NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 27, 2026

by | May 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 27, 2026

The Golden Knights advance to the Stanley Cup Final, the latest on the Hurricanes and Canadiens, the Penguins re-sign Evgeni Malkin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, sweeping the series and advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone (NHL Images).

Mark Stone and Cole Smith scored, and Carter Hart stopped 20 shots for the Golden Knights. Gabriel Landeskog replied for the Avalanche.

The Golden Knights await the winner of the Eastern Conference Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens. The Hurricanes hold a 2-1 lead in that best-of-seven series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the Golden Knights’ third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in their nine-year history. Their first trip was in their inaugural season (2017-18) and their second came in 2022-23, when they won their first Cup.

Vegas winger Mitch Marner leads all scorers in this postseason with 21 points and is considered among the favorites to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. It’s the first time Marner has reached the Stanley Cup Final.

Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella credited his team’s tight-checking style for their success thus far in this postseason. That system played a crucial role in shutting down the heavily-favored Avalanche, who won the Presidents’ Trophy as the top team during the regular season.

Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon played despite a knee injury suffered in Game 3. The Avs also changed things up between the pipes by replacing Scott Wedgewood with MacKenzie Blackwood, who made 24 saves. However, it couldn’t prevent what felt like an inevitable victory for the Golden Knights.

Martin Necas, Brock Nelson, Cale Makar, and MacKinnon were the notable Avalanche stars who failed to score during this series. Injuries to MacKinnon and Makar hampered their performances, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that the Golden Knights did a masterful job of shutting down the vaunted Avalanche offense.

It will be interesting to see how the Avalanche front office reacts to this disappointing end to a dominant regular season. I’ll have more about that in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes aren’t fazed by the pressure of overtime. They are 5-0 in overtime games in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Winger Andrei Svechnikov credits his club’s mentality. “We love tight games. Every time, we love that,” Svechnikov said. It was his overtime goal in Game 3 that lifted the Hurricanes to a 2-1 series lead over the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens have been outshot by a wide margin in this series with the Hurricanes.

The reduction of shot production from stars Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky is expected because of the extra focus they’ve received from their opponents in this postseason. However, that hasn’t led to any significant increase in shots from the rest of the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After being dominated in Game 1, the Hurricanes did a terrific job taking away time and space for the Canadiens to create plays and generate shots in Games 2 and 3. If that trend continues, the Hurricanes will face the Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins re-signed long-time star Evgeni Malkin to a one-year, bonus-laden contract on Tuesday.

Malkin, 39, will be returning for his 21st season with the only NHL team he’s ever played for. The contract is worth $5.5 million against the Penguins’ cap. He receives a base salary of $2.5 million and a $3 million signing bonus on July 1. He will also receive $3.5 million performance bonuses that could take him up to $9 million, though it’s unlikely that he’ll achieve all of them.

The contract also comes with a no-movement clause, but he must present a three-team trade list in January.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It seemed uncertain for months whether the Penguins would re-sign Malkin. However, recent comments by general manager Kyle Dubas and team captain Sidney Crosby suggested that he would be back for one more season.

Malkin had a bounce-back performance this season with 61 points in 56 games and three points in six playoff contests.

Dubas recently indicated that the Penguins had no one in their system who could step up and replace Malkin in the lineup. That’s the main reason why they’ve brought him back. The Penguins’ exceeding expectations to make the playoffs under first-year coach David Muse also likely factored into this decision.

OTTAWA SUN: Claude Giroux wants to return for another season. The 38-year-old Senators forward pondered retirement, but his agent said his client would like to play in 2026-27.

Giroux told reporters following Ottawa’s elimination from the 2026 playoffs that his priority would be to re-sign with the Senators. While there hasn’t yet been any discussion with management, there’s little reason to believe that they don’t want him back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators GM Steve Staios praised Giroux last month during the club’s end-of-season media availability. It will be surprising if Staios doesn’t bring him back for what will be his 20th NHL campaign.

