Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 22, 2026

by | Feb 22, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 22, 2026

The latest on Blues center Robert Thomas, and an update on the Blue Jackets in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup

SPORTSNET: With the March 6 trade deadline on the horizon, St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas acknowledged the trade rumors swirling around him and his teammates.

The Blues are near the bottom of the standings. That has led to rumors involving several Blues, such as defenseman Justin Faulk and forwards Brayden Schenn, Pavel Buchnevich, and Jordan Kyrou. They also include the 26-year-old Thomas, who has a full no-trade clause.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (NHL Images).

Thomas is in the third season of an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $8.125 million.

Elliotte Friedman reports the Blues seek a high asking price for Thomas, who declined to say if he’ll waive his NTC. “I don’t really want to talk too much about it now. We’ll talk about it later,” Thomas said. “I have one. That’s kind of where we’re at.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues management has probably spoken to Thomas about whether he’d agree to waive his clause if a rival club is willing to meet their price for him. The fact that it’s expensive suggests few teams are willing to do so, and perhaps even fewer would be on Thomas’ list of preferred destinations.

Thomas could be moved before March 6, but that’s not a certainty. The Blues aren’t under any pressure to move him as they would be if he were a pending free agent. If no one meets their price by March 6 (assuming Thomas agrees to a trade), they’ll revisit it in the offseason.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reported on Thursday that the Columbus Blue Jackets had not engaged in serious contract talks with UFA-eligible players Charlie Coyle, Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, and Erik Gudbranson.

However, general manager Don Waddell said he spoke with the players and their agents to gauge their feelings about staying in Columbus. “Everybody wants to stay here,” Waddell said. We’ve got something going here.”

Coyle and Marchment could be Waddell’s biggest priorities. He’ll have to decide if he’ll keep them or trade them if they’re still unsigned by the March 6 deadline.

NHL.COM: Waddell also indicated that he’s not interested in acquiring rental players if his club remains in playoff contention by the deadline.

“If we could trade for somebody that has term, that we like going forward, that’s a different value that we look at,” Waddell said. “We’ll see. All the UFAs right now on our team on our team play a good role for our team, so if you take anybody off, you’re going to have to replace them because of the positions that they play.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets have over $45 million in projected trade deadline cap space, so they have room to add if Waddell wishes to. They also have over $46 million in projected space for next season with 14 active roster players under contract.

Re-signing Coyle, Marchment, Jenner, and Gudbranson shouldn’t take up too much room, leaving space to re-sign RFAs such as Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger, and Jet Greaves. It should also leave enough space to add a player or two signed beyond this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2026

by | Feb 11, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 11, 2026

Check out the latest on the Flyers, Maple Leafs, and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHICH FLYERS COULD BECOME TRADE BAIT?

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James recently looked at the Philadelphia Flyers’ potential plans for the March 6 trade deadline.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images).

James dismissed a recent rumor suggesting the Flyers could shake things up by trading Travis Konecny. He pointed out that the 27-year-old winger has a full no-movement clause, is a respected team leader, and will be part of the Flyers’ plans to get better sooner rather than later.

Owen Tippett was also mentioned as a trade candidate. James believes the Flyers would prefer to keep him, but their surplus of wingers could force their hand. Tippett could be someone they could include in a package deal if they were to pursue someone such as St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas.

Bobby Brink could also become a trade chip. He’s slated to become a restricted free agent in July and might have to make room for younger wingers in the Flyers’ system.

As for their defensemen, James suggested moving Rasmus Ristolainen as one option before March 6. He also wondered about Noah Juulsen, Emil Andrae, and Nick Seeler.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ recent slide in the standings likely killed off their chances of reaching the playoffs. Management will likely be sellers at the deadline, seeking returns that could accelerate their development, such as young NHL players.

The Flyers could use a first-line center, and Thomas would fit the bill. However, he has a full no-trade clause and might not be keen on joining a retooling/rebuilding club. If he is willing to join the Flyers, Tippett could be part of the deal, but it would cost perhaps another good young player, along with the Flyers’ 2026 first-rounder, and one of their top prospects. The Blues are setting high asking prices for guys like Thomas.

WHICH MAPLE LEAFS ARE THE MOST LIKELY TRADE CANDIDATES?

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel believes forwards Calle Jarnkrok, Scott Laughton, and Bobby McMann are the most likely trade candidates for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The trio is due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Siegel also wouldn’t be surprised if defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Troy Stecher, and winger Nick Robertson end up getting moved by March 6.

Ekman-Larsson has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $3.5 million and a 16-team no-trade list. Stecher is UFA-eligible on July 1, while Robertson is due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McMann, Ekman-Larsson, and Laughton would likely fetch the best returns. McMann is considered their best trade chip because of his style of play and affordable contract.

WHAT WILL THE BLUE JACKETS DO BEFORE THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell and his staff will be busy during the Olympic break attempting to sign forwards Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle, Mason Marchment, and defenseman Erik Gudbranson. The four are UFA-eligible on July 1.

Given the Blue Jackets’ surge in the standings before the Olympic break, Waddell wants to help his club by the trade deadline. If he can find an offensive finisher with term left on his contract, Waddell could go for it. He could also make depth moves, perhaps by targeting Chicago Blackhawks captain (and former Blue Jacket) Nick Foligno.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell’s trade deadline plans will also depend on whether the Blue Jackets can maintain the hot streak they were on before the Olympics. If they struggle and end up sliding in the standings, he could attempt to move any unsigned UFAs.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 3, 2026

by | Feb 3, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 3, 2026

What’s the latest on Rangers winger Artemi Panarin? Will the Blue Jackets be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline? Could the Penguins add to their roster before the trade deadline? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL ARTEMI PANARIN BE TRADED BEFORE THE OLYMPIC TRADE FREEZE?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports there doesn’t seem to be any eager takers for Artemi Panarin as the Olympic trade freeze (Feb. 4-22) approaches. He indicated that the 34-year-old New York Rangers winger seeks a four-year contract extension at roughly $11 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman last Friday said he’d heard that Panarin was seeking a $50 million contract.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

Panarin is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He carries a cap hit of $11.6 million this season and a full no-movement clause. The Rangers are holding him out of their lineup as they attempt to find a suitable trade partner.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes last week reported that 14 clubs were interested in Panarin. They included the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, Utah Mammoth, Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars in the Western Conference, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, and New York Islanders in the East.

Dreger’s colleagues Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston believe the Capitals and Hurricanes are among the more legitimate suitors.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that the Capitals, Kings, Sharks, Florida Panthers, and Detroit Red Wings were believed to be willing to discuss a contract extension with the Panarin camp. He also indicated that the Ducks, Avalanche, and Stars were only interested in the Rangers winger as a playoff rental. The Hurricanes were said to be flexible regarding a contract extension, but it depended on how much they were willing to pay him.

The Golden Knights are probably out of the bidding given their limited cap space and recent acquisition of Rasmus Andersson. The Maple Leafs are sellers, not buyers. The Lightning would probably be interested in him as a rental. Ditto the Mammoth. It would be quite a swerve if the Rangers traded Panarin to the Islanders, but it’s unlikely to happen given their rivalry and the fact that they are in the same division.

WHAT WILL THE BLUE JACKETS DO IN THE TRADE MARKET?

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports that Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell faces a tough decision regarding pending forwards Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle, and Mason Marchment.

The trio is due to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, which could make them trade bait if Waddell became a seller by the March 6 trade deadline. However, the Blue Jackets have won nine of their last 10 games and are surging up the Eastern Conference standings.

Waddell said that he won’t make any substantive moves before the Olympic trade freeze begins at 3 PM ET on Wednesday, Feb. 4. He will try to use the three-week break to get those three players under contract.

RG. ORG: James Murphy reported Waddell intends to reassess his club’s position during the Olympic break and into early March. He also indicated that the Blue Jackets GM would like to re-sign Coyle, but acknowledged a trade could happen if the club falls out of playoff position.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets are seven points out of a wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. They still have some time over the remainder of the season to gain ground, but a losing skid could prove fatal to those playoff hopes.

Portzline pointed out that Waddell can’t wait until March 5 to become a buyer or a seller. Those contract talks with Jenner, Coyle, and Marchment will factor into his decision.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe believes Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas will keep his focus on the future as the March 6 trade deadline approaches. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t make a move that provides more immediate help for his retooling franchise.

Yohe suggested keeping an eye on right-handed defensemen in the trade market. The Penguins are thin on the right side of their blue line.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2026

by | Jan 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 8, 2026

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini extends his points streak, remembering the late Glenn Hall, the Mammoth will host the 2027 Winter Classic, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini extended his points streak to 12 games by rallying his club to a 4-3 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Celebrini had three points, including the tying goal and assisting on William Eklund’s game-winner for the 22-18-3 Sharks. Alex Turcotte and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist for the Kings (18-14-10).

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is third in the NHL scoring race with 67 points. The Sharks (47 points) hold the first Western Conference wildcard berth, sitting one point out of first place in the Pacific Division. Kings winger Corey Perry missed this game as he’s been granted leave to deal with an illness in his family.

Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 32 saves, and Clayton Keller collected two assists in a 3-1 win against the Ottawa Senators, improving their record to 21-20-3. Ridly Greig replied for the struggling Senators (20-17-5), who have two wins in their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the league announced that the Mammoth will host the 2027 Winter Classic against the Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. A date will be announced at a later time.

The Dallas Stars snapped a six-game winless skid by defeating the Washington Capitals 4-1. Sam Steel had a goal and an assist, and Casey DeSmith stopped 23 shots for the Stars (26-10-8). Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 915th career regular-season goal as his club (22-16-6) has one win in its last four games (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Matt Duchene collected an assist to record his 900th career NHL regular-season point. Before this game, the Capitals announced that winger Aliaksei Protas was placed on injured reserve.

Montreal Canadiens winger Alexandre Texier had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Cole Caufield had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who improved their record to 24-13-6 to sit one point out of first place in the Atlantic Division. Joel Farabee scored for the Flames (18-21-4) as they’ve lost three straight games.

The Chicago Blackhawks picked up their fourth straight win by dropping the St. Louis Blues 7-3. Oliver Moore, Landon Slaggert, Connor Murphy, and Louis Crevier each had a goal and an assist for the 18-18-7 Blackhawks. Blues rookie Otto Stenberg scored his first NHL goal as his club dropped to 17-19-8.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Hall of Fame goaltender Glenn Hall passed away on Wednesday at the age of 94.

Nicknamed “Mr. Goalie,” Hall holds the league record for consecutive games played by a netminder with 502 (552 including playoffs), and was the innovator of the butterfly style of goaltending.

Hall played 906 regular-season games with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues from 1952-53 to 1970-71, winning 407 games with a career 2.50 goals-against average and 84 shutouts. He won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 1960-61, the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1955-56, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1967-68, and the Vezina Trophy in 1962-63, 1966-67, and 1968-69.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall was among the greatest goaltenders in NHL history and a star with the Red Wings, Blackhawks, and Blues. Given the way the position has changed, his consecutive games record for NHL goalies will never be broken. My condolences to his family, friends, and former teammates.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider, and Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle are among the NHL players selected to Germany’s 2026 Men’s Olympic Hockey team. Others include Utah Mammoth forward JJ Peterka, Minnesota Wild forward Nico Sturm, and Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer.

Switzerland’s Men’s Olympic roster will include Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi, New Jersey Devils forwards Nico Hischier and Timo Meier, Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala, Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niedereitter, St. Louis Blues center Pius Suter, San Jose Sharks winger Philipp Kurashev, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman JJ Moser, New Jersey Devils blueliner Jonas Siegenthaler, and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Oliver Bjorkstrand, Ottawa Senators center Lars Eller, Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, and Senators netminder Mads Sogaard were named to Denmark’s Men’s Olympic team.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Adam Henrique was placed on injured reserve and isn’t expected to return until after the Olympic break in February.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets winger Mason Marchment (upper body) was placed on injured reserve and is listed as week-to-week.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Winnipeg Jets placed defenseman Haydn Fleury on injured reserve with a broken nose and bruised back.

CBS SPORTS: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Petr Mrazek (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins forward Rutger McGroarty has been diagnosed with a concussion and is on injured reserve. They also returned defenseman Harrison Brunicke to the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2025

by | Dec 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2025

Recapping Sunday’s action, plus the latest on Senators goalie Linus Ullmark, Blues winger Jordan Kyrou, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Justin Brazeau tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Bryan Rust scored two goals, and Ryan Shea collected three assists for the Penguins, who improved to 16-12-9. Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno scored in his first game since being sidelined for 19 games with an injured hand, but his club (14-18-6) has dropped seven of its last eight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks were struggling before centers Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar were sidelined by injuries, but their absence accelerated their slide in the standings. Speaking of Nazar, he was placed on injured reserve with a facial injury and is expected to be out for another three weeks.

An overtime goal by Simon Edvinsson lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Moritz Seider and Mason Appleton also scored, and Cam Talbot stopped 25 shots for the Red Wings (23-14-3), who sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 49 points. Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson replied for the Leafs (17-15-6), who got a 33-save performance from Dennis Hildeby.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edvinsson earned praise from his teammates when he “rose from the dead” after being injured by a John Tavares shot while killing a penalty in the second period. He and Seider are among the best defense pairings in the league this season.

The Maple Leafs played without winger William Nylander, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and questionable for Tuesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov tallied twice in regulation, and Gage Goncalves scored the shootout winner to nip the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. It was the Lightning’s fourth straight win, improving their record to 22-13-3. The Canadiens (20-12-6) overcame a 4-1 deficit in the third period as Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay forward Brandon Hagel returned to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Lightning made a minor trade, shipping forward Boris Katchouk to the Minnesota Wild for forward Michael Milne.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Ivan Provorov, Kirill Marchenko, and Cole Sillinger gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. Marchenko finished the game with two goals while Sean Monahan and Denton Mateychuk each had two assists for the 16-15-6 Blue Jackets. Max Shabonov and Bo Horvat scored for the Islanders (21-14-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Things got ugly early in the second period when Blue Jackets winger Mason Marchment clipped Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer by sticking out his right leg, prompting Isles forward Mathew Barzal to slash Marchment’s right foot with his stick. That earned Barzal a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, and he could face supplemental discipline by the league’s department of player safety. Marchment received two minutes for tripping Schaefer, who was uninjured on the play.

Before this game, the Blue Jackets placed defenseman Zach Werenski (lower body) on injured reserve and activated forward Mathieu Olivier off the IR list.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Eeli Tolvanen scored two goals and picked up an assist while Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves for the 16-14-6 Kraken, who extended their win streak to four games. Carl Grundstrom replied for the Flyers (19-11-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken activated winger Jared McCann off injured reserve for this game. Defenseman Vince Dunn also returned to action after missing their previous game with an upper-body injury. Both were held scoreless in this contest.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: Senators starting goaltender Linus Ullmark is taking a leave of absence for personal reasons. There is no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sun’s Bruce Garrioch observed that this season has been a difficult one for Ullmark, with a 2.95 goals-against average and a save percentage of .881. He noted that Ullmark was pulled from Saturday’s 7-5 loss to the Maple Leafs after giving up four goals on 14 shots.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues winger Jordan Kyrou has been activated off IR after missing nine games with a lower-body injury. They also activated winger Jimmy Snuggerud, who underwent wrist surgery earlier in the month.

SPORTSNET: The NHL’s department of player safety fined Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell $5,000.00 for high-sticking Lightning winger Jake Guentzel, and fined Lightning forward Scott Sabourin $2,081.23 for slashing Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola. Both incidents occurred during Saturday’s game between the two clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a tough weekend for Sabourin. In addition to his fine, he was knocked to the ice by a punch from Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj during a fight between the two on Sunday. Sabourin left that game and didn’t return.

TSN: Penguins forward Danton Heinen and Edmonton Oilers forward Noah Philp are among six players placed on waivers on Sunday.

PUCKPEDIA: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Yegor Zamula has changed agents. He’s in the final season of a two-year contract with a cap hit of $1.7 million, but he could be willing to terminate that deal to sign with another NHL club for less money.

RDS: Former NHL forward Guy Chouinard passed away on Sunday at age 69.

Chouinard spent 10 seasons in the NHL from 1974-75 to 1983-84, beginning with the Atlanta Flames and following them to Calgary in 1980. He spent nine of his 10 seasons with the Flames organization, with his best season being his 50-goal, 107-point performance in the 1978-79 season. In 578 regular-season games, Chouinard had 205 goals and 370 assists for 575 points, along with 37 points in 46 playoff contests.

Following his playing days, Chouinard became a coach in the QMJHL, finishing third all-time in wins among that league’s coaches with 569. He was inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame in 2005.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Chouinard’s family, friends, teammates, and his former QMJHL players.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2025

by | Dec 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 20, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s games, the Kings send Phillip Danault back to the Canadiens, the Kraken trade Mason Marchment to the Blue Jackets, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: A hat trick by Kiefer Sherwood powered the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Thatcher Demko made 22 saves, and Filip Hronek collected two assists for the 14-17-3 Canucks. Anders Lee replied for the 19-13-3 Islanders, who have dropped two straight games.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Since trading Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild last Friday, the Canucks have won three straight games. Veteran defenseman Tyler Myers played his 1,100th career NHL regular-season game.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored twice and collected an assist to lead his club to an 8-3 thrashing of the Anaheim Ducks. Roope Hintz and Thomas Harley each had a goal and an assist for the Stars (24-7-5), who picked up their third straight win. Anaheim goaltender Petr Mrazek replaced starter Lukas Dostal after the latter gave up four goals on seven shots in the first period. The Ducks (20-13-2) have lost four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars activated forward Adam Erne from long-term injured reserve. He’d been out since Nov. 14 with a lower-body injury.

Earlier in the day, they announced forward Tyler Seguin underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ACL. He has not been ruled out for the season and will be reevaluated following the Olympic break in February.

The Florida Panthers overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on a shootout goal by Evan Rodrigues. Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, and Sam Bennett each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (19-13-2), who have won seven of their last eight contests. Sebastian Aho scored twice for the 22-9-3 Hurricanes, whose five-game winning streak ended, as did goalie Brandon Bussi’s nine-game win streak.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes remain atop the Eastern Conference standings with 47 points, but it proved to be a costly victory as versatile forward Seth Jarvis is expected to miss some time after crashing into the Panthers’ net during overtime. They also played without forward Jordan Martinook, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

A third-period goal by Parker Kelly proved to be the game-winner for the Colorado Avalanche as they held off the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 3-2. Brent Burns and Martin Necas also scored for the 25-2-7 Avalanche, who remain in first place in the overall standings with 57 points. Morgan Barron and Mark Scheifele replied for the 15-17-2 Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have won four in a row and seven of their last eight games. Meanwhile, the struggling Jets have won only three of their last 15 contests.

The New Jersey Devils nipped the Utah Mammoth 2-1. Stefan Noesen broke a 1-1 tie in the third period, and Nico Hischier had two assists for the 20-14-1 Devils. Daniil But scored his first career NHL goal for the 17-17-3 Mammoth.

HEADLINES

LOS ANGELES TIMES/MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Kings traded center Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Danault is returning to the club where he spent five seasons (2016 to 2021) before signing with the Kings as a free agent. The 32-year-old two-way forward is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.5 million. His addition pushed the Canadiens over the salary cap by $1.4 million, but they could demote Owen Beck and Jared Davidson to become cap-compliant. They could also place Alex Newhook on LTIR.

Danault has struggled offensively this season with five points in 30 games. However, he’s a left-shot center whose defensive skills will take pressure off top center Nick Suzuki and help to improve the Canadiens’ defensive game, especially on the penalty kill and in the faceoff circle. He could skate on the third line between Josh Anderson and Alexandre Texier, or he could be reunited with former linemate Brendan Gallagher on their fourth line.

The Kings were reportedly seeking a player in return, and it was rumored their asking price from the Canadiens was Jake Evans. They instead settled for a second-round pick that the Canadiens received from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Patrik Laine trade in August 2024. The Kings could use that pick as a trade chip to pursue another player.

THE SEATTLE TIMES/THE ATHLETIC: The Kraken traded winger Mason Marchment to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a second-round pick in 2027 and a fourth-rounder in 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken acquired Marchment from the Dallas Stars in June, giving up a third-rounder and a fourth-round pick. The gritty 30-year-old winger was used in a top-six role, but he wasn’t a good fit with the Kraken, making him the subject of recent trade speculation. He’s in the final season of a four-year contract with a cap hit of $4.5 million.

Marchment heads to a Blue Jackets club struggling to regain the form that had them challenging for a playoff berth last season. They’re hoping he can regain his 22-goal form and provide a much-needed jolt of physical energy to their lineup.

Both trades occurred before the annual holiday roster freeze went into effect at 11:59 pm ET on Friday, Dec. 19. The freeze is in place until 12:01 am ET on Sunday, Dec. 28.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel and defenseman Shea Theodore will not be joining their teammates during their weekend Canadian road trip. Eichel was suffering from an illness, but he’s now day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Theodore was listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, but is now considered week-to-week.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers placed goaltender Tristan Jarry on injured reserve and called up Connor Ingram from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. They also placed winger Jack Roslovic on LTIR.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: On Friday, the Penguins officially announced that the sale of the franchise to the Hoffman Family of Companies had been completed. It was reported earlier this week that the sale would soon be made official. Fenway Sports Group owned the Penguins for the past four years.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Former forward John MacLean will become the fourth member of the Devils’ Ring of Honor. He will be inducted during a pregame ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, when the club hosts the Winnipeg Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacLean spent 14 of his 18 NHL seasons with New Jersey from 1983-84 to 1997-98. During his tenure with the Devils, he scored 347 goals and 701 points in 934 regular-season games, and 75 points in 88 playoff contests. He won a Stanley Cup with them in 1995 as a player and another in 2003 as an assistant coach.