NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2026

by | Jan 30, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2026

A record-setting night for the Red Wings’ Patrick Kane, the Sabres’ Alex Tuch and Alex Lyon, the Hurricanes’ Brandon Bussi, and the Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Patrick Kane collected an assist to set the league record for most career regular-season points by a U.S.-born player (1,375), but his Detroit Red Wings dropped a 4-3 decision to the Washington Capitals on a shootout goal by Nic Dowd. Jacob Chychrun had three assists and Dylan Strome a goal and an assist for the Capitals (26-22-7), who blew a 3-1 lead as Alex DeBrincat tallied twice to force overtime and the shootout for the 32-17-6 Red Wings.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane surpassed Hall of Famer Mike Modano, who gave a videotaped tribute to the Red Wings stars that was aired after the record was broken. The next milestone for Kane is to become the first American-born player to reach the 1,400-point milestone.

The Capitals were without starting goaltender Logan Thompson for this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Backup Charlie Lindgren suffered a lower-body injury near the end of overtime, but toughed it out and remained in goal for the shootout rounds. Lindgren was helped off the ice by his teammates following Dowd’s winning goal.

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch tallied a hat trick in a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Alex Lyon made 37 saves, and Jack Quinn collected three assists for the 31-17-5 Sabres, extending their win streak to five games. Adrian Kempe replied for the Kings (22-17-13) as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tuch’s hat trick set a new NHL record for the most in one calendar month (30). Meanwhile, Lyon set a franchise record with his 10th consecutive win.

Third-period goals by Andrei Svechnikov, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Jordan Staal rallied the Carolina Hurricanes from a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Utah Mammoth 5-4. Svechnikov and Gostisbehere finished the game with two goals and an assist each as the Hurricanes (33-15-5) hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 71 points. Kailer Yamamoto had two goals and an assist for the 28-22-4 Mammoth as their win streak ended at four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi set an NHL record as the fastest goaltender to earn 20 career regular-season wins, accomplishing the feat in 24 games.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer scored what proved to be the winning goal as his club held off the New York Rangers 2-1. Former Ranger Carson Soucy also scored for the Islanders (30-19-5) as they collected their third straight win. Mika Zibanejad replied for the 22-27-6 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer has four game-winning goals, breaking Hall of Famer Denis Potvin’s franchise record for the most in a season by a rookie defenseman. He now has 14 goals this season, moving past the legendary Bobby Orr for the second-most by an 18-year-old NHL rookie blueliner. Hall of Famer Phil Housley holds the record with 17 goals.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had two goals and an assist in a 7-3 upset over the Colorado Avalanche. Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, Oliver Kapanen, and Zach Bolduc each collected two points for the Canadiens (30-17-7). Brock Nelson, Joel Kiviranta, and Ross Colton scored for the 35-8-9 Avalanche, who lead the league with 79 points but are 2-4-2 in their last eight contests.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a goal and two assists each from Darren Raddysh and Yanni Gourde to down the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 shots for the 34-14-4 Lightning, who’ve won 16 of their last 18 games and hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 72 points. Kyle Connor scored for the Jets (21-25-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh returned to action after missing 15 games with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson’s shootout goal lifted his club to a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Mavrik Bourque scored twice for the 31-14-9 Stars, who had a 4-1 lead until the Golden Knights (24-14-14) rallied on third-period goals from Reilly Smith, Ivan Barbashev, and Mitch Marner to tie the game. The Stars have won three straight, while the Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific (64 points) but are 1-3-2 in their last six contests.

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit to nip the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Zach Hyman. Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard each had a goal and two assists, and Connor McDavid netted a goal and an assist for the 28-19-8 Oilers, who have won three straight games. Collin Graf, Adam Gaudette, and Michael Misa scored for the Sharks (27-21-4).

Boston Bruins forwards Casey Mittelstadt and Fraser Minten each had a goal and two assists to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 33 shots for the Bruins (32-20-3), who are 10-1-1 in their last 12 games. Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist for the 24-20-9 Flyers, who have dropped three straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boston center Pavel Zacha left this game midway through the second period with an upper-body injury. The Bruins were already shorthanded as Elias Lindholm missed this contest with an upper-body injury. Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson left the game with an apparent injury to his right leg.

An overtime goal by Nico Hischier gave the New Jersey Devils a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 27 shots while Dougie Hamilton and Jesper Bratt also scored for the 28-24-2 Devils. Michael McCarron and Filip Forsberg replied for the Predators (24-23-6) as their losing skid extended to three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils center Jack Hughes left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. It’s not considered serious, but he will be reevaluated on Friday.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha had a goal and two assists as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2. Connor Dewar tallied twice for the Penguins (27-14-11) as they collected their fifth straight victory. Connor Murphy and Connor Bedard scored for the 21-24-9 Blackhawks, who are 0-2-2 in their last four games.

St. Louis Blues winger Jimmy Snuggerud’s goal with nine seconds left in the third period lifted his team to a 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers. Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists for the 20-25-9 Blues, snapping a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Matthew Tkachuk tallied two goals and picked up an assist for the Panthers 28-22-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Brad Marchand missed the third period with an undisclosed injury. The Blues activated Oskar Sundqvist from injured reserve for this game but placed winger Dylan Holloway (ankle) on IR.

The Minnesota Wild defeated the Calgary Flames 4-1. Filip Gustavsson made 29 saves while Kiril Kaprizov had a goal and an assist for the 31-14-10 Wild. Morgan Frost scored for the 21-26-6 Flames, who are winless in their last five (0-3-2).

Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo turned in a 32-save shutout to blank the Anaheim Ducks 2-0. Drew O’Connor and Teddy Blueger scored for the Canucks (18-31-5) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Lukas Dostal turned aside 24 shots for the 28-23-3 Ducks, who have dropped two straight games.

Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright scored twice in a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jared McCann and Brandon Montour each had a goal and an assist for the 25-19-9 Kraken as they collected their third straight win. Nick Robertson and Morgan Rielly replied for the Maple Leafs (24-21-9), who are 0-5-1 in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken forward Berkly Catton exited this game midway through the first period with an undisclosed injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2025

by | Dec 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2025

Recaps of Thursday’s action and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored a shorthanded goal and picked up an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also had a goal and an assist for the 17-12-6 Oilers, who have won six of their last eight games. Pavel Zacha replied for the Bruins (20-15-0), who dropped two of their last three contests.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid has caught up with Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for first place in the scoring race, with each player having 58 points. Calvin Pickard replaced Oilers starting goalie Tristan Jarry as the latter left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update on his status.

The Minnesota Wild extended their win streak to six games by downing the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov each had a goal and two assists, and Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves as the Wild improved to 21-9-5. Zach Werenski scored both goals for the Blue Jackets (14-14-6), who have lost six of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boldy join Kaprizov with his 20th goal of the season, making the Wild the only team thus far this season to have two 20-goal scorers.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson stopped 22 shots to shut out the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0. Jakob Chychrun tallied twice, and John Carlsson had a goal and two assists for the Capitals (19-11-4) as they snapped a three-game losing skid. Dennis Hildeby made 25 saves for the Maple Leafs, who slipped to 15-13-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube pulled no punches about his team’s performance following this game, laying the blame for the loss at the feet of his players. He pointed out that the Capitals played with more passion and urgency. When asked why his players were so flat in this game, Berube replied, “Ask those guys, not me.”

Speaking of 4-0 wins, Ottawa Senators netminder Linus Ullmark made 24 saves to earn his shutout over the Pittsburgh Penguins, handing the latter their seventh straight loss (0-3-4). Brady Tkachuk netted two goals, and Drake Batherson collected two assists for the 16-13-4 Senators, who have won three of their last four games. Arturs Silovs stopped 22 shots for the Penguins as their record dropped to 14-10-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Senators announced that former head coach Jacques Martin will be inducted into their Ring of Honour in a pregame ceremony on Jan. 24, 2026. Martin coached the Senators from 1996 to 2004, following a brief return behind the bench in 2023-24. In 748 games with the Senators, his record was 367-261-96-24.

Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe scored two goals, and Anton Forsberg kicked out 31 shots for a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the win, the Kings (15-10-9) ended a four-game winless streak (0-2-2). Oliver Bjorkstrand replied for the Lightning (18-13-3), who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and defenseman Ryan McDonagh returned to action after missing time with injuries.

An overtime goal by J.T. Miller lifted the New York Rangers over the St. Louis Blues by a score of 2-1. Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves, and Gabe Perreault also scored for the Rangers, who improved to 17-15-4. Jonatan Berggren tallied for the Blues (13-15-8).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Artemi Panarin missed this game with an illness.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to five games in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Zach Benson and Mattias Samuelsson each had two assists for the Sabres, who won their fourth straight game and improved to 15-14-4. Bobby Brink had two points for the Flyers (17-10-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff picked up his 915th win to move into fourth place on the all-time list. Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring returned to action after missing a month with an injury. However, the Sabres lost defenseman Conor Timmins to a broken leg that will sideline him for six to eight weeks, while forward Tyson Kozak departed with an upper-body injury.

The Calgary Flames got two goals from Mikael Backlund to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist for the 14-17-4 Flames. Joey Daccord made 42 saves for the Kraken (12-14-6), who have lost four straight games and have one win in their last 11 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flames announced defenseman Jake Bean will be sidelined indefinitely as he will undergo surgery for an undisclosed injury.

Montreal Canadiens winger Zachary Bolduc tallied twice in a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Lane Hutson had three assists for the 18-12-4 Canadiens. Frank Nazar scored, and Spencer Knight had 31 saves for the Blackhawks (13-15-6), who have lost four straight.

Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston had two goals as his club held off the San Jose Sharks by a score of 5-3. Roope Hintz had a goal and an assist, and Jake Oettinger stopped 34 shots for the Stars (23-7-5). Chad Graf scored twice for the 17-15-3 Sharks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

by | Dec 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

Four-point performances for Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Drasaitl, the Islanders snap the Avalanche’s 17-game point streak, Rangers winger Artemi Panarin reaches a scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each collected four points as the Edmonton Oilers thumped the Seattle Kraken 9-4. McDavid had a hat trick and collected an assist, while Draisaitl had a goal and three assists as the Oilers improved to 12-11-5. Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko picked up two assists as his club dropped its fourth straight game, slipping to 11-8-6.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Mason Marchment missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day.

The New York Islanders ended the league-leading Colorado Avalanche’s 17-game points streak with a 6-3 victory. Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 35 shots for the 15-10-3 Islanders. Martin Necas netted a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (19-2-6), who suffered their first regulation loss since Oct. 25, when they fell 5-1 to the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders honored Avalanche center Brock Nelson with a tribute video in his first game back as a visitor. He spent 12 seasons with the Isles from 2013-14 to 2024-25, scoring 310 goals and 294 assists for 604 points in 901 games before being traded to the Avs last March. Nelson collected an assist in this game.

Meanwhile, Islanders winger Jonathan Drouin was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist to reach 900 career NHL regular-season points as his club doubled up the Ottawa Senators by a score of 4-2. J.T. Miller had three assists, and Mika Zibanejad scored to extend his points streak to five games as the Rangers improved to 15-12-2. Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson each had two points for the 13-10-4 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Shane Pinto left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and will be reevaluated on Friday. Before the game, the Senators indicated that defenseman Thomas Chabot will be out for another 10 days with an upper-body injury, while blueliner Artem Zub (lower body) and forward Lars Eller (undisclosed) are day-to-day.

Evgeni Malkin scored two goals (including the game-winner) and picked up an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Rookie winger Ville Koivunen tallied his first career NHL goal for the Penguins (14-7-5). Brandon Hagel potted two goals for the 16-9-2 Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Islanders.

Before the game, the Lightning announced the signing of Ryan McDonagh to a three-year contract extension. Beginning in 2026-27, the 36-year-old defenseman will earn an average annual value of $4.1 million.

Meanwhile, Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports a source has dismissed rumors that the sale of the Penguins by Fenway Sports Group to the Hoffman Family of Companies had fallen through. According to Kingerski’s source, the transaction remains in process, but has been held up due to “complications” on external details.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McCann scored twice in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who picked up their third straight win and improved to 13-11-3. Seth Jarvis tallied for the Hurricanes (16-8-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll left this game after the second period with a lower-body injury. The severity of the injury remains unclear.

The Nashville Predators got an overtime goal from Steven Stamkos in a 2-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Ryan O’Reilly tied the game in the third period for the 10-13-4 Predators, who’ve won four of their last five games. Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers, as the struggling Stanley Cup champions have lost four straight, falling to 12-13-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos scored with the Panthers’ net knocked off its moorings. However, the goal was allowed based on rule 63.7, which states that a goal can be awarded on a dislodged net if there’s an imminent scoring chance for the attacking team.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored for the third straight game as his club held off the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 2-1. Wyatt Kaiser’s first of the season held up as the game winner for the Blackhawks (12-9-6). Trevor Moore replied for the 12-8-7 Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty returned to action for the first time since being sidelined with an injured left foot in mid-November.

The Columbus Blue Jackets clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-5 on a shootout goal by Kirill Marchenko. Adam Fantilli scored two goals (including the tying goal late in the third period), while Sean Monahan and Zach Werenski each had three assists for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 13-9-5. Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane each had a goal and an assist for the 14-12-2 Red Wings, who’ve lost five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchenko returned to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha had two goals in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Morgan Geekie and Elias Lindholm each had three points, and Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the 16-13-0 Bruins. Pavel Buchnevich and Pius Suter replied for the Blues, who dropped to 9-12-7.

The Calgary Flames tallied three unanswered third-period goals to upset the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves, while Matt Coronato and Rasmus Andersson each had a goal and an assist for the 10-15-4 Flames. Yakov Trenin replied for the 15-8-5 Wild.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE GAZETTE: The Winnipeg Jets will host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 NHL Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.

DAILY FACEOFF: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

San Jose Sharks winger Jeff Skinner returns to action on Friday against the Dallas Stars. He’s been sidelined for 10 games with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said rookie winger Justin Sourdif will miss “a little bit of time” with a lower-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: The criminal case against former NHL player Ryan Kesler is headed to trial in Michigan. Kesler is charged with two misdemeanour counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree. He has pleaded not guilty.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2025

by | Nov 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2025

A milestone game for Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Nathan MacKinnon extends his points streak as the Avalanche widen their lead in the overall standings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored his 400th and 401st career NHL regular-season goals as his club picked up its seventh straight win by holding off the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3. Pastrnak finished the night with three points while teammate Hampus Lindholm had a goal and an assist for the 11-7-0 Bruins. Steven Lorentz, Bobby McMann, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson replied for the Maple Leafs (8-8-1), who’ve dropped three straight games.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was only two weeks ago that the Bruins were sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. They’re now tied with the Atlantic Division-leading Montreal Canadiens.

It was a tough night for the Maple Leafs, as team captain Auston Matthews left the game with a lower-body injury, and goaltender Anthony Stolarz didn’t return after the first period as he suffered an upper-body injury.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon collected three assists to extend his points streak to 10 games in a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Gabriel Landeskog scored his first regular-season goal since 2022, and Scott Wedgewood stopped 35 shots for the Avalanche (11-1-5), who won their fourth straight game and widened their lead atop the overall standings with 27 points. Leo Carlsson scored to extend his points streak to 11 games for the Ducks (11-4-1), whose seven- game win streak ended. They lead the Pacific Division with 23 points and sit four back of the Avalanche in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the NHL scoring race with 32 points, six ahead of the second-place Carlsson. Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin left this game in the third period with a lower-body injury. He will be reevaluated on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the Avalanche signed forward Gavin Brindley to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $875,000.

The San Jose Sharks overcame a 1-0 deficit to nip the Minnesota Wild 2-1. Macklin Celebrini set up the tying goal by Will Smith and the winning goal in overtime by Collin Graf. The Sharks picked up their fourth straight win and improved to 8-6-3. Matt Boldy scored for the 7-7-4 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini is tied with Leo Carlsson for second place in the scoring race with 26 points. Sharks winger William Eklund returned to action after missing the last four games with a lower-body injury.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington made 38 saves as his club held off the Calgary Flames 3-2. Dylan Holloway, Matthew Kessel, and Nathan Walker scored for the Blues (6-8-3). Matt Coronato and Rasmus Andersson replied for the Flames, who dropped to a league-worst 4-12-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Binnington set the franchise record for most games played by a Blues goaltender (348). He passed Mike Liut, who is now Binnington’s agent. Blues winger Mathieu Joseph missed this game with a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Roope Hintz completed a three-goal comeback by the Dallas Stars in a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Jason Robertson had a goal and two assists and Mikko Rantanen a goal and an assist as the Stars won their third straight game and improved to 10-4-3. Drake Batherson and Nick Jensen tallied for the Senators (8-5-4), who extended their points streak to six games (3-0-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left this contest following the first period with an upper-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey had a goal and two assists, and Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. Nino Niederreiter and Alex Iafallo each had a goal and an assist as the Jets moved to 10-6-0, snapping a three-game losing streak. Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Canucks, who dropped to 8-9-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko left the game after the first period with a lower-body injury that he may have suffered during the pre-game warmup. Hughes left the game briefly after getting tangled up with Jets center Mark Scheifele, but he returned to action and said he was okay after the game.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. John Carlson picked up two assists, and Logan Thompson turned aside 30 shots for the Capitals, who improved to 8-7-1. Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Hurricanes (11-5-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes announced that defenseman Charles Alexis Legault underwent surgery to repair multiple torn tendons in his right hand on Monday. He is expected to be sidelined for three to four months.

Three goals in a span of 4:05 early in the second period lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Quinton Byfield and Joel Edmundson had a goal and an assist for the 8-5-4 Kings. Josh Anderson replied for the Canadiens (10-4-2), whose six-game points streak ended.

The Columbus Blue Jackets ended a four-game losing skid by defeating the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Charlie Coyle scored the winning goal in a shootout, and goaltender Jet Greaves stopped 22 shots for the 8-7-1 Blue Jackets. Ryan Winterton scored for the Kraken (7-4-5).

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: The NHL remains concerned over the state of construction for the hockey arena for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. They are sending two officials to conduct an in-person inspection of the arena. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league is receiving weekly updates, but wants a firsthand look at the progress.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of the participants in the 2026 Men’s Olympic Hockey tournament are from the NHL. Sub-standard conditions could put the players’ safety at risk.

RG.ORG: Speaking of the Olympics, Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby is looking forward to another opportunity to represent Canada in the Winter Olympics. He’s embracing the role of team leader while drawing inspiration from the enthusiasm of a new generation of Canadian stars chasing Olympic gold.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby famously won gold for Canada in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and captained the 2014 team to gold in the Sochi Games.

DAILY FACEOFF: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman is day-to-day and blueliner Ryan McDonagh is expected to miss several games with undisclosed injuries.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Blackhawks forwards Frank Nazar and Jason Dickinson are unlikely to play against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2025

by | Nov 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2025

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and the Canadiens’ Cole Caufield tie for the goal-scoring lead, the Ducks and Bruins extend their win streaks to six games, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and two assists while Cale Makar, Parker Kelly, and Jack Drury each tallied twice to thump the Edmonton Oilers 9-1. MacKinnon extended his points streak to eight games as the Avalanche (9-1-5) sits atop the overall standings with 23 points. Connor McDavid replied for the 6-6-3 Oilers, who’ve lost three straight games.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all NHL scorers with 23 points and is tied for first with 12 goals. As for the Oilers, this was a humiliating defeat at every level, raising further questions about their viability as a Stanley Cup contender.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored twice in a 6-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth, extending their points streak to six games (4-0-2) as they sit atop the Atlantic Division with 22 points (10-3-2). Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens. Kailer Yamamoto and Lawson Crouse scored for the 9-6-0 Mammoth, who’ve dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield’s 12 goals tied him with MacKinnon for the league goal-scoring lead.

The Anaheim Ducks picked up their sixth straight win by nipping the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on an overtime goal by Jacob Trouba. Leo Carlsson scored two goals and set up another as the 10-3-1 Ducks (21 points) opened a three-point lead over the 7-3-4 Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division. Pavel Dorofeyev and Kaeden Korczak scored as Vegas overcame a 3-1 deficit in the third period to force overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks are looking like they’re for real this season. Meanwhile, Golden Knights center William Karlsson left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins forward Morgan Geekie had a goal and an assist as his club extended its win streak to six games with a 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeremy Swayman made 30 saves for the Bruins (10-7-0), who sit second to the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division with 20 points. Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli, and John Tavares replied for the 8-6-1 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference before their win streak began. Before this game, they placed Elias Lindholm (lower body) on injured reserve. They also played without defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Casey Mittelstadt. McAvoy was away attending to a personal matter, while Mittelstadt was sidelined by a lower-body injury.

Meanwhile, Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz was pulled from this game in the second period after giving up four goals on 19 shots. Leafs forward Scott Laughton departed with an upper-body injury in the second period.

The San Jose Sharks won their third straight game by downing the Florida Panthers 3-1. Yaroslav Askarov kicked out 38 shots, Macklin Celebrini tallied his 10th goal of the season, and Will Smith collected two assists for the 7-6-3 Sharks. Brad Marchand extended his goal streak to four games for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who are 7-7-1 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-ravaged Panthers lost another player for a significant period as forward Jonah Gadjovich will miss the next three months as he undergoes surgery for an upper-body injury. They’re already missing Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov, and Tomas Nosek.

Sharks winger William Eklund (lower body) was moved to injured reserve.

New Jersey Devils goalie Jake Allen turned aside 33 shots and Jesper Bratt scored in the shootout for a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Arseny Gritsyuk also scored for the 11-4-0 Devils, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 22 points. Ryan Graves replied for the 9-4-3 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton missed this contest as he’s expected to miss a week with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators got two goals from Tim Stutzle, including the winner in overtime, to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Michael Amadio also scored for the 7-5-3 Senators. Matvei Michkov and Jamie Drysdale tallied for the Flyers (8-5-2).

Dallas Stars forwards Adam Erne and Sam Steel scored 47 seconds apart in the third period to lift their club to a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators. Miro Heiskanen, Wyatt Johntson, and Mavrik Bourque each had two points for the Stars (8-4-3). Ryan O’Reilly and Nick Blakenburg each had two points for the 5-8-4 Predators, who have lost four straight.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel scored for the sixth time in seven games as his club beat the Washington Capitals 3-2. Hagel and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 29 saves for the 8-5-2 Lightning, who’ve won seven of their last eight contests. Brandon Duhaime and John Carlson replied for the 7-7-1 Capitals, who’ve lost six of their last seven.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh left this game after the first period with an undisclosed injury. The Bolts were also playing without center Anthony Cirelli, who is recovering from an upper-body injury suffered against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.

The New York Islanders got a 33-save performance from Ilya Sorokin to shut out the New York Rangers 5-0, leaving the latter winless at home thus far this season (0-6-1). Bo Horvat tallied twice and Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Jonathan Drouin each had a goal and two assists for the 7-6-2 Islanders. Igor Shesterkin gave up four goals on 25 shots for the Rangers, who dropped to 7-7-2.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the 5-6-4 Sabres, who’ve lost three straight games. The Hurricanes picked up their third straight win and improved to 10-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. They also placed defenseman Jalen Chatfield (upper body) on injured reserve.

An overtime goal by Shane Wright gave the Seattle Kraken a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and two assists for the Kraken as they improved to 7-3-4. Dylan Holloway, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Jordan Kyrou scored for the 5-8-3 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord missed this game as he stayed in Seattle to receive treatment for an upper-body injury. They also activated defenseman Ryker Evans off injured reserve for this game. He made his season debut after being sidelined with an upper-body injury suffered during preseason play.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser’s third-period goal lifted his club over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves as the Canucks improved to 8-8-0. Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov each had three points for the Blue Jackets (7-7-0), who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CALGARY SUN: Flames rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Los Angeles Kings winger Warren Foegele will return to action during Sunday’s game against the Penguins. He’s been sidelined for two weeks with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL center and general manager Mel Bridgman passed away on Saturday at age 70.

Selected first overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft, Bridgman spent 14 seasons as a player from 1975-76 to 1988-89 with the Flyers, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and Vancouver Canucks. He captained the Flyers from 1979-80 to 1980-81, and the Devils from 1984-85 to 1986-87. Bridgman had 252 goals and 449 assists for 701 points in 977 regular-season games, and 67 points in 125 playoff contests.

After his playing career, Bridgman was named the first general manager of the Ottawa Senators in 1991, a role he held until 1993. He was inducted into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

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










NHL Rumor Mill – July 26, 2025

by | Jul 26, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – July 26, 2025

The latest on Flames center Nazem Kadri and defenseman Rasmus Andersson, plus some recent speculation about the Red Wings’ defense corps in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon noted Nazem Kadri’s impressive offensive totals with the retooling Calgary Flames. The 35-year-old is a valuable commodity to the Flames, and to a club trying to find a second-line center in an offseason where the trade and free-agent markets are bereft of such players.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).

Dixon acknowledged the Flames aren’t in any hurry to trade Kadri. He has four years left on his contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $7 million and a full no-movement clause for this season. Nevertheless, he’s been a stubborn fixture in the rumor mill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri keeps appearing on trade boards because of the lack of skilled centers in the current trade and free-agent markets. That’s why some pundits continue to suggest that he’s a trade target.

The Flames could move Kadri if they receive a great offer and he’s willing to agree to the trade. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if he’s still in the Flames’ lineup when they open the regular season in October.

If Kadri is moved, Dixon listed the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Toronto Maple Leafs as potential destinations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche and Maple Leafs are Kadri’s former teams, and they would probably love to bring him back.

However, both clubs lack the cap space to take on his contract. They would still have to shed salary even if the Flames retained half of his AAV, which is unlikely because they aren’t under pressure to move him. The Avs and Leafs also have limited trade assets to tempt the Flames compared to the other three clubs.

Kadri’s age and contract length seem an unlikely fit with the Canadiens. They have been building their roster around young talent, and could be unwilling to part with tradeable assets for a 35-year-old center with an expensive contract.

Devils defenseman (and former Flame) Dougie Hamilton has surfaced in the rumor mill. However, a Kadri-for-Hamilton swap is doubtful as the Flames might not be on his 10-team list of preferred destinations.

The Hurricanes are in “win-now” mode with a creative general manager willing to make big moves. Kadri might be a fit there, provided he’s willing to go to Carolina.

CALGARY SUN: Daniel Austin reports it seems increasingly likely Rasmus Andersson will start this season with the Flames. The 28-year-old defenseman is in the final season of his contract, becoming eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July.

Austin considers it “almost inevitable” that Andersson will be moved at some point this season. However, with no move taking place around the draft last month, a trade doesn’t seem imminent.

Flames GM Craig Conroy has no problem with Andersson being in the lineup when this season begins. He has stated that he has no concerns about the blueliner’s attitude. His future isn’t expected to be much of a distraction for the Flames this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson is far more likely to be traded by the Flames than Kadri. Conroy hasn’t received any suitable offers for him and is willing to wait until he does. Having him on the roster could also help them remain in the hunt for a playoff berth this season.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff recently reported the Red Wings might not be done adding to their blueline this season.

Duff noted that there are some “under-the-radar defensemen” who could be had in this summer’s trade market.

Jamie Oleksiak of the Seattle Kraken and Ryan McDonagh of the Tampa Bay Lightning are two possibilities. The Lightning traded McDonagh before and could do so again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oleksiak and McDonagh are UFA-eligible next summer. The Kraken are under new management, which also explains why Oleksiak has surfaced in the rumor mill. The Lightning could attempt to move McDonagh to free up cap space for other additions, but they could be content to stick with their current roster for now.