NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2026

by | Jan 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2026

Oilers captain Connor McDavid extends his points streak, the Lightning set a franchise record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists to extend his points streak to 20 games, but his club dropped a 4-3 decision to the Nashville Predators on an overtime goal by Roman Josi, who finished the game with two goals. Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots for the 22-20-4 Predators. Zach Hyman tallied twice, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two points for the Oilers (23-16-8).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry made 23 saves and defenseman Jake Walman logged over 17 minutes as both returned from lengthy absences due to injuries. Meanwhile, Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault missed his 13th straight game with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

The Tampa Bay Lightning won a franchise-record 11th straight game by nipping the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on a shootout goal by Nikita Kucherov. J.J. Moser scored in regulation, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots for the Lightning (29-13-3), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 61 points. Evgeni Malkin replied for the Penguins (21-14-10), who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both clubs were missing a key player in this contest. Lightning center Brayden Point is week-to-week with an injured knee. It is not considered season-ending, but his participation in next month’s Winter Olympics for Canada’s men’s hockey team is in question. Meanwhile, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson missed this game with an undisclosed ailment that has landed him on injured reserve. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman turned aside 24 shots as his club picked up its fourth consecutive win, and the second straight by shutout, as they blanked the Detroit Red Wings 3-0. Pavel Zacha, Fraser Minten, and Mark Kastelic were the goal scorers for the 26-19-2 Bruins. Cam Talbot stopped 38 of 40 shots for the Red Wings (28-16-4) as their four-game win streak ended.

The Columbus Blue Jackets picked up their first win under new head coach Rick Bowness by defeating the Calgary Flames 5-3. Boone Jenner snapped a 3-3 tie while Zach Werenski and Charlie Coyle each had a goal and two assists for the 20-19-7 Blue Jackets. Morgan Frost and Mikael Backlund each had a goal and an assist as the Flames dropped to 19-23-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Blake Coleman missed this game with an undisclosed injury and was placed on IR. The Flames sent forward Martin Pospisil to their AHL affiliate in Calgary for a conditioning stint as he works his way back into the lineup from an undisclosed injury that has sidelined him from this season. Blue Jackets defensemen Denton Mateychuk (upper-body injury) and Damon Severson (illness) missed this game.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer collected his fourth shutout of the season with a 33-save performance to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0. Nick Bjugstad, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Jimmy Snuggerud scored for the Blues (18-21-8) as they snapped a three-game losing skid. Brandon Bussi turned aside 28 shots for the 28-15-4 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues announced the signing of defenseman Logan Mailloux to a one-year, $850,000 contract extension. Hurricanes blueliner Jaccob Slavin missed this game due to injury rehab protocol, meaning they want him to avoid playing back-to-back after returning from a lengthy injury on Monday.

The Washington Capitals overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Ethan Frank tallied twice to tie the game in regulation before Connor McMichael won it in overtime for the 24-17-6 Capitals. Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadiens (26-14-7), who are 4-1-1 in their last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens scratched Kaiden Guhle from this game. Like Slavin, they wanted him to avoid playing in back-to-back games so soon after returning from a long absence due to an injury.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Adam Lowry and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist as their club held off the New York Islanders 5-4. Mark Scheifele collected two assists for the 18-22-5 Jets as they picked up their third straight victory. Emil Heineman had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (25-16-5).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders got a scare when rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer was injured twice during this game, including taking a Luke Schenn slapshot off his right knee in the second period. He’d also been taken off the ice by a concussion spotter in the first period, but was cleared to return. Schaefer missed the post-game interview because he was having his knee evaluated by team doctors.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 10-game points streak ended with a 6-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth. Dylan Guenther tallied two goals and an assist, and Jake McBain had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth, who improved to 23-20-4. Calle Jarnkrok replied for the 23-16-7 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal made 24 saves as his club snapped a nine-game winless skid (0-8-1) by downing the Dallas Stars 3-1. Chris Kreider, Beckett Sennecke, and Jacob Trouba scored for the 22-21-3 Ducks. Roope Hintz tallied for the Stars (27-11-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks were already short on forwards as Frank Vatrano and Tory Terry were sidelined with upper-body injuries. Center Leo Carlsson (upper-body injury) and winger Cutter Gauthier (illness) also missed this game. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen was absent due to a personal family matter.

First-period goals scored 15 seconds apart by Artem Zub and Jordan Spence lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks, snapping a four-game losing streak and improving their record to 21-19-5. Elias Pettersson replied for the Canucks (16-25-8), who are 0-6-2 in their last eight games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2026

by | Jan 10, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 10, 2026

The Jets end their long losing skid, the Capitals spoil Blackhawks center Connor Bedard’s return from injury, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets ended an 11-game winless skid (0-7-4) by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 5-1. Mark Scheifele scored twice while Cole Perfetti and Gabriel Vilardi each collected two assists for the 16-22-1 Jets. Quinton Byfield replied for the Kings (18-15-10), who replaced goaltender Darcy Kuemper with Anton Forsberg after Kuemper gave up five goals on 16 shots.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his fourth goal in his last three games in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Connor McMichael had a goal and an assist as the Capitals improved to 23-16-6. Oliver Moore scored for the Blackhawks (18-19-7), bringing their four-game win streak to an end.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks superstar Connor Bedard was held pointless as he returned to action after missing 12 games with a shoulder injury.

The Utah Mammoth doubled up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists, and Clayton Keller picked up three assists for the Mammoth (22-20-3) as they extended their win streak to three games. Oskar Sundqvist and Pavel Buchnevich scored for the 17-20-8 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth forward Alex Kerfoot left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of Keller, he’s not a fan of the Mammoth fans’ recent peculiar habit of whistling during the game. “It’s been pretty disruptive, to be honest,” Keller said, adding he’s not sure where it’s stemming from.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The league’s department of player safety fined Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell $5,000 for high-sticking Montreal Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier during Thursday’s game between the two clubs.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers placed defenseman Jamie Drysdale (undisclosed) on injured reserve.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks will be keeping rookie Michael Misa for the remainder of this season. Misa’s last NHL game was on Nov. 1, when he suffered an ankle injury. He was subsequently loaned to Team Canada for the 2026 World Junior Championship.

TSN: Chris Johnston got a first-hand look at the Santagiulia Arena in Milan, which will be the main site for the men’s and women’s hockey tournaments in the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics.

An Italian Cup game was played there on Friday, which was stopped briefly at one point during the first period to repair a small hole in the ice. That’s not unusual with new ice surfaces.

Johnston reported the arena remains a construction site, with visible holes in the exterior of the building, spartan concourses inside with unfinished drywall, and ongoing work to complete the dressing rooms. Construction dust also floated over the playing surface.

Nevertheless, Johnston believes these issues are not a threat to the Olympics starting on time.

THE SCORE: Olympic organizers remain 100 percent confident that the NHL won’t pull out of the upcoming tournament. The league is expected to release a statement following its inspection of the facility.










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 – January 2, 2026

by | Jan 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2026

Recapping the New Year’s Day games, injury updates, and the three stars and Rookie of the Month for December are revealed in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews tallied his 14th career NHL regular-season hat trick to rally the Toronto Maple Leafs from a 4-1 deficit to a 6-5 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Matthews’ third goal snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period, and he also collected an assist for the 19-15-6 Maple Leafs, who’ve won four of their last five games. Mark Scheifele scored two goals and picked up an assist for the Jets (15-20-4) as their winless skid reached eight games (0-5-3).

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 419 NHL career regular-season goals, Matthews needs one more to tie Mats Sundin for the franchise goals record. The Maple Leafs replaced goaltender Joseph Woll with Dennis Hildeby after Woll gave up 4 goals on 17 shots. Since Nov. 11, the Jets have won only six times in their last 24 games.

Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther collected his first NHL hat trick and picked up an assist as his club thumped the New York Islanders 7-2. Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, and Mikhail Sergachev each had three-point performances as the Mammoth improved to 19-19-3. Calum Ritchie and Matthew Schaefer replied for the 22-15-4 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Bo Horvat left this game in the third period with a lower-body injury. He will see a doctor on Friday. Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka stopped 20 shots for the win as he returned to action after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang celebrated his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game by scoring in overtime in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Sidney Crosby scored twice and collected an assist for the 18-12-9 Penguins, who have won three straight games. James van Riemsdyk, Andrew Copp, and Alex DeBrincat scored for the Red Wings (24-14-4), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson had two assists to reach 900 career NHL regular-season points. The last time the Red Wings were in first place in the Eastern Conference at this stage or later in the season was Feb. 7, 2015.

The Montreal Canadiens picked up their first win in Carolina since 2016 by defeating the Hurricanes 7-5. Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, and Sammy Blais each had a goal and an assist, and Cole Caufield sniped his 20th goal of the season for the Canadiens (22-12-6) as they extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2). Sebastian Aho had two goals and three assists for the 24-13-3 Hurricanes, who slipped out of first place in the Eastern Conference but hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson missed this game with an upper-body injury, while winger Josh Anderson left in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov collected two assists to become the first rookie to reach 35 points this season.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Anthony Cirelli, Gage Goncalves, and Nikita Kucherov lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Kucherov finished with three points, and Brandon Hagel scored twice for the 24-13-3 Lightning, who extended their win streak to six games. Corey Perry picked up three assists for the Kings (16-14-9), who have only two wins in their last 10 contests.

The Ottawa Senators overcame a 2-0 deficit to nip the Washington Capitals 4-3. Fabian Zetterlund snapped a 3-3 tie late in the third period while Tim Stutzle collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games for the 19-15-1 Senators, ending their three-game winless skid. Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (21-15-5), who have only two wins in their last seven games (2-4-1).

Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev tallied twice in a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars. Spencer Knight stopped 22 shots while Ryan Donato and Andre Burakovsky each had two assists for the 15-18-7 Blackhawks. Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, and Matt Duchene each had a goal and an assist for the slumping Stars (25-9-7), who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers scored two goals in a 4-1 victory against the Nashville Predators. Philipp Grubauer made 24 saves for the Kraken (17-14-7), who are 5-0-1 in their last six contests. Roman Josi replied for the 18-18-4 Predators.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, and San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini are the league’s three stars for December 2025. Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov was the Rookie of the Month.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forwards Conor Garland and Marco Rossi have been sidelined for at least a week due to injuries.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry is out until at least mid-January with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Miles Wood is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta and Gavin Brindley are day-to-day with injuries.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2025

by | Dec 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2025

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

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

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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










NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2025

by | Dec 19, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 19, 2025

The annual holiday roster freeze goes into effect at 11:59 PM ET on Dec. 19. Check out the latest rumors leading up to the freeze in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup.

RYAN O’REILLY IS NOT READY YET TO CONTEMPLATE A TRADE

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports that some teams with an interest in Ryan O’Reilly were informed that the 34-year-old Nashville Predators center isn’t ready to consider a trade yet.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (NHL Images).

O’Reilly likes living and playing in Nashville and doesn’t want to bail on the Predators, preferring to be part of the solution. LeBrun suggested that doesn’t mean a trade won’t happen by the March 6 trade deadline, but he’s skeptical that it’ll happen at all.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but the Predators are treating him as though he does. If he doesn’t want to move, it appears they will respect his wishes.

MULTIPLE TEAMS INTERESTED IN KINGS CENTER PHILLIP DANAULT

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports that sources say the Los Angeles Kings are receiving numerous calls about Phillip Danault.

The 32-year-old two-way center has been struggling this season and has had his playing time reduced. His agent, Allan Walsh, recently denied a report claiming his client had requested a trade.

Nevertheless, LeBrun said the Montreal Canadiens (Danault’s former team), New Jersey Devils, and the Utah Mammoth were among “a long list of teams” that have expressed an interest. One reason is that there aren’t many centers available in the trade market.

LeBrun noted that Danault is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.5 million. He also indicated that the Kings currently aren’t sellers because they’re a perennial playoff team that intends to reach the postseason again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings aren’t in any hurry to trade Danault, partly because good centers are difficult to find. However, that doesn’t mean they’re not willing to listen to offers. Most speculation suggests they would want a good player back in return instead of draft picks and prospects.

OILERS LINKED TO SABRES GOALTENDER ALEX LYON

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples reported several sources claim the Oilers had an interest in Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon, or were interested in him before they acquired Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins last Friday.

With Jarry injured during Thursday’s game against the Boston Bruins, Staples doubted that the Oilers have enough time to land Lyon or another goalie before the holiday roster freeze takes effect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no immediate update on Jarry’s status following last night’s game. If it’s serious, the Oilers could be stuck with backup Calvin Pickard and whoever they call up from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield until the freeze is lifted at 12:01 am ET on Dec. 28.

Lyon carries a $1.5 million cap hit, but the Oilers can’t afford it. Even if the Sabres agreed to retain up to half of it, the Oilers would have to move out some salary to take him on.

KRAKEN WINGER MASON MARCHMENT GARNERING INTEREST IN THE TRADE MARKET.

SPORTS ON PRIME: NHL insider Frank Seravalli said Seattle Kraken winger Mason Marchment has “generated real traction” in the trade market. He said teams are calling the Kraken, trying to get something done. Seravalli isn’t ruling out the possibility of the Kraken moving the 30-year-old Marchment before the holiday freeze kicks in.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the best start in franchise history, the Kraken have been in free fall in the standings with just one win in their last 11 games. Sitting seven points out of a playoff berth, they could be going into sell mode if they don’t reverse their fortunes soon.

If the Kraken are selling, it would make sense that they would peddle Marchment. A big, physical middle-six winger who tallied 22 goals in each of the last two seasons, he carries a $4.5 million cap hit and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Marchment also has plenty of recent postseason experience with the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars.