NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2026

by | Feb 11, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2026

The latest on Alex Ovechkin, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Martin Necas, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Men’s Olympic hockey schedule begins on Wednesday with Slovakia playing Finland (10:30 AM ET) and Sweden taking on Italy (3 PM ET).

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber reports KHL president Alexei Morozov intends to touch base with Alex Ovechkin this summer regarding the Washington Capitals captain’s plans.

Ovechkin’s contract with the Capitals expires at the end of this season. However, the 40-year-old left winger hasn’t made any decisions regarding his future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has indicated that he’d like to finish his playing career back home in Russia with Moscow Dynamo. The NHL’s all-time goal-scoring leader, his production is down from last season’s 44-goal pace, but he’s second among Capitals scorers with 22 goals and 48 points in 59 games.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons wonders if Auston Matthews can lead the United States to Olympic gold in the 2026 Olympics despite a lack of big-game history. The 28-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs center was named captain of Team USA.

Team USA captain Auston Matthews (NHL.com).

Since Matthews made his NHL debut in 2016-17, he has led all scorers with 427 regular-season goals, but his production dries up in the playoffs. Simmons also noted he had the opportunity to win last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off for Team USA, but failed to score in overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leading the Americans to Olympic gold won’t fully silence Matthews’ critics, but it would turn down the volume.

TSN: William Nylander missed Sweden’s practice on Tuesday and is questionable for their game against Italy on Wednesday. Head coach Sam Hallam said it was a “maintenance thing,” adding that Nylander already participated in two practices with the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander missed some time last month with a groin injury before returning to the Maple Leafs on Jan. 31.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas hopes he can be part of a new golden era for Czechia. The country has medaled in each of the last four World Junior Championships and won gold at the 2024 World Championships.

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus reports that the 2026 Olympics are an opportunity for some former NHL players to earn one more chance to return to the big league.

Those former NHLers include Dominik Kahun (Germany), Dominik Kubalik and Ondrej Kase (Czechia), Tomas Tatar (Slovakia), and Rudolfs Balcers (Latvia).

DAILY FACEOFF: Steven Ellis reports sources indicating that 2026 NHL prospect Gavin McKenna is expected to play for Penn State when they face off against the University of Michigan on Saturday.

McKenna, 18, was allegedly involved in an off-ice incident in State College on Jan. 31. He was charged with felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor simple assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct. However, the felony assault charge was withdrawn by prosecutors.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes James Hagens could be the best Boston Bruins prospect since Tyler Seguin. The 19-year-old center was named tournament MVP as he led Boston College to victory in the 2026 Beanpot Tournament. The Bruins chose Hagens seventh overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seguin won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, but they traded him to Dallas two years later as he was poised to become a scoring star. Hopefully, the current management will handle Hagens differently. 

THE PROVINCE: Long-time Vancouver Canucks broadcaster Jim Robson passed away on Monday at age 91. Robson was the Canucks first play-by-play man from their first game in 1970 until his retirement in 1999.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robson was the voice of the Canucks through the 1970s, 80s, and 90s on radio and television. He belongs among the greatest hockey broadcasters of all time. My condolences to Robson’s family, friends, and the Canucks organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2026

by | Jan 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2026

Mattias Ekholm scored his first hat trick as the Oilers set a league record, the Rangers traded Carson Soucy, the three stars of the week, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Leon Draisaitl collected four assists while Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist for the 27-19-8 Oilers. Ducks forward Mikael Granlund also netted a hat trick as his club dropped to 28-22-3, and their seven-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a record-setting performance for the Oilers, becoming the first team in league history to have defensemen score hat tricks in consecutive games, with Evan Bouchard scoring three goals in a six-point performance in the Oilers’ previous game.

Those three-goal performances by Ekholm and Granlund bring the number of hat tricks scored in January to 27, matching the third-most in a single month (December 1981) in league history. The record is 29, set in December 1985.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images)

The New York Rangers nipped the Boston Bruins 4-3 on an overtime goal by Matthew Robertson. Will Cuylle, J.T. Miller, and Will Borgen also scored for the 22-25-6 Rangers, snapping a three-game losing skid. David Pastrnak collected three assists to reach the 900-point plateau, and Elias Linholm netted two goals for the Bruins (30-20-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak is the sixth player in Bruins history to record 900 points, joining Raymond Bourque (1,506), Johnny Bucyk (1,339), Patrice Bergeron (1,040), Phil Esposito (1,012), and Brad Marchand (976).

Before this game, the Rangers held defenseman Carson Soucy out of the lineup. They subsequently announced they had traded Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick.

Soucy, 31, is in the final season of his three-year contract with an AAV of $3.25 million and is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status this summer. He’s a short-term fix for the Islanders’ blueline with Alexander Romanov on long-term injury reserve, and Ryan Pulock sidelined with an upper-body injury.

As for the Rangers, the Soucy trade is expected to be the first of what could be several moves this season by the retooling franchise before the March 6 trade deadline.

Speaking of the Islanders, they got a 21-save shutout from Ilya Sorokin to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored twice, and Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who improved to 28-19-5. Samuel Ersson turned aside 19 of 23 shots for the Flyers (24-18-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers activated defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who had been sidelined since Jan. 14 with an upper-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy turned in a 28-shot shutout in a 2-0 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Darren Raddysh and Anthony Cirelli scored for the Lightning (33-14-4), who regained first place in the Eastern Conference with 70 points. Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 shots for the 27-21-4 Mammoth as their five-game win streak ended.

The game between the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets at Columbus’ Nationwide Arena was postponed due to inclement weather. It has been rescheduled for March 9.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, and Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal are the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 25, 2026.

TSN: Marc-Andre Fleury said a couple of NHL teams have contacted him about coming out of retirement, but the 41-year-old goaltender and future Hall of Famer has no plans to return to action. He still hangs out with his former club, the Minnesota Wild, and has skated with them in several practices, but his next role could be working in their front office.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury has until the March 6 trade deadline to sign an NHL contract if he intends to unretire. Even then, it would likely take several weeks of intense training for him to return to game shape.

Fleury said there were several reasons why he’ll remain retired. One of them is probably the wear and tear of his 21 NHL seasons on his aging body. He alluded to a sore hip during his one-period appearance in a preseason game with the Pittsburgh Penguins in September as he brought his NHL career full circle.

RG.ORG: DJ Siddiqi reports Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito believes the health of the players his club is sending to the Olympics next month will be a factor in their attempt to win a third-straight Stanley Cup.

The defending champion Panthers have been battered by injuries, leaving them four points out of the final wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference as of Jan. 27. Managing fatigue, ice time, and emotional drain, as well as avoiding further injuries, will be crucial to their playoff hopes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers are sending eight players to the Olympics, including core players Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell.

PUCKPEDIA: Speaking of the Olympics, the trade and assignment regulations for the NHL’s break period (Feb. 4-22) have been revealed. No trades will be permitted during that period.

TORONTO SUN: The league has fined Maple Leafs winger William Nylander $5,000.00 for flipping off a TSN camera during Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Nylander made the gesture while watching the game in the press box with several other sidelined teammates.

THE PROVINCE: The Canucks placed winger Brock Boeser and defenseman Zeev Buium on injured reserve.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Bryan Rust faces a hearing on Tuesday with the league’s department of player safety regarding his high hit on Boeser during Sunday’s game between the two clubs.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson is out until the end of next month’s Olympic break with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2026

by | Jan 26, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 26, 2026

A milestone game for Penguins stars Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang, hat-trick performances by the Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke and the Avalanche’s Brock Nelson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins got two goals by rookie Ben Kindel to nip the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Evgeni Malkin scored for the third straight game as the Penguins (26-14-11) picked up their fourth straight win. Jake DeBrusk and Teddy Blueger replied for the Canucks (17-30-5), who have two wins in their last 17 games (2-13-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone game for Malkin and his teammates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang. They became the fourth trio in NHL history to play 1,000 games (regular season and playoffs) together. The others are Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, and Anze Kopitar with the Los Angeles Kings (1,040), Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane (1,004) with the Chicago Blackhawks, and Alex Delvecchio, Gordie Howe, and Marcel Pronovost (1,001) with the Detroit Red Wings.

Malkin appeared to be injured as his teammates celebrated their win on the bench. However, Penguins coach Dan Muse said the 39-year-old center was fine.

It was a special game for Kindel. The native of Coquitlam, BC, had over 180 supporters in attendance at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena cheering him on.

Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke (NHL Images).

Anaheim Ducks rookie forward Beckett Sennecke scored in overtime to complete his first career NHL hat trick in a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. Lukas Dostal stopped 32 shots for the Ducks as they won their seventh straight game and improved to 28-21-3. Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Flames, who are winless in four straight games (0-2-2) as their record dropped to 21-25-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sennecke now leads this season’s rookie class with 18 goals and sits second in points with 41. Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov leads in that category with 43.

Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson tallied a hat trick to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves for the 35-6-9 Avalanche, who lead the league with 79 points. Max Domi scored for the slumping Maple Leafs (24-19-9), who are 1-4-2 in their last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Maple Leafs forward William Nylander issued an apology for flipping off a TV camera while he was sitting in a booth with other injured teammates. He claimed it was done in a moment of frustration, and he didn’t mean to upset anyone. The league is looking into the matter.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar provided an update on sidelined captain Gabriel Landeskog, who’s been sidelined since Jan. 4 with a rib injury. Landeskog hopes to return in time to play for Sweden in the Winter Olympics next month. Bednar said the winger is progressing. “Hopefully, everything works out, but it’s going to be tight.”

Ottawa Senators rookie forward Stephen Halliday scored twice and collected an assist in a 7-1 drubbing of the Vegas Golden Knights. Dylan Cozens tallied two goals, and Brady Tkachuk picked up three assists for the 24-21-7 Senators. Rasmus Andersson scored his first goal for the Golden Knights (25-14-12), who have lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark returned from his leave of absence for mental health reasons, serving as a backup for Mads Sogaard. The baseless rumors that arose during his absence recently drew a sharp rebuke from NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh, who criticized media figures and online influencers for invading the players’ personal lives.

A four-goal third period powered the Florida Panthers to a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Tobias Bjornfot had two goals, and Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (28-20-3), who picked up their third straight win. Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the 21-28-3 Blackhawks.

Jordan Eberle netted two points as the Seattle Kraken held off the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Joey Daccord turned aside 27 shots for the 23-19-9 Kraken. Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (27-23-2).

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: recently reported the New York Islanders plan to relocate their AHL affiliate from Bridgeport, Conn, to Hamilton, Ontario.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Tampa Bay Lightning placed rookie defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous (lower body) on injured reserve.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico profiled Montreal Canadiens prospect defenseman Bryce Pickford, who signed an entry-level contract with the Canadiens last month. After being passed over in the 2024 NHL Draft, Pickford’s performance with the Medicine Hat Tigers last season made him a core player during their run to the WHL championship. That put Pickford on the Canadiens’ radar, who chose him in the third round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pickford is having a record-setting performance this season, scoring the most goals in one season by a WHL defenseman (33 and counting).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2026

by | Jan 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2026

Four-point performances by the Predators’ Ryan O’Reilly and the Hurricanes’ Nikolaj Ehlers, the Rangers announce their intention to retool their roster, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in a 7-3 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi each had three points as the Predators picked up their third straight win and improved to 23-20-4. Brock Nelson scored two goals for the Avalanche (33-5-8), who remain atop the overall standings with 74 points.

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

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the Avalanche’s first regulation loss on home ice this season.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers had a hat trick plus an assist as his club crushed the Florida Panthers 9-1. Taylor Hall tallied twice, and Mark Jankowski had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes (29-15-4), who sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points. Uvis Balinskis replied for the 24-19-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Panthers signed Balinskis to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $875,000.

A shootout goal by Jordan Kyrou lifted the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, snapping the latter’s 11-game win streak. Joel Hofer stopped 32 shots while Jake Neighbours and Nick Bjugstad gave the Blues a 2-0 lead before the Lightning rallied on goals by Nikita Kucherov and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The Blues (19-21-8) picked up their second consecutive win, while the Lightning (29-13-4) clings to first place in the Eastern Conference with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning hold first place in the East because they have two games in hand over the Hurricanes. Earlier in the day, the Lightning placed center Brayden Point on injured reserve.

The Detroit Red Wings doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Lucas Raymond had three assists, and Marco Kasper had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (29-16-4), who are tied with the Lightning and Hurricanes with 62 points. Will Smith and Nick Leddy scored for the 24-20-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Smith’s first game since being sidelined for 13 games by an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Sharks traded minor-league defenseman Kyle Masters to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2027 fifth-round pick to make room for Michael Misa’s entry-level contract.

Anaheim Ducks rookie winger Beckett Sennecke had two assists in regulation, and Mason McTavish tallied the winning goal in the shootout to nip the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Joel Armia had a goal and an assist for the 19-16-12 Kings, while the Ducks improved to 23-21-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Ducks announced that center Leo Carlsson will be sidelined three to five weeks with a thigh injury. They also placed winger Troy Terry (upper body) on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Rangers general manager Chris Drury released a letter to the team’s fans on Friday promising to retool the club’s struggling roster. This comes less than eight years after former GM Jeff Gorton penned a similar letter to the club’s followers.

Drury acknowledged the fans’ disappointment over the Rangers’ difficulties since last season, when they missed the playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2024. He promised to retool around the team’s core players and prospects, targeting players with “tenacity, skill, speed, and a winning pedigree,” putting the focus on young players and prospects, while freeing up cap space for flexibility going forward.

The Rangers GM also indicated that the club could be parting ways with players “that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The letter prompted speculation over which players will be moved. The most obvious is Artemi Panarin, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Management has already informed the 34-year-old center that they won’t be offering him a contract extension. I’ll have more about this situation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander is considered doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. He exited Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights with a lower-body injury.

THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE: The Minnesota Wild placed Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Jonas Brodin, and Zach Bogosian on injured reserve.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers starting goaltender Dan Vladar is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. He won’t be suiting up for Saturday’s game against the Rangers.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens have returned goaltender Jacob Fowler and forward Owen Beck to their AHL affiliate in Laval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler did a good job in difficult circumstances for the Canadiens, providing much-needed stability between the pipes when the regular goalie tandem of Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes was struggling. Given Montembeault’s improvement, Fowler will resume his development in Laval.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2026

by | Jan 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2026

The Bruins retire Zdeno Chara’s number, multipoint performances by the Sabres’ Tage Thompson and the Golden Knights’ Jack Eichel, Jets center Jonathan Toews reaches a career milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAME

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins honored Hall of Fame defenseman Zdeno Chara by retiring his No. 33 in a pregame ceremony before winning their fifth straight game by defeating the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Mark Kastelic scored the game-winner while shorthanded, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 26 shots for the 27-19-2 Bruins. Chandler Stephenson and Eeli Tolvanen replied for the Kraken (21-16-9).

The Boston Bruins retire Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 (NHL.com)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chara spent 14 of his 24 NHL seasons with the Bruins from 2006-07 to 2019-20. He was their captain throughout that period, making him the longest-tenured captain in franchise history. He led them to three Stanley Cup Finals, winning the Cup in 2011. He also won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2008-09 and was twice named to the Second All-Star Team.

Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied his 20th goal of the season, tying him with Patrice Bergeron and Johnny Bucyk for the second-most consecutive 20-goal seasons among the Bruins’ all-time scoring leaders (10 seasons). Brad Marchand leads the franchise with 12 seasons.

Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour collected an assist as he returned to action for the first time since being sidelined by an injury on Dec. 16.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson tallied a hat trick and collected two assists in a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Thompson also passed the 200-goal plateau as the Sabres (26-16-4) have won 15 of their last 17 games. Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Lane Hutson each had two points for the 26-15-7 Canadiens, who are 1-2-1 in their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson became the second-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 100 career assists, doing so in 132 games. Sergei Zubov was the fastest with 127 games.

The Sabres recalled forward Konsta Helenius as center Josh Norris is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during Wednesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Vegas Golden Knights rallied to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 on an overtime goal by Jack Eichel, who also had three assists. Mitch Marner picked up two assists against his former club as the Golden Knights (23-11-12) picked up their sixth straight win and lead the Pacific Division with 58 points. William Nylander and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist for the 23-16-8 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander left this game after rolling his ankle in the first period. Meanwhile, Maple Leafs Auston Matthews didn’t want to answer more queries about Marner. Following the warm-up skate, he told TSN’s Mark Masters he’d had enough of the “Mitch questions” for the day, preferring to focus on the upcoming game.

Golden Knights’ goaltender Adin Hill returned to action for the first time since being sidelined by a lower-body injury on Oct. 20. He stopped 23 shots for the win.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists in a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Jonathan Toews, Josh Morrissey, and Gabriel Vilardi each had a goal and an assist as the Jets (19-22-5) have won four straight games. Danila Yurov and Marcus Johansson scored for the Wild (26-13-9), who have one win in their last six games (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews picked up his 900th career NHL regular-season point. Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 6-3. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist, Evgeni Malkin and Tommy Novak each collected two assists, and Stuart Skinner stopped 30 shots for the 22-14-10 Penguins. Flyers winger Matvei Michkov scored his 10th goal of the season for the Flyers (22-16-8) as they are winless in their last five games (0-4-1).

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin kicked out 35 shots to shut out the Edmonton Oilers 1-0. Anthony Duclair scored the game’s only goal as the Islanders improved to 26-16-5. Oilers captain Connor McDavid’s 20-game goal streak ended as his club sits at 23-17-8.

Three second-period goals by the San Jose Sharks gave them a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Collin Graf had a goal and an assist for the 24-19-3 Sharks, who are 7-2-0 in their last nine games. Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard replied for the Capitals (24-18-6).

Columbus Blue Jackets forwards Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson each had a goal and an assist to beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1, extending the latter’s winless skid to nine games (0-7-2). Elvis Merzlikins made 30 saves for the 21-19-7 Blues Jackets as they collected their third straight win. Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks, who sank to 16-26-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson returned to action for the first time since suffering a hip injury on Oct. 25.

The Utah Mammoth extended their points streak to six games (5-0-1) with a 3-1 upset of the Dallas Stars. Karel Vejmelka turned aside 26 shots while Nick Schmaltz and John Marino each had a goal and an assist for the Mammoth, who improved to 24-20-4. Mikko Rantanen scored for the Stars (27-12-9), who have two wins in their last 11 games (2-5-4).

Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund scored a shorthanded goal and picked up an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Devin Cooley made 22 saves for the 20-23-4 Flames. Nick Foligno scored for the 19-21-7 Blackhawks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers were honored at the White House on Thursday for their second straight Stanley Cup championship.

AP NEWS: St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas will be sidelined for two weeks with a lower-body injury.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Ross Colton is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

by | Jan 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, injury updates, contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Utah Mammoth’s 3-2 win over the New York Rangers was overshadowed by a lower-body injury suffered by Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin with seven minutes remaining in the first period. Following the game, head coach Mike Sullivan said the former Vezina Trophy winner was undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi scored in overtime for the 20-20-3 Mammoth, who got regulation goals from Dylan Guenther and Michael Carcone. Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck tallied for the 20-18-6 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing Shesterkin for a significant period of time could be devastating for the Rangers’ efforts to secure a playoff berth. Following the game, the Mammoth traded defenseman Juuso Valimaki to the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations.

The Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Minnesota Wild 4-2. Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves while Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who improved to 18-14-9. Jared Spurgeon had a goal and an assist for the 25-11-8 Wild, as their six-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Kings as captain Anze Kopitar left the game with a lower-body injury and winger Joel Armia departed with an upper-body injury. After the game, it was reported that Kopitar left the dressing room without any apparent limp. There was no update on Armia’s status.

Washington Capitals rookie winger Justin Sourdif tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Sourdif also collected two assists to finish the night with five points, while Alex Ovechkin scored twice and Connor McMichael picked up four assists for the 22-15-6 Capitals. Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Jacob Trouba, and Beckett Sennecke replied for the Ducks (21-18-3) as their winless skid reached six games (0-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger Tom Wilson missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, the Ducks have two wins in their last dozen games. They’ve tumbled from first place to fifth in the Pacific Division, leaving them clinging to the final Western Conference wildcard berth.

The Seattle Kraken got a 41-save performance from goaltender Philipp Grubauer to defeat the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-1. Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist for the 19-14-7 Kraken, who extended their points streak to eight games (7-0-1). Adam Klapka scored for the Flames (18-20-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle played in his 1,100th career NHL regular-season game. Speaking of the Flames, prospect defenseman Zayne Parekh set a record for most points by a Canadian blueliner in a World Junior Championship tournament, finishing with 13 as Canada took home the bronze medal in the 2026 WJC.

A three-goal first period powered the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. John Gibson made 35 saves while James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists for the 25-15-4 Red Wings, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Tim Stutzle collected two assists to extend his point streak to 13 games for the Senators (20-16-5).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews were the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 4, 2026.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn will miss the start of the club’s six-game road trip due to facial injuries suffered during the third period of Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

SPORTSNET/TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was placed on injured reserve. Defenseman Jake McCabe will be sidelined for a week with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The Panthers hope he’ll return to action before the Olympic break in February.

BOSTON.COM: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm will miss some time due to an undisclosed injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman John Klingberg on injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed Christian Dvorak to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.15 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dvorak has played a key role in the rebuilding Flyers improvement this season. The 29-year-old two-way center has nine goals and 25 points in 39 games, putting him on track for a career-best 18 goals and 50 points.

Dvorak might not be able to maintain that level of production throughout this new contract. Nevertheless, the Flyers see him as a key part of their future. He’s currently on a one-year, $5.4 million contract. With the salary cap rising significantly over the next two seasons, his new cap hit won’t take a significant chunk out of the Flyers’ cap payroll.

TSN: The St. Louis Blues signed forward Alexey Toropchenko to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $2.5 million.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed defenseman Egor Zamula on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zamula could sign with another NHL club once his contract is officially terminated on Tuesday.

TSN: Defenseman Jack Johnson officially retired as an NHL player, joining the Vancouver Canucks as a pro scout.

In 19 NHL seasons (2006-07 to 2024-25), Johnson had 342 points in 1,128 regular-season games with the Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks. He also had 21 points in 57 playoff games and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

NHL.COM: Former player, coach, and general manager Bob Pulford died on Monday at age 89.

Pulford spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings from 1956-57 to 1971-72. He spent 14 of those seasons with the Leafs, winning four Stanley Cups. He had 281 goals and 643 points in 1,079 regular-season games, and 51 points in 89 playoff games. In 1991, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Following his playing career, Pulford went on to spend five seasons coaching the Kings, winning the Jack Adams Award in 1974-75. He went on to spend five years coaching the Chicago Blackhawks and served as their general manager during four different periods between 1977 and 2005.

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