NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 14, 2026

by | Oct 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 14, 2026

Recapping Tuesday’s “Frozen Frenzy” with all 32 teams in action, the Red Wings re-sign Alex DeBrincat, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Brady Tkachuk tallied a natural hat trick and an assist, while brother Matthew Tkachuk had five assists to lead the Panthers to a 7-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sam Reinhart had two goals and an assist, Seth Jones had four assists, and Carter Verhaeghe scored twice for the Panthers (3-2-2). Kent Johnson, Denton Meteychuk, and Cole Sillinger replied for the Blue Jackets, who dropped to 2-3-0.

Florida Panthers winger Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Tkachuks became the first brothers to combine for nine points in a game since Daniel and Henrik Sedin in a Nov. 21, 2015 game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Blue Jackets winger Mathieu Olivier was ejected in the second period after delivering a between-the-legs slash to Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis.

Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness ripped his team following the game. “You have to hope, you got to believe that performance tonight will embarrass them enough to stop this, right? Because if they’re not embarrassed by that, we don’t want them on the team. It’s as simple as that,” Bowness said.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid recorded a goal and three assists in his 800th NHL regular-season game, leading his club to a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Vasily Podkolzin scored two goals, and Devon Levi kicked out 39 shots as the Oilers (5-0-1) extended their win streak to five games. Brandt Clarke scored for the Kings, who remain winless this season (0-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid sits third all-time among players with the most career points in 800 games (1,237), behind Wayne Gretzky (1,892) and Mario Lemieux (1,580).

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored in overtime and picked up two assists to nip the Detroit Red Wings 5-4. Jesper Bratt also had a goal and two assists for the 3-3-0 Devils, while Alex DeBrincat scored twice and collected an assist for the 1-3-2 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following this game, reports emerged that the Red Wings and DeBrincat agreed to a seven-year, $91 million contract extension. The average annual value is $13 million, though the deal hadn’t been formally announced.

This is the first positive headline for the reeling Red Wings after months of bad news, including their playoff drought reaching 10 years, center Dylan Larkin’s public trade request, their ongoing search for a new general manager, and their difficult contract talks with defenseman Simon Edvinsson.

DeBrincat, 28, has been the Red Wings’ leading goal scorer (111 goals) and sits second in points (230) since joining the club in 2023-24. The Michigan native was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, so retaining him long term is a major step forward for this struggling franchise.

It’s an expensive contract, but DeBrincat would’ve received a similar deal elsewhere had he opted to test next summer’s free-agent market. It also reflects the ongoing rise in player salaries in conjunction with the rising salary cap.

The Montreal Canadiens got a shootout winner from Zachary Bolduc to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who improved to 3-2-1. Olen Zellweger tallied two goals for the 3-3-1 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second straight game that Bolduc scored the winning goal in a shootout for the Canadiens, who called up center Owen Beck while defenseman Mike Matheson missed this game with a lower-body injury. The Sabres recalled blueliner Dennis Gilbert to replace sidelined captain Rasmus Dahlin. They also placed sidelined defenseman Matt Grzelcyk on injured reserve.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov scored twice (including the winning goal) and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Mark Jankowski scored to extend his goal streak to five games as the Hurricanes (6-1-1) extended their win streak to six games, holding first place in the Eastern Conference with 13 points. Ryan Leonard had two assists for the 3-3-0 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Hurricanes announced that team captain Jordan Staal would be sidelined for one to two months with a torn calf muscle. Winger Taylor Hall departed during the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Seattle Kraken blew a 2-0 lead but recovered to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on a shootout goal by Bobby McMann, who also opened the scoring. Chris Dvorak and Trevor Zegras scored for the Flyers, who sank to 0-5-3.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere scored twice to extend his goal streak to a career-high four games in a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Goalie Dylan Garand made 25 saves for the Rangers as they improved to 6-2-0. Zemgus Girgensons replied for the 4-2-0 Lightning.

St. Louis Blues forwards Pius Suter, Jake Neighbours, and Mason McTavish each scored twice to lead their club to a 7-2 drubbing of the Ottawa Senators. Suter and McTavish also each picked up an assist, and Pavel Buchnevich collected three assists for the 3-2-1 Blues. Claude Giroux and Fabian Zetterlund scored for the 5-2-0 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-riddled Senators lost another player as forward Ridly Greig departed in the third period with a muscle strain.

The New York Islanders got two goals from forward Kyle Palmieri to beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Matias Maccelli had a goal and an assist, and Matthew Schaefer picked up two assists for the Islanders (3-3-0). Max Sasson and Brock Boeser scored for the 2-6-0 Canucks, who rallied to tie the score before Palmieri scored the winning goal.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Connor Bedard had an assist in his season debut as his club downed the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3. Teuvo Teravainen scored twice and picked up an assist, and Roman Kantserov tallied two goals for the 2-5-0 Blackhawks. Sidney Crosby scored two goals for the 3-3-1 Penguins.

The Winnipeg Jets got a three-point performance from Mark Scheifele (one goal, two assists) in a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Cole Perfetti scored two goals, and Neal Pionk had two assists for the 4-1-1 Jets. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice for the 4-2-1 Wild.

Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas scored twice as his club held off the Dallas Stars 3-2. Nathan MacKinnon set up two goals, and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 24 shots for the Avalanche (4-2-0). Tyler Seguin and Roope Hintz replied for the Stars, who slipped to 2-3-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon and Hintz got into a second-period fight that bloodied the Avalanche star. The Avalanche played without top defenseman Cale Makar. He returned to Denver to be with his wife, who is expecting twins.

The Vegas Golden Knights got third-period goals from William Karlsson, Trevor Connelly, and Brett Howden to beat the Nashville Predators 5-2. Adin Hill made 25 saves, and Rasmus Andersson collected two assists as the Golden Knights improved to 6-2-0 to sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 12 points.

Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev each had a goal and an assist as their club held off the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4. Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs (3-3-1) while the Mammoth moved into first place in the Central Division with 10 points (5-2-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs made it interesting with third-period goals by John Tavares and rookie winger Gavin McKenna, who has five points in his last four games.

Third-period goals by Martin Pospisil and Yegor Sharangovich lifted the Calgary Flames to their first win of the season by doubling up the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Aydar Suniev had a goal and an assist, and Dustin Wolf turned aside 23 shots for the 1-5-0 Flames. Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson scored for the Ducks (4-2-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Ducks called up Roger McQueen for his NHL debut and placed center Ryan Poehling on injured reserve. Poehling is out six to eight weeks with an MCL sprain.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy scored in his season debut in a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Fraser Minten scored two goals, and Jeremy Swayman made 35 saves for the Bruins (5-2-0), who moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with 10 points. Macklin Celebrini scored and assisted on rookie Ivar Stenberg’s first NHL goal as the Sharks dropped to 3-3-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Darnell Nurse left this game in the third period following a fight with Bruins blueliner Nikita Zadorov.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2026

by | Oct 11, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2026

Recapping all 14 games from Saturday night, Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin is out for the season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: William Nylander scored two goals and collected three assists as the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 6-3. Auston Matthews scored twice and set up two others, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots for his first win for the Maple Leafs as they improved to 3-2-1. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice for the 3-2-0 Avalanche.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov tallied a hat trick and added an assist in a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist, and Jesper Wallstedt made 29 saves for the 3-1-1 Wild. Matthew Tkachuk scored for the Panthers (2-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After collecting five points in preseason action, Panthers winger Brady Tkachuk is scoreless in his first five regular-season games.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel’s hat trick gave his club a 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders. Jake Guentzel scored twice for the Lightning (4-1-0), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with eight points. Tony DeAngelo had a goal and an assist for the 2-3-0 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders captain Bo Horvat played in this game and collected an assist, showing no ill effects from the blindside hit he received from Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar on Thursday. Nazar received a two-game suspension.

The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Detroit Red Wings 1-0 on a shootout goal by Zachary Bolduc. Goaltender Jacob Fowler made 30 saves in regulation and overtime, and stopped all six shots in the shootout for the shutout win for the 2-2-1 Canadiens, snapping a three-game winless skid (0-2-1). Daniil Tarasov also made 30 saves for the Red Wings, who dropped to 1-3-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens fans chanted “We want Larkin!” in the hope of convincing Red Wings center Dylan Larkin to accept a trade to Montreal. If he were willing, he’d already be with the Habs. Larkin reportedly has an eight-team trade list but only wants to join American-based playoff contenders.

Boston Bruins forward Fraser Minten had a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. JJ Peterka collected two assists for the Bruins (4-2-0). Porter Martone replied for the 0-4-2 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s getting ugly for the Flyers, who entered this season with heightened expectations after making the playoffs and reaching the second round last season. They’ve been outscored 24-7 in their first six games, prompting some Flyers followers to blame head coach Rick Tocchet for the club’s woeful start.

Flyers forward Travis Konecny (lower-body injury) and defenseman Cam York (upper-body injury) missed this game, while blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen (hand) missed his third straight contest.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Captain Nico Hischier led the way with two goals and an assist, Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist, and goalie Jake Allen made 20 saves in his 500th NHL start for the Devils, who improved to 2-2-0. Linus Karlsson scored for the Canucks, who dropped to 2-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ penalty killing was their downfall, giving up three power-play goals to the Devils.

The Edmonton Oilers (4-0-1) collected their fourth straight win by downing the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Mattias Ekholm, Vasily Podkolzin, and Alex Formenton scored while Tristan Jarry stopped 19 shots. Macklin Celebrini replied for the Sharks (3-2-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini returned to action after missing the last two games with a lower-body injury.

Anders Lee, Kailer Yamamoto, and John Marino each had a goal and an assist for the Utah Mammoth in a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Karel Vejmelka turned aside 23 shots for the 4-2-0 Mammoth, who hold first place in the Central Division with eight points. Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, who slipped to 2-3-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres scratched forwards Konsta Helenius and Jiri Kulich from this game.

Ottawa Senators forwards Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto scored shootout goals to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-2. Stutzle had a goal and an assist in regulation for the 4-1-0 Senators, who overcame a 2-0 deficit. Ross Colton and Jonathan Marchessault scored for the Predators (2-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Senators placed winger William Eklund (ankle) on injured reserve. He’s expected to be sidelined for two months. Predators forward Mavrik Bourque missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Third-period goals by Ryan Poehling and Nikita Nesterenko lifted the Anaheim Ducks to a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Mikael Granlund collected two assists for the 4-1-0 Ducks. Morgan Frost and Aydar Suniev replied for the Flames (0-5-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Poehling was injured while scoring his goal and left the game with an apparent injury to his right leg. Teammate Cutter Gauthier left in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner scored in overtime to beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Marner and Trevor Connelly each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (5-1-0), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 10 points. Artemi Panarin scored for the Kings, who dropped to 0-2-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kings placed sidelined forwards Mats Zuccarello and Alex Turcotte on injured reserve. They also signed forward Jared Wright to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $925,000.

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their win streak to four games with a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Mark Jankowski extended his goal streak to three games while Jackson Blake and Jordan Martinook each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (4-1-1), who hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with nine points. Rookie winger Roman Kantserov scored his first NHL goal for the 1-5-0 Blackhawks.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Rickard Rakell’s shootout goal gave his club a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Connor Dewar also scored for the 3-2-1 Penguins while Tyler Seguin netted his first of the season for the 2-2-1 Stars.

The St. Louis Blues downed the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3. Jonatan Berggren snapped a 3-3 tie, Jimmy Snuggerud tallied two goals, and Dylan Holloway picked up three assists for the Blues (2-2-1).

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: The New York Rangers announced Saturday that goaltender Igor Shesterkin is out for the season after suffering a lower-body injury during Friday’s loss to the Washington Capitals.

Dylan Garand takes over the starter’s role for the foreseeable future. The 24-year-old has made only four starts in his NHL career. Backup Joonas Korpisalo is on injured reserve (lower body) for another month. Spencer Martin will be Garand’s understudy when the Rangers face the Canucks on Sunday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a major blow for the Rangers, who won four of their first five starts before Shesterkin’s injury. It will be difficult for Garand, Korpisalo, and Martin to replace the former Vezina Trophy winner, and could significantly hamper their hopes for playoff contention.

DAILY FACEOFF: Seattle Kraken forward Jacob Melanson is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with “an anterior mediastinal hematoma with vascular pseudoaneurysm” as a result of an upper-body injury suffered during an Oct. 1 game against the Calgary Flames. He will be monitored closely by the Kraken’s medical staff as he makes a gradual return to playing hockey.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL winger Bobby Gould died Friday at age 69. He spent 11 seasons in the league (1979-80 to 1989-90) with the Atlanta/Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals, spending eight seasons with the Capitals.

A three-time Selke Trophy finalist, Gould had 145 goals and 159 assists for 304 points in 697 regular-season games. He also had 28 points in 78 playoff contests.

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










NHL Rumor Mill – October 9, 2026

by | Oct 9, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – October 9, 2026

Which clubs could the Red Wings target as potential destinations for defenseman Simon Edvinsson? What’s the latest on Bruins center Pavel Zacha? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon looked at which players the Detroit Red Wings might target in any trade involving restricted free-agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson.

Dixon believes the Red Wings would prefer to get an up-and-coming center in return for Edvinsson. He suggested Caleb Desnoyers of the Utah Mammoth, Berkly Catton of the Seattle Kraken, James Hagens of the Boston Bruins, Dalibor Dvorsky of the St. Louis Blues, and Kent Johnson of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson (NHL Images)

The Mammoth already have rising star Logan Cooley, plus Vincent Trocheck and Nick Schmaltz can also play at center. The Kraken already have Matty Beniers, Jake O’Brien, and Shane Wright. Hagens has played mostly on the wing for the Bruins. Robert Thomas and Mason McTavish seem entrenched as the Blues’ top-two centers. Johnson’s been the frequent subject of trade rumors and might benefit from a change of scenery.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Bruins are among at least 10 teams that have inquired about Edvinsson. He said that Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has told those teams he prefers to re-sign the 23-year-old left-shot defenseman. However, the longer this goes on, the more a trade becomes possible.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson believes the Oilers should pursue Edvinsson, but he doubts they have sufficient trade capital to win a bidding war. He thinks it could cost them forward Ike Howard or Matt Savoie as part of the return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Red Wings cannot reach an agreement with Edvinsson, it’s rumored they might be open to a return of futures for the young defenseman, especially if they can get an established forward for Dylan Larkin in a separate deal.

Dixon’s made some interesting suggestions. Apart from the Bruins, we don’t know how much interest those other clubs have in Edvinsson. Nevertheless, those young centers that Dixon mentioned could entice the Red Wings if they are open to a package with a promising prospect (Desnoyers) or an NHL-ready young center as part of the return.

The Oilers could look into Edvinsson’s availability, but they probably can’t afford the Red Wings’ asking price, especially if one of the other clubs mentioned above includes one of those promising centers in the deal.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported Wednesday that Pavel Zacha “came up in conversations” between the Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets when the latter was shopping winger Kirill Marchenko, who was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs last month.

According to LeBrun, contract negotiations between the Bruins and the 29-year-old UFA-eligible center are continuing, but they’re still not close to a deal. Given his age, the Bruins might be reluctant about signing him to an expensive long-term extension.

LeBrun believes this could go either way. However, if the Bruins are struggling to make the playoffs by the trade deadline and Zacha remains unsigned, he will likely be moved by March 1.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2026

by | Oct 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2026

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Oilers and Penguins make a trade, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl collected four assists as the Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Evan Bouchard scored twice and picked up an assist, and Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists for the 3-0-1 Oilers, who sit atop the Pacific Division with seven points. Beckett Sennecke scored both goals for the Ducks (2-1-0).

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After allowing 13 goals in their first two games, the Oilers have tightened up defensively. Goaltender Devon Levi started their last three games, allowing seven goals in his first game against Vancouver, but giving up only three goals in his last two contests.

Oilers center Jason Dickinson made his season debut after missing the start of the season with an injured foot. Teammate Colton Dach (undisclosed) was placed on injured reserve.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson had a goal and two assists in a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin’s final home debut. Pierre-Luc Dubois scored and picked up an assist for the Capitals, who improved to 2-1-0. Brian Rust, Tommy Novak, and Nick Robertson replied for the 2-2-0 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this week, Ovechkin announced this season would be his last in the NHL. He was held scoreless in this contest. Rust was making his season debut after being placed on IR on Sept. 29.

The Winnipeg Jets upset the Colorado Avalanche 3-2. Kyle Connor tallied twice, including the winning goal with one minute remaining in regulation time, as the Jets (3-0-1) hold first place in the Central Division with seven points. Jaden Schwartz and Fedor Svechkov scored for the 2-1-0 Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winnipeg goaltender Stuart Skinner was the game’s first star with a 32-save performance, including 17 stops in the first period. The bad news for the Jets was top defenseman Josh Morrissey leaving the game early in the second period with an injured right hand. He will be reassessed on Thursday.

HEADLINES

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers traded defenseman Spencer Stastney to the Penguins for forward Filip Hallander.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the “lateral move” that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reported the Oilers were considering, moving a blueliner to add depth up front. It also freed up $1.436 million in salary-cap space. The Penguins, meanwhile, temporarily freed up a logjam at forward with Bryan Rust returning to the lineup while bolstering their left-side blueline depth.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov will miss the next six to eight months after undergoing surgery on his right knee to repair a torn ACL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough break for the Isles and for Romanov, who had just returned from a shoulder injury suffered last November that required season-ending surgery.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault left practice Wednesday after injuring his right leg. He’s still being evaluated by the Canadiens’ medical staff, but the club recalled goalie Jacob Fowler from their AHL affiliate in Laval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montembeault tore two groin muscles during the 2025 playoffs and struggled throughout last season, losing his role as starting goaltender to Jakub Dobes and dropping behind Fowler on their goalie depth chart.

A strong training camp and preseason earned Montembeault the backup role to start this season. He was expected to make his season debut on Thursday against the Nashville Predators or Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars forward Joel Kiviranta has been sidelined for a week with a lower-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler is being evaluated for an undisclosed injury suffered on Tuesday against the Utah Mammoth.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Florida Panthers placed defenseman Mackenzie Entwistle on waivers.

SPORTSNET: The NHL unveiled the Heritage Classic jerseys for the Jets and Canadiens. The two clubs face off in the outdoor game on Oct. 25 at Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 7, 2026

by | Oct 7, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – October 7, 2026

Check out the latest on Dylan Larkin, Simon Edvinsson, Connor Hellebuyck, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PANTHERS NOT PURSUING LARKIN, THE LATEST ON EDVINSSON

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the news that Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will be sidelined for six to eight weeks should quiet trade speculation linking them to Detroit Red Wings wing Dylan Larkin.

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: When Barkov went down with a knee injury last week, some pundits wondered if they might attempt to acquire Larkin as a replacement if Barkov was out for the season.

LeBrun said sources indicated there wasn’t much validity to that conjecture. It’s a moot point now because Barkov remains on their books. They won’t try to replace him when he returns in eight weeks. He also noted that the Panthers must ensure they have sufficient long-term salary cap space to re-sign Brady Tkachuk, whose contract expires in 2028.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers are thin on cap space through next season. Taking on Larkin’s $8.7 million average annual value through 2030-31 would hamper efforts to re-sign Tkachuk.

Speaking of the Red Wings, Darren Dreger reports there’s been no progress in contract talks between the club and restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson, but discussions are ongoing.

Dreger also said the Wings are taking calls and listening to whatever trade interest there is in the 23-year-old defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings’ priority remains re-signing Edvinsson. They’ve got until 5 pm ET on Dec. 1 to get him under contract, or he becomes ineligible to play in the NHL this season.

Speculation continues to grow about potential trade suitors for Edvinsson. Daily Faceoff’s Carter Hutton and Tyler Yaremchuk suggested the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and San Jose Sharks as possible destinations. Yaremchuk thinks the Sharks would be an ideal fit as they could draw on their deep prospects well for trade bait.

NO HELLEBUYCK FOR CANADIAN TEAMS

TSN: Appearing on TSN 1050 on Monday, Pierre LeBrun dismissed rumors linking the Edmonton Oilers to Winnipeg Jets holdout goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

“People have wondered about Edmonton for Connor Hellebuyck; he’s not gonna play in Canada,” LeBrun said. “So please, let’s stop with that. It’s not happening.”

The Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres remain the most well-known suitors for Hellebuyck, who remains suspended without pay by the Jets for not reporting to training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck could return to a Canadian team if he ends his holdout and returns to the Jets, who’ve left the door open. However, there’s no indication he’s reaching that point.

COULD THE OILERS TARGET MATTHEW POITRAS?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples recently cited TSN’s Darren Dreger, who said on The Dustin Nielson Show that he knows the name of a young center on an Eastern Conference team that the Oilers have been trying to acquire for some time.

Dreger described the young forward as having plenty of upside and room to grow in the NHL, saying that the Oilers are considered the front-runners for this promising player.

Staples speculated that Dreger was referring to Matthew Poitras of the Boston Bruins. He’s a young, right-shot center, which is a positional need for the Oilers. With Jason Dickinson returning from injury, however, Staples wondered if that changes much for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staples also noted that Nielson thought Dreger was referring to Montreal Canadiens center Kirby Dach. Recent rumors claimed the Oilers were very interested in the 25-year-old Dach, given GM Stan Bowman’s ties to him from their days with the Chicago Blackhawks.

However, Poitras might make more sense given his youth (22) and the difficulty he’s had cracking the Bruins’ lineup.

UPDATE ON PATRIK LAINE

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports multiple teams have expressed interest at multiple times in Patrik Laine, but none have expressed a willingness to sign the 28-year-old winger.

LeBrun pointed out that he’d be an affordable performance-bonus signing because he was injured for most of last season.

The Calgary Flames have kicked around the idea of signing Laine, but they want to evaluate their younger players first. The Red Wings also discussed it, but Laine continues to train in Florida.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine’s injury history and inconsistent scoring explain why teams are reluctant to sign him to even a bargain-basement contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 5, 2026

by | Oct 5, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – October 5, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we have suggested destinations for Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson and the reasons why the Oilers won’t acquire Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck.

LATEST SIMON EDVINSSON SPECULATION

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Eric Cruickshank referenced Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting Saturday that unsigned Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson would prefer a trade.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson (NHL Images)

Cruickshank listed the San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, and Toronto Maple Leafs as potential destinations for the 22-year-old Edvinsson.

The Sharks must improve their blueline puck-moving abilities, which would make Edvinsson a perfect fit. The Blues could pivot to Edvinsson if their efforts to acquire unsigned Carolina Hurricanes blueliner Alexander Nikishin fall through. Edvinsson could inject youth into a Maple Leafs blueline with Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Chris Tanev at the tail end of their careers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Nashville Predators might be another suitor. They were also reportedly interested in Nikishin.

How about Edvinsson to the Winnipeg Jets in a package deal for goalie Connor Hellebuyck? Nah, Hellebuyck wants to go to a Stanley Cup contender.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: William Espy pondered how much it could cost the Sharks to acquire Edvinsson. He believes Sam Dickinson would have to be part of the deal to fill the gap on the Red Wings blueline after Edvinsson’s departure. It would also cost them a prospect like Filip Bystedt, Quentin Musty, or Ryan Lin. The Sharks would need to include a salaried player like Adam Gaudette or Ty Dellandrea to free up salary-cap space.

SI.COM: Tyler Miller believes the Pittsburgh Penguins would be a perfect trade partner if the Red Wings peddle Edvinsson. They’re in dire need of young left-side defensemen. Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has a connection with the Penguins. His son, Will Horcoff, is a Penguins prospect.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James believes Edvinsson would be a “can’t-miss trade opportunity” for the Flyers. He suggested moving Cam York or Nick Seeler to make room for Edvinsson. James thinks the asking price from the Red Wings would be “the equivalent of the next two first-round picks, a second-rounder, and a third-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings reportedly want to re-sign Edvinsson, who is in Sweden awaiting a new contract or a trade. If it comes to the latter, the aforementioned clubs could be among the suitors.

It’s been suggested the Montreal Canadiens should pursue Edvinsson. That’s unlikely to happen because of their left-shot blueline depth. Unless they’re parting with Mike Matheson (which they aren’t), they won’t be pursuing Edvinsson. Besides, they’re more interested in adding a scoring forward (preferably a center).

DON’T EXPECT THE OILERS TO TRADE FOR CONNOR HELLEBUYCK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Gerry Moddejonge and Kurt Leavins shot down suggestions that the Oilers could or should pursue Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

Moddejonge pointed out that the Oilers already acquired Frederik Andersen, who is sidelined until December with a knee injury. He believes the Oilers must improve their defensive play to cut down on the number of scoring chances and goals against them. Moddejonge also noted that the Oilers can’t afford to acquire Hellebuyck.

Leavins also cited the high cost of Hellebuyck. He believes the Jets’ high asking price would offset whatever gains an elite goalie would bring to the Oilers.

A three-time Vezina Trophy winner, Hellebuyck went public with his trade request in August. The Jets have suspended the 33-year-old goalie without pay for not reporting to training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck to Edmonton was always a long-shot option at best. For now, they have to stick with the tandem of Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi and hope for the best until Andersen is ready to return.