THE SCORE: cited a report from The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, who claimed the Los Angeles Kings held preliminary talks with former New York Rangers coach Peter Laviolette about their head-coaching position.

CBC PEI: Former NHL forward Forbes Kennedy passed away on Monday at age 90.

Kennedy spent 11 seasons in the NHL from 1956-57 to 1968-69 with the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. In 603 regular-season games, he had 70 goals and 108 assists for 178 points and 888 PIMs. He also has six points in 12 playoff contests with 64 PIMs.

After his playing career, Kennedy went on to a long junior coaching career in the Maritimes, most of which was spent in his native Prince Edward Island. Summerside native and former NHL player and coach Gerard Gallant said Kennedy was a mentor for many Island players who hoped to reach the NHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: “Forbie” was a trailblazer for aspiring players from Prince Edward Island. He became the first Islander to play over 500 NHL games, and finished fourth in Calder Memorial Trophy voting in 1956-57. My condolences to his family, friends, former teammates, and the players whom he coached.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 26, 2026

by | May 26, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 26, 2026

The Hurricanes take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Final, plus the latest on the Avalanche, Golden Knights, Maple Leafs, Kings, and Oilers in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Andrei Svechnikov gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final, and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov (NHL Images).

Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere opened the scoring in the first period. Mike Matheson tied it for the Canadiens later in the period, only to have the Hurricanes regain the lead less than a minute later on a goal by Taylor Hall. Lane Hutson tied it in the second period for the Canadiens, who saw a potential 3-2 lead in the third period overturned as a coach’s challenge by the Hurricanes revealed Cole Caufield was offside.

Game 4 is on Wednesday in Montreal at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second straight game that Carolina won in overtime by a score of 3-2. And for the second straight game, they outshot Montreal by a high volume, this time peppering Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes with 38 shots while Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen faced only 13.

Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson blamed his turnover at his blueline for what led to Svechnikov’s game-winner. However, his club had two golden opportunities earlier in the overtime period to end it. Team captain Nick Suzuki had a breakaway but shot wide, while Matheson struck the crossbar later in the period.

The Canadiens were near the bottom of the league in shots on goal this season, a trend that has persisted during this postseason. Factor in the Hurricanes’ suffocating defensive play in Games 2 and 3, and it’s little wonder that the Habs have had difficulty scoring.

Experience is also favoring the Hurricanes. This is their third Conference Final in four years, and the hard lessons they learned from their early exits from those series have been on display in this matchup. If they maintain their sustained offensive zone pressure and their strong defensive play, they could take a commanding lead in the series on Wednesday and finish it at home in Game 5 on Friday.

THE DENVER POST: Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, putting them on the verge of elimination.

Vegas goaltender Carter Hart has outplayed Avalanche netminder Scott Wedgewood. The Golden Knights have played well defensively, and their top players are healthier and producing.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The status of Avalanche forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin remains uncertain after suffering injuries in Game 3. MacKinnon injured his knee after blocking a shot, hampering his performance for the rest of the game. Nichushkin suffered an upper-body injury that sidelined him for most of the third period.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Shot blocking has been key to the Golden Knights’ shutting down the Avalanche’s vaunted offense. Defensemen Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, and Noah Hanifin are among this postseason’s leaders in block shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights can wrap up this series on Tuesday night.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka and senior executive advisor Mats Sundin had a positive meeting with team captain Auston Matthews to discuss their vision for the team.

Matthews has two seasons left on his contract, and there was uncertainty over his future with the Maple Leafs after they missed the playoffs this season. According to Elliotte Friedman, the Leafs captain indicated that he still wants to win in Toronto,

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated there are still more decisions to be made, but this initial meeting was positive, with nothing to suggest any concerns.

TSN: Speaking of the Maple Leafs, forward Max Domi is sidelined indefinitely following complications arising from off-season surgery. The club didn’t disclose the nature of the surgery on Monday, stating only that it was done to address a nagging issue. He will be re-evaluated at the start of training camp in September.

TSN: Los Angeles Kings general manager Ken Holland said his team must move on after the Golden Knights denied his club permission to speak with former head coach Bruce Cassidy. “I’ve been around the game a long time to know that if somebody’s decided that they don’t want to grant permission, they’ve negotiated that right and you move on.”

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers signed Finnish winger Aku Raty to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2026

by | May 25, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2026

The Golden Knights rally to push the Avalanche to the brink of elimination in the Western Conference Final, plus the latest on the Hurricanes and Canadiens in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights scored five unanswered goals to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Avalanche took the early lead in the first period on goals by Gabriel Landeskog, Nazem Kadri, and Jack Drury. However, it was all Golden Knights for the rest of the game, with Mark Stone, William Karlsson, and Keegan Kolesar scoring to tie it at 3-3 in the second period. Tomas Hertl tallied the game winner, and Brett Howden netted the insurance goal in the third period.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone (NHL Images).

With the Golden Knights holding a commanding series lead, they can wrap up the series and sweep the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche on Tuesday in Las Vegas, starting at 9 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche were dominant in the first period, displaying the form that made them the top team in the league this season and saw them make short work of the Los Angeles Kings and Minnesota Wild through the first two rounds.

However, their confidence wavered when Stone tallied just 19 seconds into the second period, and collapsed when Karlsson cut the lead to 3-2 less than three minutes later. They seemed to have no answer for the Golden Knights’ aggressive physical style and strong special teams play during the remainder of the game.

Stone returned to the Golden Knights’ lineup after being injured in Game 3 of their second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks. Cale Makar rejoined the Avalanche after missing the first two games with an injury. Of the two, it was the Golden Knights’ captain who had a bigger impact on this game.

Worse for the Avalanche, superstar center Nathan MacKinnon injured his right knee while blocking a shot in the second period. He tried to play through it, but his mobility was hampered. Avs winger Valeri Nichushkin suffered an undisclosed injury early in the third period and didn’t return.

Following the game, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar admitted morale was low among his players right now. They face a daunting challenge attempting to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. Only four teams in NHL history have rallied back after trailing a best-of-seven series by three games.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau reports that the addition of Nikolaj Ehlers last summer has given the Carolina Hurricanes a welcome offensive boost during this postseason. With four goals and six points, he’s on pace to exceed his previous postseason highs of five goals and seven points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes have also benefited from the production of their second line of Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven, and Jackson Blake.

THE ATHLETIC: Cory Lavalette examines how speed, skill, and physicality enable the Hurricanes to overcome a lopsided loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in Game 2.

TVA SPORTS: Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis told reporters on Sunday that Lane Hutson was fine after a hit by Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall during overtime in Game 2 left him limping to the bench.

SPORTSNET: The Canadiens are hoping to rewrite their home ice history in this postseason as the Eastern Conference Final shifts to Montreal for Games 3 and 4. While the Canadiens have an impressive 7-3 record on the road in this postseason, they’re 2-4 at home.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2026

by | Apr 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2026

The final two Western Conference first-round series are set, Connor McDavid wins the Art Ross Trophy, Nathan MacKinnon takes home the Richard Trophy, Macklin Celebrini sets a Sharks record, the Canucks reportedly fire GM Patrik Allvin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THE LAST NIGHT OF THE NHL REGULAR SEASON

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers rookie Matt Savoie tallied his first NHL hat trick as his club romped to a 6-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Connor McDavid collected four assists for the 41-30-11 Oilers, who clinched second place in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Canucks rookie Ty Mueller scored his first NHL goal.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers will face off against the Anaheim Ducks in the first round. Meanwhile, McDavid finished with a league-leading 138 points, winning the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer for the sixth time. He joins Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Gordie Howe as the only players to win that award at least six times.

Speaking of the Ducks, they nipped the Nashville Predators 5-4 on a tie-breaking goal by Troy Terry. Mikael Granlund had three assists for the Ducks, who finished one point behind the Oilers to sit third in the Pacific Division. Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg each scored twice for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos and Forsberg both finished this season having reached the 40-goal plateau. For Stamkos (42 goals), it’s the eighth time he’s done it.

The Colorado Avalanche blanked the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Scott Wedgewood turned in a 22-save shutout while Nick Blankenburg and Parker Kelly scored for the league-leading Avalanche (121 points), who will meet the Los Angeles Kings. Rookie goalie Victor Ostman stopped 33 of 35 shots for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche rested several players, including Nathan MacKinnon. Nevertheless, MacKinnon won the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s leading goal scorer, finishing with 53. It’s the first time he’s won the Richard Trophy. He and Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens were the only players to reach the vaunted 50-goal plateau this season.

Wedgewood and fellow Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood won the William M. Jennings Trophy, which is awarded annually to the goaltender(s) who play a minimum of 25 games for the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar returned behind the bench after missing the club’s last two games with facial injuries after being struck by a puck during a game against the Vegas Golden Knights last weekend.

As for the Kings, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Calgary Flames. Goaltender Arsenii Sergeev stopped 27 shots for the win in his first NHL game, while Joel Farabee reached the 20-goal plateau for the third time. Quinton Byfield scored for the Kings.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and two assists in a 6-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. William Eklund and John Klingberg each had three points for the Sharks. Cole Koepke replied for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini finished the season with 115 points, breaking the franchise record of 114 set by Joe Thornton in 2006-07. The 19-year-old Sharks center finished fourth overall among NHL scorers this season.

The St. Louis Blues closed out their season with a 5-3 win over the Utah Mammoth. Robert Thomas tallied a hat trick for the Blues. Clayton Keller and MacKenzie Weegar each had two assists for the Mammoth, who will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the playoffs.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The complete schedule for the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs has been released. It begins Saturday with Game 1 of the Ottawa Senators-Carolina Hurricanes series at 3 pm ET.

THE PROVINCE: cited a report in the Swedish paper Aftonbladet, which claimed that general manager Patrik Allvin is set to be dismissed by the Vancouver Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As of this writing, there has been no official confirmation yet by the Canucks. It’s been speculated for weeks that Allvin could be replaced as general manager following one of the worst seasons in the franchise’s history.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils have hired former Florida Panthers assistant general manager Sunny Mehta as their new general manager. He’s returning to the club where he pioneered the NHL’s first full-time analytics department from 2014 to 2018.

Mehta joined the Panthers in 2020. Promoted to assistant GM in 2023, he contributed to the Panthers winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Among Mehta’s first duties will be deciding the future of head coach Sheldon Keefe, opening contract extension talks on July 1 with team captain Nico Hischier, and perhaps gauging the trade value of veteran defenseman Dougie Hamilton.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed head coach Rick Bowness to a one-year contract extension.

Bowness took over on an interim basis in mid-January. Under his guidance, the Blue Jackets rose from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings to second place in the Metropolitan Division by March 25.

However, the Blue Jackets went 3-9-1 over their remaining games to fall out of the playoff picture. That sparked a public season-ending tirade from Bowness, accusing the players of being too comfortable with losing. He subsequently walked back those comments, but his claim that he would change the culture if he returned as head coach has resonated with management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowness claimed he loved the Blue Jackets players, who said they loved playing for him. It remains to be seen if that mutual love translates into a culture change that leads to a winning team next season.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews appeared noncommittal about his future when speaking to the media during the club’s locker cleanout on Thursday. The 28-year-old superstar center expects to be physically ready for next season, but he’s uncertain about where things go from here.

Matthews said he can’t predict the future, pointing out that the Maple Leafs are in the process of hiring new management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It sounds like Matthews will wait to see who becomes the new GM and what their plans are for the offseason and for 2026-27. He has two years remaining on his contract, which explains the curiosity about his plans among the denizens of Leafs Nation.

TSN: Speaking of the Maple Leafs, Craig Berube said he expects to return as their head coach next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will depend on the next general manager and how much autonomy he’ll have from ownership when it comes to making decisions about the coaching staff.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin offered up more clarity about his future. Despite speculation that this season could be his last, the 40-year-old Capitals captain remains hopeful that he hasn’t played his final NHL game. He intends to decide at some point in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed defenseman Matt Dumba on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. It will allow him to finish this season without having to participate in the AHL playoffs.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers will have a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after all. They had traded that pick to the Chicago Blackhawks as part of last year’s Seth Jones trade. However, the pick was top-10 protected. The Panthers currently sit eighth in the draft order and can fall no lower than two spots in the draft lottery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2026

by | Apr 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2026

The remaining Eastern Conference opening-round series are set, the Mammoth clinch the first Western Conference wild card, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: David Pastrnak collected an assist for his 100th point of the season as the Boston Bruins blanked the New Jersey Devils 4-0 to clinch the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jeremy Swayman turned in a 21-save shutout while Mark Kastelic scored twice for the 45-27-10 Bruins, who finished the season with 100 points and will face the Buffalo Sabres in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nico Daws made 22 saves for the Devils.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth consecutive season that Pastrnak has reached the 100-point plateau. Bruins center Pavel Zacha left the game to attend to a family matter.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi stopped 28 shots in a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders. Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Jankowski scored for the Hurricanes (53-22-7), who finish the season in first place in the Eastern Conference (113 points) and will face the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the upcoming playoffs. Bo Horvat replied for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The idle Senators clinched the final Eastern wild card with 97 points. They play their final game of the regular season on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk will miss that game with an undisclosed injury, but he’ll be ready for Game 1 against the Hurricanes this weekend.

For the first time in NHL history, the Devils, Islanders, and New York Rangers have missed the playoffs in the same year.

The Utah Mammoth (43-32-6) clinched the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 92 points after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 5-3. Nick Schmaltz scored twice, Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist, and Clayton Keller picked up an assist to extend his points streak to a franchise-record nine games. Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had two points for the Jets.

Philadelphia Flyers rookie Oliver Bonk had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut as his club doubled up the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists for the Flyers, who will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round of the playoffs. The Canadiens finished third in the Atlantic Division and will start their first-round playoff series in Tampa Bay against the Lightning on Sunday.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored his league-leading 53rd goal of the season in a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Martin Necas collected an assist to reach 100 points for the first time in his career, and Cale Makar collected three assists for the first-overall Avalanche. Blake Coleman scored for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon will win the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s leading goal scorer for the first time. Makar was returning from an upper-body injury that had sidelined him for seven games.

Minnesota Wild rookie Hunter Haight scored his first NHL goal, and Jesper Wallstedt kicked out 35 shots to beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Mason McTavish scored both goals for the 42-33-6 Ducks, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild will face the Dallas Stars in the opening round. The Ducks are still waiting to find out who their first-round opponent will be.

An overtime goal by Jake DeBrusk gave the Vancouver Canucks a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. DeBrusk finished the game with two goals for the Canucks. Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist for the Kings (35-26-20), who hold the final Western wild card with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings and Ducks each still have a game remaining. If the Kings win or collect an overtime point and the Ducks lose in regulation, the Kings will finish third in the Pacific Division while the Ducks will drop into that final wild-card spot.

The Pittsburgh Penguins finished their season with a 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Jimmy Snuggerud had two goals and two assists, and Dylan Holloway had two goals and an assist for the Blues. Rookie Avery Hayes tallied twice for the Penguins, who finished second in the Metropolitan Division and will meet the Flyers in the first round of the playoffs.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin collected an assist in what might be his final NHL game in a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anthony Beauvillier and Jakob Chychrun scored for the Capitals. Boone Jenner tallied for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is still undecided about his future, but he said he hopes this game was not his last in the NHL. He’s an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and he could retire from the NHL and return to Russia to finish his playing career.

Meanwhile, Blue Jackets interim coach Rick Bowness ripped into his players after this game, citing the club’s lack of a winning culture.

“All you’ve got to do is look at the stat sheet,” Bowness said. “Three hits. Twenty-three giveaways. Like, I don’t know if I’m back (next season), but if I’m back, I’m changing this culture. These guys, they don’t care. Losing is not important to them. It doesn’t bother them. Like, how can you go out and play like that?”

The Blue Jackets hired Bowness as interim coach in mid-January. Their players responded well at first, surging from the bottom of the Eastern Conference into second place in the Metropolitan Division by March 25. However, the Jackets went 2-8-1 in their last 11 games, missing the playoffs for the sixth straight year.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz will not be in the opening two games of his club’s first-round series against the Wild. He’s been sidelined with a lower-body injury since March 6.

THE SCORE: Former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving and Pittsburgh Penguins executive Jason Spezza will lead Canada’s management group at the 2026 IIHF World Championships.

THE ATHLETIC: The Tampa Bay Lightning is considered the NHL’s best-run franchise, and the Vancouver Canucks are considered the worst-run among a poll of NHL player agents.

The Minnesota Wild is ranked as the easiest franchise to deal with, while the Anaheim Ducks are considered to be the most difficult.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2026

by | Apr 10, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2026

The Avalanche clinch the Presidents’ Trophy, the Penguins and Mammoth clinch playoff berths, Canadiens winger Cole Caufield joins the 50-goal club, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1 to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time in franchise history. Martin Necas also had a goal and two assists for the 52-16-10 Avalanche, who sit first overall with 114 points. Rookie Tyson Gross tallied his first NHL goal for the Flames (32-37-9).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon sits third among the points leaders with 126, but holds the lead in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy with 52 goals.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022 after beating the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Egor Chinakhov had a goal and two assists, and Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Erik Karlsson each had two points for the 41-22-16 Penguins (98 points), who clinched second place in the Metropolitan Division, assuring them of home-ice advantage in the upcoming postseason. Paul Cotter and Jack Hughes replied for the Devils (40-36-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Luke Hughes missed this game as he’s been shut down for the remainder of this season, as he will undergo a season-ending procedure on his injured shoulder.

Utah Mammoth forwards Nick Schmaltz and Dylan Guenther each had a goal and an assist for a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators that clinched a playoff berth for the franchise just two years after its relocation from Arizona. Team captain Clayton Keller collected three assists for the Mammoth (42-30-6), who hold the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference. Erik Haula scored for the 37-32-10 Predators (84 points) as they dropped one point behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the first time the Mammoth have reached the playoffs, but it’s the first time this franchise has reached the postseason since 2019-20, when they were in their earlier incarnation as the Arizona Coyotes. It’s also the first time they’ve done it in a non-COVID season since 2011-12, when they were still known as the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Predators played without team captain Roman Josi, who was a late scratch with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Kings, they regained that wild-card spot by downing the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Adrian Kempe tallied two goals, Artemi Panarin had two assists, and Anton Forsberg stopped 24 shots for the 33-26-19 Kings (85 points). Marcus Pettersson scored for the Canucks (22-48-8).

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored his 50th goal of the season in a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Juraj Slafkovsky broke a 1-1 tie with his 30th of the season and had an assist on Caufield’s goal, and team captain Nick Suzuki had the primary assists on both goals for the 47-22-10 Canadiens, who moved ahead of the Lightning into second place in the Atlantic Division with 104 points. Darren Raddysh replied for the 48-25-6 Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield becomes the seventh player in Canadiens history to reach the 50-goal plateau, and the first to do so since Stephane Richer in 1990. He’s in second place in the race for the Richard Trophy, two behind Nathan MacKinnon.

Meanwhile, Slafkovsky became the first Slovakian player to score 30 goals in a season since Marian Hossa in 2013-14. With 98 points, Suzuki surpassed Pierre Turgeon for the most points in a season by a Canadiens captain. He’s poised to become the first Hab to reach 100 points in a season since Mats Naslund in 1985-86.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Colten Ellis made 37 saves for his first NHL shutout to blank the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-0. Josh Doan scored twice for the 49-23-8 Sabres, who sit atop the Atlantic Division with 106 points. Jet Greaves stopped 19 of 23 shots for the Blue Jackets (39-28-12), who sit four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This loss likely spelled the end of the Jackets’ hopes of securing a playoff spot. After being red hot from mid-January to mid-March, they’re 2-7-1 in their last 10 and fading fast. Meanwhile, Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon could miss the start of the playoffs with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson broke a 4-4 tie to lift his club to a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild in a preview of their upcoming first-round playoff series. Miko Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston, and Colin Blackwell each had a goal and an assist for the 47-20-12 Stars, who sit second overall in the Western Conference with 106 points. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice, Mats Zuccarello had three assists, and Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist for the Wild (45-22-12), who sit third in the Conference with 102 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen left this game with a lower-body injury in the first period. He’s questionable to play in Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers.

The New York Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3, giving new head coach Peter DeBoer the win in his first game behind their bench. Calum Ritchie and Tony DeAngelo each had two points, and rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer netted his 23rd goal of the season for the Islanders (43-31-5), who ended a four-game slide to sit one point behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points. Steven Lorentz, Easton Cowan, and Morgan Rielly scored for the 32-33-14 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer has tied Hall of Famer Brian Leetch for the most goals by a rookie defenseman. The Isles must overtake the Flyers if they hope to clinch a playoff berth.

Speaking of the Flyers, they dropped a 6-3 decision to the Detroit Red Wings. Dylan Larkin had a hat trick and an assist, Moritz Seider scored and collected four assists, Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists, and Alex DeBrincat scored his 40th goal of the season for the 41-29-9 Red Wings (91 points). Rookie winger Porter Martone had a goal and an assist for the 40-27-12 Flyers (92 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings sit three points behind the Ottawa Senators, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild card with 94 points. Wings goaltender John Gibson left this contest midway through the second period with an undisclosed injury. There was no update on his condition following the game.

Meanwhile, the Senators maintained their three-point lead over the Red Wings by defeating the Florida Panthers 5-1. Fabian Zetterlund scored twice, and Jake Sanderson collected two assists for the 42-27-10 Senators. Jesper Boqvist scored for the 37-38-4 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Panthers announced that defenseman Seth Jones is done for the season after fracturing his foot during Tuesday’s loss to the Canadiens.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Carlson scored his first career hat trick in a 6-1 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks, snapping a six-game winless skid (0-5-1). Troy Terry, Beckett Sennecke, Mikael Granlund, and Pavel Mintyukov each had two assists for the Ducks (42-32-5), who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 89 points. Shakir Mukhamadullin replied for the 37-34-7 Sharks (81 points), who are four points out of the final Western wild card.

The Carolina Hurricanes thumped the Chicago Blackhawks 7-2. Logan Stankoven had two goals and an assist while William Carrier collected three assists for the Hurricanes (51-22-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 108 points. Rookie Anton Frondell scored twice for the 28-37-14 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes sat out Jalen Chatfield, Jaccob Slavin, Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook, Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho, and Andrei Svechnikov from this game.

A shootout goal by Berkly Catton gave the Seattle Kraken a 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Joey Daccord stopped 31 shots as the Kraken (33-34-11) overcame a 3-1 deficit. Mark Stone tallied twice for the 36-26-17 Golden Knights, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 89 points.

The Winnipeg Jets kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Mark Scheifele had two assists while Alex Iafallo, Josh Morrissey, and Jonathan Toews scored for the 35-31-12 Jets (82 points), who sit three points behind the Kings for the final Western wild card. Dylan Holloway had a goal and an assist for the 33-33-12 Blues.