring, Murray became the Blackhawks’ radio analyst for over two decades.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Murray’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Blackhawks organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2025

by | Jan 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the Sharks unveil their Quarter-Century Team, the mid-season Rookie All-Stars are revealed, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond had a goal and three assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-2. Marco Kasper tallied twice and collected an assist as the Wings (53 points) sit two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Kevin Fiala and Quinton Byfield scored for the slumping Kings (58 points), who hold third place in the Pacific Division but have dropped six of their last eight games.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big night for Detroit forward Dominik Shine. The 31-year-old forward made his NHL debut after spending nine seasons with the Red Wings AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. He saw 9:50 minutes of ice time and logged two hits and a blocked shot.

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty hopes he’ll get an opportunity to replace Alex Pietrangelo for Team Canada in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. Doughty’s been sidelined with a fractured ankle since preseason but hopes to return to action in time for the tournament. Pietrangelo withdrew citing an injury.

The Vancouver Canucks got two goals from Conor Garland in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Quinn Hughes picked up two assists while Tyler Myers and Pius Suter had two points each as the Canucks (54 points) moved to within one point of the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington gave up three goals on 18 shots and was replaced by Joel Hofer in the second period. The Blues have lost three straight and sit four points back of the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues traded Scott Perunovich to the New York Islanders for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026. The 26-year-old defenseman played sparingly for the Blues as injuries and inconsistent play frequently sidelined him. The Isles hope a change of scenery will improve his performance as they bring him in to replace Ryan Pulock, who is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored in his return from a three-game suspension to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who’ve won seven of their last nine games to sit atop the Pacific Division with 67 points. Eeli Tolvanen and Vince Dunn replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (75 points) collected an assist to move within two points of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead in the points race.

The Philadelphia Flyers got a two-point performance from Scott Laughton (one goal, one assist) in a 4-2 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Travis Konecny and Rasmus Ristolainen each had two assists while Samuel Ersson stopped 31 shots as the Flyers (52 points) moved within three points of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier missed this contest due to illness.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini snapped a 1-1 tie to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Mikael Granlund also scored and Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves as the Sharks snapped a six-game losing skid. Sidney Crosby replied for the Penguins, who’ve lost seven of their last nine and are seven points behind the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins placed sidelined center Evgeni Malkin (undisclosed) on injured reserve and recalled winger Jesse Puljujarvi. Meanwhile, Fenway Sports Group is reportedly looking to sell a minority stake while retaining a controlling stake in the team.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Sharks unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Monday.

Forwards Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski highlight the First Team, which includes defensemen Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

The Second Team features forwards Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl and Owen Nolan, defensemen Erik Karlsson and Dan Boyle, and goaltender Martin Jones.

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf are among the players chosen for the NHL’s midseason Rookie All-Star Team. The roster also comprised Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, Dallas Stars forward Logan Stankoven, and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nolan Allen.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, and Utah Hockey Club forward Barrett Hayton are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 26.

TSN: Mikko Rantanen said he was blindsided by the blockbuster trade that sent him from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. The pending unrestricted free-agent forward said he was willing to accept a significant discount from his market value to stay with the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s discount wasn’t significant enough to keep him in Colorado. Pierre LeBrun reported the two sides discussed a contract extension but the club believed the gap between them couldn’t be breached, leading to the trade.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals signed goaltender Logan Thompson to a six-year, $35.1 million contract. The average annual value is $5.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s getting a significant raise over the $766,667 he’s earning this season. He’s been outstanding for the Capitals since his acquisition from the Vegas Golden Knights last summer. Management must also decide the fate of backup goalie Charlie Lindgren, who is UFA-eligible and playing well in his contract year.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg received a two-game suspension from the department of player safety for an illegal hit on Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher on Saturday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: An immigration issue is delaying Oilers defenseman John Klingberg from joining the team. He’s expected to make his season debut later this week.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Buffalo Sabres placed winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers.

TSN: The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have informed the International Ice Hockey Federation they intend to move forward on the 2028 World Cup of Hockey without IIHF involvement. They hope to announce the World Cup during the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators created a furor among their fans when team mascot Spartacat donned a jersey that was half-Senators and half-Quebec Nordiques as part of the club’s announcement it would play two preseason games this fall in Quebec City.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The outrage among Sens fans reached the point where team president Cyril Leeder took to social media to apologize for their mascot’s split jersey and allay concerns that the club might be relocating.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2025

by | Jan 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2025

Recapping Sunday’s action, the Rangers and Golden Knights unveil their Quarter-Century Teams, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen scored with 15 seconds remaining in the third period to nip the New York Rangers 5-4, ending the latter’s 10-game points streak. Cale Makar had two goals and an assist and Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists for the Avalanche, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 60 points. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (52 points), who sit three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin Necas had two assists and Jack Drury scored his first goal with the Avalanche. The pair were acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday in the Mikko Rantanen trade.

The Ottawa Senators defeated the Utah Hockey Club 3-1, vaulting into third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Leevi Merilainen stopped 34 shots, Claude Giroux and Tim Stutzle each collected two points, and Brady Tkachuk scored to end a 10-game scoring drought. Clayton Keller scored for Utah, who’ve lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ottawa forward Josh Norris returned to the lineup after missing the last two games for precautionary reasons. The Senators’ victory dropped the Boston Bruins into the top wild-card Eastern spot (55 points) and the Lightning into the final wild-card berth.

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and collected two assists in a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Kyle Connor had a goal and two assists for the Jets (71 points), who’ve won three straight and moved into a tie with the first-overall Washington Capitals. MacKenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri replied for the Flames, who hold the final Western wild card with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals hold first overall with two games in hand. Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 4-1. Tomas Hertl scored to extend his points streak to nine games, Nicolas Roy collected three assists while Adin Hill turned aside 32 shots as the Golden Knights sit first in the Pacific Division with 66 points. Anton Lundell scored for the Panthers, who remain second in the Atlantic Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is withdrawing from the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February. He is tending to an ailment and preparing for the remainder of the Golden Knights’ season.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy had three assists and Marcus Foligno had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 62 points. Seth Jones and Frank Nazar replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild scratched forward Yakov Trenin and defenseman Declan Chisholm from this game.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers unveiled their Quarter-Century Team on Sunday.

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, defensemen Adam Fox and Ryan McDonagh, and forwards Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad comprised the First Team.

The Second Team featured forwards Jaromir Jagr, Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan, defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

The Vegas Golden Knights also revealed their Quarter-Century Team.

Forwards Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and William Karlsson, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, and goaltender Adin Hill made up the First Team.

The Second Team is comprised of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Alec Martinez and Brayden McNabb, and forwards Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith and Chandler Stephenson.

SPORTSNET: New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during their 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman Jan Rutta on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg will have a hearing with the department of player safety for a hit on Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki is being evaluated after crossing head-first into the boards during an AHL game on Saturday.