NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2025

by | Oct 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s action, the latest injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres goaltender Colten Ellis stopped 27 shots in his NHL debut as his club doubled up the Detroit Red Wings 4-2, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Jack Quinn had a goal and two assists for the Sabres (3-4-0), who’ve won three of their last four contests. J.T. Compher and Emmitt Finnie replied for the 5-2-0 Red Wings.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Quinn (NHL Images).

The Montreal Canadiens (6-2-0) picked up their sixth win in their last seven games by nipping the Calgary Flames 2-1. Mike Matheson tallied the winner in overtime on a beautiful set-up from rookie winger Ivan Demidov. Zack Bolduc also scored, and Jakub Dobes kicked out 37 shots for the win. Dustin Wolf made 28 saves and Adam Klapka tied the game for the Flames, who have lost seven straight (0-6-1) since their season-opening win over the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lighting issues in the aging Scotiabank Saddledome delayed the start of the game by 10 minutes. With the win, the Canadiens sit atop the Atlantic Division with 12 points.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that sidelined Canadiens winger Patrik Laine was seeking a second opinion for a lower-body injury, raising questions over whether he reinjured the knee that sidelined him for over two months early last season.

New Jersey Devils goalie Nico Daws turned aside 29 shots, and teammate Dawson Mercer collected two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Brenden Dillon scored what proved to be the game-winning goal as the Devils extended their win streak to six games (6-0-1). Matt Boldy scored for the 3-4-1 Wild, who have dropped four of their last five contests (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 12 points. Devils forward Stefan Noesen made his season debut after undergoing a procedure for a groin injury that he re-injured during the offseason.

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb last week. He was non-commital about when he’ll return to action, but remains confident he’ll be back within the six to eight-week recovery period.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill is week-to-week after suffering an injury to his left leg during Monday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The club also placed defenseman Noah Hanifin on injured reserve. He has been out since October 8 with an undisclosed injury. Sidelined forward Brett Howden (upper-body injury) will travel with the team and could return to action on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser returned to the team after missing their last two games for personal reasons.

TSN/ESPN: New York Islanders forward Pierre Engvall is expected to miss the remainder of the season after undergoing ankle surgery. The Islanders also announced they fired goaltending coach Piero Greco, promoting Sergei Naumovs from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. Naumovs worked with Isles starter Ilya Sorokin during their years with KHL club CSKA Moscow.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins placed defenseman Jordan Harris (lower body) on injured reserve.

TSN: The Nashville Predators returned forward Brady Martin to the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. The 18-year-old center was chosen fifth overall by the Predators in the 2025 NHL Draft. He had one assist in three games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 19, 2025

by | Sep 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 19, 2025

Kings captain Anze Kopitar to retire, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin uncertain if this season is his last, and the latest on Predators captain Roman Josi, Panthers winger Brad Marchand, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: King captain Anze Kopitar announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2025-26 season.

The 38-year-old center is entering his 20th NHL season, all of them spent with the Kings. He helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2011-12 and 2013-14, and is a three-time winner of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy and a two-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

Kopitar is the Kings’ all-time leader in games played (1,454). He can surpass Marcel Dionne as the franchise points leader (1,307) with a 30-point performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kopitar became one of the best two-way forwards in the league over the past 25 years. He was chosen in the first round (11th overall) in the 2005 NHL Draft, becoming their foundation player as they rose from being an also-ran into a two-time Cup champion and one of the dominant teams in the league between 2010 and 2015.

Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty are the only players from those championship years still with the Kings.

DAILY FACEOFF: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said he doesn’t know yet if this season will be his last in the NHL. The 40-year-old is in the final season of his five-year contract. He believes there’s plenty of time to discuss that with Capitals management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin left practice during the opening day of training camp with a lower-body injury, but the move was for precautionary reasons and is considered to be a minor ailment.

