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.










Notable NHL Trades and Signings – June 28, 2025

by | Jun 28, 2025

Notable NHL Trades and Signings – June 28, 2025

The Anaheim Ducks trade goaltender John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for goaltender Petr Mrazek, a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

Anaheim Ducks trade goaltender John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson, 31, had been a fixture in the trade-rumor mill for the past two seasons. The sticking point had been his contract with its $6.4 million average annual value. However, he has only two years remaining on his deal. With the salary cap rising significantly over that period, his contract became more palatable for a club like the Red Wings, which went through five goalies last season.

Gibson will be expected to help the Red Wings end their franchise-record nine-year playoff drought. He’s spent the past several seasons backstopping the rebuilding Ducks, but with a potentially more competitive team in front of him in Detroit, he has a chance to prove he’s still a reliable starting goalie.

This move solidifies Lukas Dostal as the Ducks’ starting goaltender. The 25-year-old had outplayed Gibson for the job last season. Mrazek will support him in the backup role.

The Ottawa Senators acquire defenseman Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a third-round pick in 2025 and a sixth-round pick in 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators were in the market for a right-shot defenseman to replace Nick Jensen, who recently underwent hip surgery with no timeline for his return. Spence, 24, carries an affordable $1.5 million cap hit for 2025-26. He netted 28 points in 79 games last season with the Kings.

The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Kevin Bahl to a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bahl was acquired from the New Jersey Devils as part of the return in the Jacob Markstrom trade. He quickly established himself among their top-four blueliners, logging over 21 minutes of ice time per game.










Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2025

by | Mar 7, 2025

Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2025

The Boston Bruins traded Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers for a conditional 2027 second-round pick. The Bruins retained half of Marchand’s $6.13 million cap hit.  

Boston Bruins traded Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Fraser Minten and a first-round pick. 

Toronto Maple Leafs trade Conor Timmins and Connor Dewar to the Pittsburgh Penguins. More to follow. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets acquire Luke Kunin from the San Jose Sharks for a 2025 fourth-rounder. 

The Ottawa Senators acquired Fabian Zetterlund, Tristen Robins and a fourth-round pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Noah Gregor, Zack Ostapchuk and a second-round pick. 

Philadelphia Flyers trade Erik Johnson to the Colorado Avalanche for Givani Smith.

The Buffalo Sabres shipped Henri Jokiharju to the Boston Bruins. Details to follow.  

The Dallas Stars acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks. The Stars sign Rantanen to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $12 million. More details to follow.

New Jersey Devils acquire Cody Glass from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third-round pick.

The Boston Bruins Trade Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt, prospect Will Zellers and a second-round pick.

The Detroit Red Wings Acquire Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Joe Veleno.

The Philadelphia Flyers trade Scott Laughton, a fourth-round pick and a sixth-rounder to the Toronto Maple Leafs for prospect Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick.

The Buffalo Sabres trade Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker.

The Winnipeg Jets acquire Luke Schenn from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

The Jets also acquire Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken for a 2027 second-round pick.

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded Anthony Beauvillier to the Washington Capitals for a second-round pick in 2025.

The Philadelphia Flyers traded Andrei Kuzmenko to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick. Flyers retain 50 percent of Kuzmenko’s $5.5 million cap hit. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 9, 2024

by | Dec 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 9, 2024

Upset victories for the Kraken and Blue Jackets highlight Sunday’s action, three players hit the waiver wire, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Seattle Kraken overcame a 3-1 deficit to upset the New York Rangers 7-5. Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand scored two goals and collected two assists and Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and two assists. Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and K’Andre Miller each had two points for the Rangers, who’ve lost seven of their last nine games.

Seattle Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken played this game with emergency backup goalie Michael Matyas. There was a brief moment midway through the first period where it appeared Matyas was getting into the game when Rangers center Filip Chytil clipped Kraken starter Philipp Grubauer. However, Grubauer shook it off and stayed in the game.

A two-goal performance by Kent Johnson carried the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-1 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Elvis Merzlikins got the win with 24 saves as his club ended a three-game losing skid. Kyle Connor netted his 15th of the season for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot from Jets defenseman Colin Miller.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists as his club doubled up the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Kucherov had missed the previous two games with an undisclosed injury. Brayden Point tallied twice and picked up two assists for the Lightning. Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood replied for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes left the game in the first period when a high stick from Lightning forward Brandon Hagel stuck him in the face. The Canucks captain got several stitches and returned to action.

Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is expected to start Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues, meaning goalie Arturs Silovs was assigned to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. Center J.T. Miller is expected to return from his leave of absence on Thursday against the Florida Panthers.

Lighting center Anthony Cirelli left this game in the first period following a hit by Canucks defenseman Noah Juulsen.

The Colorado Avalanche got a 25-save shutout performance from Scott Wedgewood in a 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Casey Mittelstadt collected two assists and Ross Colton scored his first goal since returning from a 17-game absence with a broken foot. Devils goalie Jake Allen gave up three goals on 22 shots.

Four unanswered third-period goals lifted the Dallas Stars to a 6-2 win against the Calgary Flames. Thomas Harley scored twice, Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist, and Jake Oettinger made 29 stops. Jonathan Huberdeau and Conor Zary tallied for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames assistant coach Brad Larsen missed this game. He’s taking an indefinite leave of absence to deal with a family matter.

The New York Islanders defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-2. Ilya Sorokin kicked out 29 shots while Kyle Palmieri, Anders Lee and Noah Dobson each had two points for the Islanders. Senators forward Adam Gaudette tallied a career-high 13th goal.

Utah Hockey Club forward Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. It was Utah’s fourth straight road win. Joel Farabee and Owen Tippett replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltender Samuel Ersson and defenseman Jamie Drysdale returned to the Flyers lineup after missing several games due to injuries.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The Chicago Blackhawks placed goalie Petr Mrazek on injured reserve with a left groin injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: On Sunday, Blackhawks winger Joey Anderson, San Jose Sharks winger Givani Smith, and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Caleb Jones were placed on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2024

by | Nov 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2024

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, reaction to the Bruins firing head coach Jim Montgomery, and updates on Alex Ovechkin, Auston Matthews, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele tallied a hat trick in a 6-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Morgan Barron scored two shorthanded goals and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots as the Jets set a franchise record for the most wins in their first 10 home games (9-1-0). Panthers forward Sam Reinhart scored his 14th goal to extend his points streak to 11 games.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

The Edmonton Oilers got three-point performances from Evan Bouchard, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to defeat the Ottawa Senators 5-2. McDavid had two goals and an assist while Bouchard and Draisaitl had a goal and two assists each. Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris replied for the Senators, who have just three wins in nine games thus far in November (3-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a rough month for Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark. He’s given up five goals in three of his five starts since Nov. 5. Before this game, the Oilers claimed winger Kasperi Kapanen off waivers from the St. Louis Blues.

Speaking of the Blues, they dropped a 4-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice to extend his points streak to six games. Scott Perunovich and Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues, who’ve dropped six of their last seven games (1-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas collected an assist in his first game since suffering a fractured ankle on Oct. 22.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider snapped a 3-3 tie midway through the third period to give his club a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Mika Zibanejad, Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Canucks forward Elias Pettersson picked up two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canucks announced center J.T. Miller is taking an indefinite leave of absence as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury and the emotional toll it’s taken as he tried to play through the injury. Meanwhile, the Rangers learned that center Filip Chytil did not suffer a concussion after colliding with teammate K’Andre Miller last week. He remains listed as day-to-day but will join his teammates in Calgary as they prepare to face the Flames on Thursday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got an overtime goal from Brayden Point as they overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. The Lightning picked up their third straight win as Point finished the night with two goals in his first game since being sidelined by a lower-body injury on Nov. 3. Jesse Puljujarvi and Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins, who have just two wins in their last eight contests (2-3-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby remains at 599 regular-season goals but collected an assist to surpass Joe Sakic for the sixth-most assists (1,017) with one franchise. He should pass Gordie Howe (1,023) and Mario Lemieux (1,033) to move into fourth place later this season. Passing Lemieux will also give Crosby the Penguins’ all-time assist record.

A shootout goal by Justin Kirkland lifted the Calgary Flames to a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Pierre Engvall opened the scoring for the Isles but Rasmus Andersson tied it in the third period. Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the Flames while Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves for the Islanders, who have one win in their last five games (1-1-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov returned to action for the first time since being sidelined on Nov. 1 by an upper-body injury.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 as Leo Carlsson broke a 2-2 tie midway through the third period. Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist and Trevor Zegras collected two assists as the Ducks won their third straight game. Jason Dickinson tallied twice and Connor Bedard had two assists for the Blackhawks as they’ve dropped five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks starting goalie Petr Mrazek missed this game for personal reasons.

HEADLINES

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The slumping Bruins (8-9-3) fired head coach Jim Montgomery on Tuesday. Associate coach Joe Sacco takes over on an interim basis. Hired in June 2022, Montgomery had a record of 120-41-23, reaching the playoffs twice and winning the Presidents Trophy in 2022-23 with an NHL record of 65 wins and 135 points. Montgomery won the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year for 2022-23.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the Bruins struggled through the opening weeks of this season, the rumblings for change grew. Given the lack of suitable options in the trade market and the Bruins’ limited cap space, a coaching change was the only move they could make.

Boston Hockey Now’s Andrew Fantucchio and Christopher Hurley singled out several notable players who contributed to the Bruins’ sputtering performance.

They include the declining play of 36-year-old captain Brad Marchand following three offseason surgeries, superstar winger David Pastrnak’s lower-than-expected production, Jeremy Swayman’s shaky goaltending after protracted contract negotiations kept him out of training camp, and the disappointing efforts from free-agent additions Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov.

The Bruins might rebound under Sacco. However, there’s a growing feeling in Boston that management’s inability to offset the departures of key players like Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, Linus Ullmark and Torey Krug since 2019-20 is the real reason behind the club’s decline. That could put general manager Don Sweeney on the hot seat if this club fails to improve under Sacco.

SPORTSNET: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is listed as week-to-week after suffering a lower-leg injury during Monday’s win over the Utah Hockey Club. He’ll undergo further evaluation on Wednesday in Washington. Ovechkin has 868 career goals, 26 behind Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is in Munich, Germany, seeking treatment for an upper-body injury from a doctor he’s previously worked with. Matthews has been sidelined for six games and remains listed as day-to-day. He’s been accompanied to Munich by a team physician.

The Leafs also placed forward David Kampf (lower body) on injured reserve and called up forward Fraser Minten.

DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier (back) and defenseman Brett Pesce (undisclosed injury) are listed as day-to-day.

The Vegas Golden Knights placed defenseman Ben Hutton (upper body) on long-term injury reserve and winger Mark Stone (lower body) on IR.

TSN: The Montreal Canadiens assigned forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard to their AHL affiliate in Laval on a long-term injury conditioning loan. He underwent surgery in July for a broken leg.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2024

by | Jan 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon regains the scoring lead with a four-goal performance, five members of Canada’s 2018 WJC team face sexual assault charges, Salt Lake City expresses interest in an expansion franchise, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon regained the lead in the NHL scoring race with a four-goal performance in a 6-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. MacKinnon also collected an assist for 82 points, two ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and four assists while Cale Makar had a goal and two assists for the 31-14-3 Avalanche, who sit fourth in the overall standings with 65 points. Dylan Strome scored both goals for the 22-18-6 Capitals (50 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche extended their home point streak to a franchise-record 24 games. Makar netted his 76th career goal to become the franchise’s all-time leading goalscorer among defensemen. Meanwhile, Avs blueliner Jack Johnson missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice took over sole possession of second place for most games by an NHL coach with 1,813 as his club beat the Arizona Coyotes 6-2. Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games while Matthew Tkachuk had two goals and an assist for the Panthers (29-14-4), who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 62 points. Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist for the 23-20-3 Coyotes (49 points) as they sit two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov collected an assist as he returned to action after being sidelined for three games by a lower-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov made 32 saves for his second shutout of the season in a 1-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Auston Matthews scored in overtime to collect his league-leading 39th goal of the season as his Maple Leafs (24-14-8) regained third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Laurent Brossoit stopped 29 shots for the 30-11-6 Jets as they sit third in the overall standings with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big win for Samsonov, whose struggles in December saw him briefly demoted to the Leafs’ AHL affiliate. He was touched by Leafs fans chanting his name, admitting he was nearly brought to tears. Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left this game with a leg injury after blocking a shot by Leafs forward Matthew Knies.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their third straight win with a 4-3 overtime upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Brayden Schenn tallied the winning goal after his club blew a 3-1 while Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist for the 24-20-8 Blues (50 points), who sit one point out of the final Western wild-card berth. Pius Suter had a hat trick for the Canucks (32-11-5) as they remain in first place in the overall standings with 69 points.

A late goal by Jordan Martinook lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the Boston Bruins by a score of 3-2. Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen each had two points for the Hurricanes (26-15-5), who moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points. Brad Marchand scored both goals for the 29-9-9 Bruins as they remain in second place in the overall standings with 67 points.

The Buffalo Sabres overcame a 3-1 deficit for a 5-3 upset victory over the Los Angeles Kings. JJ Peterka scored twice and collected an assist while Jack Quinn had a goal and two assists for the 21-23-4 Sabres. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist for the Kings (22-14-9) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have won just twice in their last 10 games. Head coach Todd McLellan blasted his players following this match. “The stupidity that went into that loss is beyond explanation,” he said. Asked about his job security, McLellan replied that it was “a very fair question.” Kings general manager Rob Blake recently gave him a vote of confidence but that could change if this club fails to snap out of its funk.

Seattle Kraken winger Tomas Tatar scored two goals as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2. Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann each collected two points as the Kraken (20-18-9) sit two points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 49 points. Seth Jones had two assists for the 14-32-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced they’d reached an agreement with goaltender Petr Mrazek on a two-year contract extension. He’ll earn an average annual value of $4.25 million.

HEADLINES

TSN: Five members of Canada’s 2018 World Juniors team have been ordered to report to London, Ontario police to face charges of sexual assault. London police announced they would hold a press conference on Feb. 5 to share further details.

The charges are related to an alleged sexual assault in June 2018 involving the players, who have a set time to report to the police.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote have taken indefinite leaves of absence from the team. The club indicated it has no further comment at this time.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators’ unsigned winger Alex Formenton has taken an indefinite leave of absence from his Swiss team where he’s played since last season. The club declined to comment on the matter.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers GM Daniel Briere made a statement yesterday regarding the indefinite leave of absence by goaltender Carter Hart. He acknowledged the reports regarding the five unnamed players of Canada’s 2018 WJC team but said neither he nor the Flyers would make any comment until the results of the investigation are released.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube is also on an indefinite leave of absence for what the club deemed mental health reasons. Nevertheless, it’s assumed by hockey fans on social media that Dube, Hart, Formenton, McLeod and Foote are the five players sought by London police. We’ll know for certain by Feb. 5.

DAILY FACEOFF: In a release shared with NHL media yesterday, the Smith Entertainment Group formally requested that the league begin the process of bringing an expansion team to Salt Lake City. The ownership group owns the NBA’s Utah Jazz and has talked with the NHL about an expansion club since 2022. The club would play in the Jazz’s current arena until a new venue is constructed at a later date.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salt Lake City has a long hockey history with minor league teams playing there over the years. They also hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics.

SPORTSNET: In an interview with The Athletic, NHL Players Association executive director Marty Walsh said the clock is ticking on the ownership of the Arizona Coyotes as they continue efforts to find a location to build a new arena. At the most recent NHL Board of Governors’ meetings, Commissioner Gary Bettman said the Coyotes ownership had until the end of January to finalize a new plan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Walsh’s comments combined with the news of the Utah Jazz ownership’s interest in an expansion franchise looks like a warning shot to Coyotes ownership. If they don’t soon get their plans for a new arena project sorted out, the league’s patience could finally run out. If so, this franchise could end up sold and moved to Salt Lake City.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames placed center Adam Ruzicka and defenseman Nick DeSimone on waivers.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators re-signed forward Cole Smith to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $775K.

KLTV: Former NHL player Mike Ribeiro is on trial in Franklin County, Texas. He allegedly sexually assaulted two women on June 23, 2021, and attempted to assault another.