TSN: Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi was among the first players on the ice for training camp on Thursday. The 35-year-old defenseman had been sidelined since Feb. 25, and in June was diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

Following a long rehab, Josi doesn’t believe that his health will be an issue now that he has the tools to manage the issue. “I’m more so relieved and really excited just having a plan,” Josi said. “I feel great. I feel 100 percent. I feel good on the ice and so I’m not concerned at all.”

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand said contract term was one factor that led to his departure from the Boston Bruins. He indicated he wasn’t interested in a short-term deal, while the Panthers were willing to give him a long-term contract.

According to Marchand, being in a non-tax state played a significant role in the Panthers’ efforts to retain some of their key players. “If we were not in a non-tax state, it probably wouldn’t have worked out for two guys,” he said.

Marchand added that the Panthers’ no-tax advantage wouldn’t have been as big a factor if they weren’t as competitive or well-run.

“That is the main thing. You care about the hockey. You care about the organization. You’re not going to walk into a non-tax state if the team’s not run well or if they’re a bad team. That’s just not the case anymore. These non-tax state teams are some of the best-run teams in the league.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have had a non-state tax advantage since their inception in 1993-94, but it didn’t help them during their first 25 years. They were a laughingstock during that period, reaching the playoffs only five times while going through 10 general managers and 15 coaches.

It wasn’t until they hired Bill Zito as general manager in 2020 that they finally turned things around. Stability in the front office is the primary reason behind their current success and why players like Marchand want to play for them now.

CONTRACT UPDATES

THE ATHLETIC: Artemi Panarin said he’s focusing on hockey and won’t publicly discuss his contract situation with the New York Rangers. The 33-year-old winger is in the final season of his seven-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $11.6 million.

Panarin declined to comment about a report by The Athletic claiming he and Madison Square Garden Sports paid financial settlements to a Rangers employee in August 2024 after she alleged he sexually assaulted her.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said contract extension talks have begun with Jacob Markstrom. The 35-year-old goaltender is in the final season of his six-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $6 million.

Fitzgerald also said that he’s disappointed the contract talks with Luke Hughes remain unresolved. The restricted free-agent defenseman seeks a five-year contract, while the Devils prefer a bridge deal or a long-term contract. The two sides continue to negotiate.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Alex Tuch said he loves Buffalo and hopes to stay with the Sabres for the long term. The 29-year-old forward is in the final season of a six-year deal with an AAV of $4.75 million.

THE SCORE: It was recently reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anthony Stolarz are in talks about a contract extension. However, the 31-year-old goalie is unwilling to continue negotiations during the regular season. He’s in the final season of a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been reported that the two sides could have a deal in place before the start of the regular season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Alexander Holtz still lacks a contract for this season, but the restricted free agent forward will attend Vegas Golden Knights training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO) until a deal is reached or the two sides part ways.

INJURY UPDATES

TSN: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman will remain sidelined by a wrist injury until early November.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel left practice yesterday for precautionary reasons. Head coach Bruce Cassidy said Eichel “tweaked something” but remains hopeful that he could return to practice on Friday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin said winger Mats Zuccarello (undisclosed) could miss the start of the regular season.

TSN: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Laurent Brossoit remains sidelined long-term following offseason hip surgery. He missed all of last season after undergoing knee surgery in August 2024.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic is sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury. Forward Stefan Noesen is expected to miss some time with a groin injury stemming from a pre-existing one that he suffered last season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2023

by | May 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2023

The Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final, Stars captain Jamie Benn is suspended for two games, the finalists for general manager of the year are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are going to the Stanley Cup Final after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice, including the winning goal with 4.3 seconds remaining in regulation. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 36 shots as the Panthers win the Prince of Wales Trophy for the first time since 1996.

Florida Panthers pose with Prince of Wales Trophy (NHL.com).

Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin left the game early in the first period with an apparent concussion after a hard hit by Panthers forward Sam Bennett behind the Hurricanes net. He was sidelined for the remainder of the game with a suspected concussion. Following the game, Slavin said the hit was clean.

Slavin’s teammate Stefan Noesen suffered an upper-body injury in the first period. He returned in the second period but was not on the bench for the third.

The Panthers await the winner of the Western Conference Final. The Vegas Golden Knights hold a 3-0 series lead over the Dallas Stars and can close out the series with a win tonight in Game 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-earned win by the Panthers in both this game and in a series where each game was closely contested and decided by one goal. Bobrovsky and Tkachuk were their dominant players but this sweep of such a strong opponent was definitely a team effort. Captain Aleksander Barkov tied with Tkachuk for the club lead in points (five) in this series while forwards Anthony Duclair, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart and Bennett each had three points.

This was the third time dating back to 2009 that the Hurricanes were swept in the Conference Final. However, this one probably hurts the most. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour believes they deserved better and he has a point. The Hurricanes controlled the play but were stymied offensively by Bobrovsky’s goaltending. Losing Slavin in Game 4 was a big blow to their blueline.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn received a two-game suspension for cross-checking Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone in Game 3 of their Western Conference Final series.

Benn’s teammate Max Domi was fined $5,000.00 for slashing Stone in the third period of that game.

Evgeni Dadonov is doubtful for Game 4. The Stars winger suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 and didn’t return.

SPORTSNET: Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts issued an apology to the Golden Knights after fans littered the ice with debris late in the second period of Game 3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fallout from the Stars’ horrible performance in Game 3 will have consequences for tonight’s game against the Golden Knights. They must now try to avoid elimination without their captain, whose undisciplined antics have taken him out of this series at a crucial time when they need his leadership and experience the most.

NHL.COM: Jim Nill of the Stars, Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are this season’s finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This award, like all NHL individual awards except for the Conn Smythe Trophy, is based on regular-season performance. Thus, I think Sweeney will win it because of his club’s record-setting performance with 65 wins and 135 points.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres announced that Kyle Okposo has agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. Okposo, 34, served as the Sabres captain last season. In 75 games, he had 11 goals and 27 points.

Okposo also earned the Rick Martin Memorial Award, “presented to the player who fans believe best embodies what it means to be a Sabre through on-ice excellence, resilience, and dedication to the community.”

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Playing for Sweden at the IIHF World Championship, Sandin was injured following a knee-on-knee hit by Team USA’s Michael Eyssimont, who was ejected from the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals are probably breathing a sigh of relief that it was much worse. Sandin is expected to play a big role among their top-four defensemen next season.










NHL Trades – Sunday, April 11, 2021

by | Apr 11, 2021

NHL Trades – Sunday, April 11, 2021

​The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired forwards Nick Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets and Stefan Noesen from the San Jose Sharks.

The Blue Jackets receive the Leafs’ first-round pick in 2021 and a fourth-round pick in 2022. The Sharks, meanwhile, receive the Leafs’ 2021 fourth-round pick.

The Jackets also retain 50 percent of Foligno’s $5.5 million cap hit ($2.25 million). The Sharks retain half, meaning the Leafs are only charged $1.375 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another skillful bit of salary-cap management by Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. A well-respected and versatile forward, Foligno’s two-way skills and work ethic should make him a solid addition to the Leafs. Noesen will join the Leafs’ taxi squad or be sent to their farm team. The Jackets now have three first-round picks in this year’s draft having also acquired the Tampa Bay Lightning’s yesterday in the David Savard trade.

The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman Jon Merrill from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2021 and minor-leaguer Hayden Verbeek.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin delves into his deep bag of 2021 draft picks to add a veteran depth left-side defenseman in Merrill. The 29-year-old blueliner can play left or right-side defense and has some shutdown skills. He’ll likely feel the third defense pairing role.

Washington Capitals trade defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A salary dump by the Capitals, freeing up $800K in cap space. Siegenthaler is a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights.