NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 23, 2026

by | Apr 23, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 23, 2026

The Flyers take a commanding series lead over the Penguins, the Stars win in double overtime over the Wild, the Ducks tie their series with the Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Philadelphia Flyers are on the verge of sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins following their 5-2 victory in Game 3 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Trevor Zegras and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist while Dan Vladar stopped 28 shots for the Flyers, who can wrap up this series in Game 4 on Saturday, starting at 8 pm ET. Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson scored for the Penguins.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers drew on the energy from their fans, who were enjoying the first playoff game in Philadelphia since 2018. The Flyers were in the 2020 playoffs, which were held in a COVID bubble in Toronto.

A second-period scrum involving all five skaters from both clubs resulted in Zegras scoring his first NHL playoff goal on the ensuing power play, tying the game 1-1. The Flyers took over the game after that, putting them in a position to eliminate their archrival on Saturday.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected an assist on Malkin’s game-opening goal to become the fifth-highest-scoring player in NHL playoff history with 202 points.

Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston scored in double overtime to give his club a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild, and a 2-1 lead in their opening-round series. Stars forwards Jason Robertson and Matt Duchene each had a goal and two assists, and Jake Oettinger made 28 saves. Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Michael McCarron replied for the Wild. Game 4 will be in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday at 5:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Marcus Foligno claimed the Stars couldn’t hang with his club at 5-on-5. He has a point, as the Stars tallied three of their four goals (including Johnston’s game-winner) on the power play, but that’s also an indictment of the Wild’s penalty killing. Of the Stars’ nine goals in this series, six have come with the man advantage.

Wild forwards Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin missed this game due to injuries. Zuccarello’s been sidelined by an upper-body injury after playing in Game 1, while Trenin left Game 2 with an upper-body injury.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-4 to knot their first-round series at one game apiece. Cutter Gauthier snapped a 4-4 tie and finished the game with two goals and an assist, Alex Killorn had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Poehling tallied twice for the Ducks. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, but teammate Connor McDavid was held off the scoreboard for the second straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid briefly left this game with an ankle injury. He downplayed it after the game, claiming it was fine. What isn’t fine is Edmonton’s power play, which has been held scoreless in six opportunities thus far. Oilers forward Jason Dickinson missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Anaheim goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 33 goals for his first NHL postseason victory. Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas missed this contest with an undisclosed injury.

This series moves to Anaheim for the next two games, with Game 3 on Friday at 10 pm ET.

HEADLINES

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman and head coach Todd McLellan will address the media today.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will dispel speculation about whether both men might lose their jobs after the Red Wings extended their playoff drought to 10 years.

TSN: Hall of Famer Chris Pronger said he has not spoken with the Toronto Maple Leafs about the role of general manager.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken general manager Jason Botterill and team CEO Tod Leiweke said they’ll leave “no stone unturned” in their efforts to improve the franchise. Botterill said that head coach Lane Lambert will be retained.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That dispels conjecture about the futures of Botterill and Lambert after the Kraken missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

TSN: Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin underwent surgery on an ACL tear in his right knee on Tuesday. He will be sidelined between six to nine months.

ROTOWIRE: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous travelled with the team to Montreal. D’Astous was sidelined with an undisclosed injury after he was hit by Canadiens winger Josh Anderson in Game 1.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven could return to the lineup for Game 3 of their first-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s been sidelined with a broken jaw since Apr. 2.

TSN: Former NHL forward Trevor Lewis announced his retirement.

Lewis spent 17 seasons in the NHL, 14 of those with the Los Angeles Kings, with whom he won two Stanley Cup championships. He also spent two seasons with the Calgary Flames and one season with the Winnipeg Jets. From 2006-07 to 2024-25, he had 104 goals and 133 assists for 237 points in 1,034 games, and 28 points in 106 playoff contests.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2026

by | Apr 21, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2026

Hurricanes and Flyers take 2-0 series leads, the Stars tie their series with the Wild, the Oilers take Game 1 of their series with the Ducks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook scored in double overtime for a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators in Game 2 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Logan Stankoven and Sebastian Aho gave the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead, but the Senators rallied on second-period goals by Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens. Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen made 37 saves, while Senators netminder Linus Ullmark stopped 43 shots.

The Hurricanes hold a 2-0 series lead heading to Ottawa for Games 3 and 4, with Game 3 on Thursday at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes thought they’d won the game in the first overtime period on a goal by Mark Jankowski, but it was overturned on review as Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal was ruled offside. Martinook also had a chance to end it on a penalty shot but was denied by Ullmark.

This was an energetic, closely contested contest, with the Senators putting up a better effort than in Game 1. Both goaltenders were fantastic, but Ullmark was the standout with several huge saves.

Senators defenseman Artem Zub missed this game with an undisclosed injury. His status for Game 3 is uncertain.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Porter Martone (NHL Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 to take a 2-0 lead in their opening-round series. Dan Vladar turned in a 27-save shutout, Garnet Hathaway had a goal and an assist, and Porter Martone became the first teenager in NHL history to score the winning goal in each of his first two playoff games. Stuart Skinner stopped 20 of 22 shots for the Penguins. The series moves to Philadelphia for the next two games, with Game 3 on Wednesday at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers did a tremendous job shutting down the Penguins’ offense, especially with their penalty killing, with Hathaway scoring shorthanded. Martone seems to be thriving in the heat of NHL postseason action, and his teammates are gaining confidence as this series progresses.

The Penguins are a team in trouble heading to Philadelphia after being outplayed by the Flyers in the first two games. Older stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson looked their ages in this game. This series could be over quickly if the Penguins can’t find a way to turn the tide.

Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston tallied twice, and Jason Robertson scored what proved to be the winning goal in a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild to knot their first-round series at a game apiece. Jake Oettinger kicked out 28 shots while Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Brock Faber scored his first two NHL playoff goals, and Quinn Hughes collected two assists for the Wild. The series moves to Minnesota with Game 3 on Wednesday at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A much better effort from the Stars in this contest compared to their rather lifeless performance in Game 1. This series could go the full seven games to determine a winner.

Wild winger Mats Zuccarello missed this game with an upper-body injury. Wild forward Yakov Trenin left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a crushing shoulder-to-shoulder hit by Stars forward Colin Blackwell.

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-2 deficit to nip the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 in Game 1 of their first-round series. Jason Dickinson and Kasperi Kapanen each tallied twice for the Oilers, who had a 2-0 lead after the first period. The Ducks rallied in the second period with Troy Terry netting two goals and Leo Carlsson also scoring. Game 2 is Wednesday at 10 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leon Draisaitl collected two assists as he returned to the Oilers lineup after missing 14 games with a knee injury. Connor Ingram made 25 saves for his first NHL playoff win. Oilers captain Connor McDavid was held scoreless in this contest.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Scott Arniel shouldered the blame for their club’s failure to reach the playoffs this season after winning the Presidents’ Trophy last year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff offered up little regarding his offseason plans. I’ll have the media reaction to that in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin could miss the start of next season with a knee injury.

NHL.COM: Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi was fined $5,000 for head-butting Vegas Golden Knights blueliner Rasmus Andersson in Game 1 of the Mammoth-Golden Knights series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Things got heated during the game, with Golden Knights forward Nic Dowd threatening to hunt down Mammoth center Logan Cooley.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former NHL goaltender Cory Schneider is now the goalie coach for the New York Islanders’ AHL affiliate.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 19, 2026

by | Apr 19, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 19, 2026

The Hurricanes, Wild, and Flyers draw first blood in their first-round series, the date for the draft lottery is set, Macklin Celebrini hopes to sign an extension with the Sharks this summer, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S FIRST-ROUND ACTION

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes kicked off the start of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs by blanking the Ottawa Senators 2-0 in Game 1 of their seven-game series. Frederik Andersen turned in a 22-save shutout while Logan Stankoven had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Linus Ullmark stopped 27 of 29 shots for the Senators. Game 2 is Monday in Carolina at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The most exciting thing that happened for the Senators in this game was team captain Brady Tkachuk starting a fight with Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal seconds after the opening faceoff.

Carolina did a fine job smothering Ottawa’s scorers, and when they did get some good scoring chances, Andersen shut the door. The Senators also lost big-minute defenseman Artem Zub in the second period with an apparent hip injury following a hit by Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis.

Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy (NHL Images).

Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek each had two goals and an assist as the Minnesota Wild romped to a 6-1 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their first-round series. Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves in his first-ever Stanley Cup playoff game, and superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists. Jason Robertson replied for the Stars. Game 2 is Monday in Dallas at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild dominated the Stars in this game, taking the early lead in the first period, scoring three quick goals early in the second, and snuffing out any chance of a rally by the Stars when Eriksson Ek made it 5-1 on a third-period power play.

If there’s any consolation for the Stars, they’ve overcome previous slow starts to playoff series before. They’re a talented, experienced team that should shake off this loss with a better effort in Game 2. They did have some good news in this game, as top defenseman Miro Heiskanen returned to the lineup after missing their last three regular-season games with a lower-body injury.

The Philadelphia Flyers held off the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 3-2 win in Game 1 of their first-round series. Jamie Drysdale, Travis Sanheim, and Porter Martone were the goal scorers for the Flyers, while Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust replied for the Penguins. Game 2 is Monday in Pittsburgh at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the close score, the Flyers had the edge in this game, ramping up the physicality and using their speed to generate quality scoring chances. The Penguins got solid goaltending from Stuart Skinner, but they had difficulty containing the Flyers’ speed.

Penguins stars such as Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Erik Karlsson spoke of the team’s need to reset for Game 2 to improve their structure and defensive game. If they don’t, they could find themselves in a deeper hole when this series heads to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league confirmed that the 2026 Draft Lottery will be held on Tuesday, May 5, at the NHL Network studio. It will be broadcast live on ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini wants to sign a contract extension this summer. He’s completed the second season of a three-year entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini was the Sharks’ MVP this season, breaking the franchise single-season points record (115) and sitting fourth among NHL scorers. Their 19-year-old sophomore center’s efforts had the rebuilding Sharks in the Western Conference playoff race through most of this season.

In just two NHL seasons, Celebrini has established himself among the league’s elite superstars. It could cost the Sharks between $15 million and $20 million annually on a long-term deal to re-sign him. Fortunately for the Sharks, they have more than enough cap space for 2027-28 to get it done.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning captain Victor Hedman returned to practice with his teammates as he works toward returning to the lineup. He’s been out since March 25 on a leave of absence. Hedman is not expected to be ready for the start of their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens are confident that rookie goaltenders Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler can get the job done against the Lightning. Game 1 of their series starts Sunday at 5:45 pm ET in Tampa Bay.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner hopes to rewrite the narrative that he’s not a clutch playoff performer that dogged him during his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The spotlight in Vegas isn’t as harsh as it is in hockey-mad Toronto. The Golden Knights’ first-round series against the Utah Mammoth will provide Marner with the chance to take the first step toward silencing his critics.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Mammoth hope their speed and transition game can counter the Golden Knight’s disciplined defensive system.

NESN: The Boston Bruins will be relying on their “big guys”, such as defenseman Nikita Zadorov, to set the tone in the opening game of their first-round series with the Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins intend to use their physical style to wear down the Sabres and take the steam out of their offensive game. It’ll be interesting to see how the Sabres intend to counter this.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Injured Sabres forward Noah Ostlund and goaltender Alex Lyon returned to practice on Saturday. Both will be available for Game 1 against the Bruins in Buffalo on Sunday at 7:30 pm ET.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche will be going into their first-round series with the Los Angeles Kings with Nazem Kadri centering the third line with team captain Gabriel Landeskog and Nicolas Roy.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Los Angeles Kings activated winger Andrei Kuzmenko from injured reserve for Game 1 against the Avalanche in Colorado, starting at 3 pm ET on Sunday.

THE ATHLETIC: The Anaheim Ducks hope to reset mentally for their series against the Edmonton Oilers after limping their way into the playoffs. Their series starts on Sunday in Edmonton at 10 pm ET.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers defenseman Connor Murphy is looking forward to his first taste of NHL playoff action since 2020. Before being shipped to the Oilers before last month’s trade deadline, he spent 13 seasons with the Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks, with the 2020 playoffs being his only previous postseason action.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2026

by | Apr 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2026

The final two Western Conference first-round series are set, Connor McDavid wins the Art Ross Trophy, Nathan MacKinnon takes home the Richard Trophy, Macklin Celebrini sets a Sharks record, the Canucks reportedly fire GM Patrik Allvin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THE LAST NIGHT OF THE NHL REGULAR SEASON

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers rookie Matt Savoie tallied his first NHL hat trick as his club romped to a 6-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Connor McDavid collected four assists for the 41-30-11 Oilers, who clinched second place in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Canucks rookie Ty Mueller scored his first NHL goal.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers will face off against the Anaheim Ducks in the first round. Meanwhile, McDavid finished with a league-leading 138 points, winning the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer for the sixth time. He joins Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Gordie Howe as the only players to win that award at least six times.

Speaking of the Ducks, they nipped the Nashville Predators 5-4 on a tie-breaking goal by Troy Terry. Mikael Granlund had three assists for the Ducks, who finished one point behind the Oilers to sit third in the Pacific Division. Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg each scored twice for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos and Forsberg both finished this season having reached the 40-goal plateau. For Stamkos (42 goals), it’s the eighth time he’s done it.

The Colorado Avalanche blanked the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Scott Wedgewood turned in a 22-save shutout while Nick Blankenburg and Parker Kelly scored for the league-leading Avalanche (121 points), who will meet the Los Angeles Kings. Rookie goalie Victor Ostman stopped 33 of 35 shots for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche rested several players, including Nathan MacKinnon. Nevertheless, MacKinnon won the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s leading goal scorer, finishing with 53. It’s the first time he’s won the Richard Trophy. He and Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens were the only players to reach the vaunted 50-goal plateau this season.

Wedgewood and fellow Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood won the William M. Jennings Trophy, which is awarded annually to the goaltender(s) who play a minimum of 25 games for the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar returned behind the bench after missing the club’s last two games with facial injuries after being struck by a puck during a game against the Vegas Golden Knights last weekend.

As for the Kings, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Calgary Flames. Goaltender Arsenii Sergeev stopped 27 shots for the win in his first NHL game, while Joel Farabee reached the 20-goal plateau for the third time. Quinton Byfield scored for the Kings.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and two assists in a 6-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. William Eklund and John Klingberg each had three points for the Sharks. Cole Koepke replied for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini finished the season with 115 points, breaking the franchise record of 114 set by Joe Thornton in 2006-07. The 19-year-old Sharks center finished fourth overall among NHL scorers this season.

The St. Louis Blues closed out their season with a 5-3 win over the Utah Mammoth. Robert Thomas tallied a hat trick for the Blues. Clayton Keller and MacKenzie Weegar each had two assists for the Mammoth, who will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the playoffs.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The complete schedule for the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs has been released. It begins Saturday with Game 1 of the Ottawa Senators-Carolina Hurricanes series at 3 pm ET.

THE PROVINCE: cited a report in the Swedish paper Aftonbladet, which claimed that general manager Patrik Allvin is set to be dismissed by the Vancouver Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As of this writing, there has been no official confirmation yet by the Canucks. It’s been speculated for weeks that Allvin could be replaced as general manager following one of the worst seasons in the franchise’s history.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils have hired former Florida Panthers assistant general manager Sunny Mehta as their new general manager. He’s returning to the club where he pioneered the NHL’s first full-time analytics department from 2014 to 2018.

Mehta joined the Panthers in 2020. Promoted to assistant GM in 2023, he contributed to the Panthers winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Among Mehta’s first duties will be deciding the future of head coach Sheldon Keefe, opening contract extension talks on July 1 with team captain Nico Hischier, and perhaps gauging the trade value of veteran defenseman Dougie Hamilton.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed head coach Rick Bowness to a one-year contract extension.

Bowness took over on an interim basis in mid-January. Under his guidance, the Blue Jackets rose from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings to second place in the Metropolitan Division by March 25.

However, the Blue Jackets went 3-9-1 over their remaining games to fall out of the playoff picture. That sparked a public season-ending tirade from Bowness, accusing the players of being too comfortable with losing. He subsequently walked back those comments, but his claim that he would change the culture if he returned as head coach has resonated with management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowness claimed he loved the Blue Jackets players, who said they loved playing for him. It remains to be seen if that mutual love translates into a culture change that leads to a winning team next season.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews appeared noncommittal about his future when speaking to the media during the club’s locker cleanout on Thursday. The 28-year-old superstar center expects to be physically ready for next season, but he’s uncertain about where things go from here.

Matthews said he can’t predict the future, pointing out that the Maple Leafs are in the process of hiring new management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It sounds like Matthews will wait to see who becomes the new GM and what their plans are for the offseason and for 2026-27. He has two years remaining on his contract, which explains the curiosity about his plans among the denizens of Leafs Nation.

TSN: Speaking of the Maple Leafs, Craig Berube said he expects to return as their head coach next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will depend on the next general manager and how much autonomy he’ll have from ownership when it comes to making decisions about the coaching staff.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin offered up more clarity about his future. Despite speculation that this season could be his last, the 40-year-old Capitals captain remains hopeful that he hasn’t played his final NHL game. He intends to decide at some point in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed defenseman Matt Dumba on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. It will allow him to finish this season without having to participate in the AHL playoffs.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers will have a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after all. They had traded that pick to the Chicago Blackhawks as part of last year’s Seth Jones trade. However, the pick was top-10 protected. The Panthers currently sit eighth in the draft order and can fall no lower than two spots in the draft lottery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2026

by | Apr 12, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2026

Four more teams clinch playoff berths, the Red Wings are eliminated again, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators clinched a playoff berth with a 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders. Linus Ullmark turned in a 23-save shutout while Ridly Greig, Jake Sanderson, and Michael Amadio were the goal scorers for the 43-27-10 Senators, who have won four straight and sit in the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 96 points. Ilya Sorokin stopped 13 of 15 shots for the 43-32-5 Islanders (91 points), who are three points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk left this game in the second period after being struck in the neck/head area by the stick of Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock. There were no postgame details regarding his condition, other than head coach Travis Green saying Tkachuk wasn’t feeling well. It’s unlikely that Tkachuk will be playing against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

The Islanders are five points out of the final Eastern wild card, but they can make the playoffs if they overtake the Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Both clubs have two games remaining in their schedules.

Speaking of the Flyers, they improved their chances of securing a playoff berth by crushing the Winnipeg Jets 7-1. Sean Couturier and Noah Cates each had three points, and Dan Vladar made 27 saves for the 41-27-12 Flyers (94 points). Haydn Fleury scored for the 35-32-12 Jets (82 points), who are five points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Meanwhile, the Kings nipped the Edmonton Oilers 1-0, but the Oilers clinched a playoff berth because the Flyers beat the Jets. Anton Forsberg made 27 saves for his third shutout of the season while Artemi Panarin scored the only goal for the 34-26-19 Kings (87 points). Connor Ingram stopped 20 of 21 shots for the Oilers (40-30-10), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the Kings’ final home game of the regular season. After this contest, team captain Anze Kopitar thanked the fans for supporting him during his 20-season career. He announced in September that he would be retiring at the end of this season. Kings fans could get a chance to see him play again at home if the team makes the playoffs.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

The Vegas Golden Knights secured a postseason spot with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Jack Eichel tallied the winning goal, and Carter Hart turned aside 30 shots as the Golden Knights (37-26-17) hold first place in the Pacific Division with 91 points. Devon Toews and Nick Blankenburg replied for the 52-16-12 Avalanche (115 points), who clinched the Presidents’ Trophy earlier in the week with the best regular-season record.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar left this game in the third period after being struck on the right cheek by a shot from Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar. Following the game, a team spokesman said Bednar was “fully alert and fully conscious”, but he was taken to a hospital for a CT scan and further evaluation.

Earlier in the day, the Avalanche announced the signing of top college prospect T.J. Hughes to a one-year entry-level contract for 2026-27. Hughes will join the Avs’ AHL affiliate for the remainder of this season on a professional tryout. The 24-year-old forward is considered the best unsigned college free agent from this year’s crop.

Shifting back to the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning got a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins, but the latter clinched a playoff berth. Brandon Hagel and Emil Lilleberg scored for the 49-25-6 Lightning, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 104 points. Morgan Geekie scored his 38th goal of the season for the 43-27-10 Bruins, who hold the final Eastern wild card with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators and Bruins have identical records with 80 games played, but the Sens have 37 regulation wins to the Bruins’ 31 wins.

The Bruins clinched a playoff spot because the New Jersey Devils defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 to eliminate them from the postseason chase. Jesper Bratt scored two goals and collected an assist for the 41-36-3 Devils, while Emmit Finnie had a goal and an assist for the 41-30-9 Red Wings (91 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings were booed off the ice by their fans following this game. This is the third straight season that the Red Wings missed the playoffs after entering March holding a postseason berth. Their postseason drought has lasted a decade.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Charlie Coyle scored twice in a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Kirill Marchenko and Adam Fantilli each had two points for the 40-28-12 Blue Jackets (92 points), who kept their playoff hopes alive as they sit two points behind the third-place Flyers in the Metropolitan Division. Cole Caufield sniped his 51st goal of the season for the Canadiens (47-23-10), who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 104 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield sits one goal behind Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (52 goals) in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s top goal scorer, but MacKinnon has a game in hand over Caufield.

The Canadiens also lost defenseman Noah Dobson to a thumb injury from blocking a shot. His absence will be felt keenly if he’s sidelined for the opening round of the upcoming playoffs.

They also learned that top prospect Michael Hage will return to the University of Michigan next season. His agent, Pat Brisson, said Hage wants to spend another season working on his physical and mental strength. He also wants another shot at winning a championship next season after Michigan was eliminated from the Frozen Four last week.

Washington Capitals rookie Ilya Protas had a goal and two assists while his brother Aliaksei Protas had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ryan Leonard tallied two goals for the 41-30-9 Capitals (91 points) as they sit three points behind the Flyers. Anthony Mantha scored his 32nd goal of the season for the 41-23-16 Penguins, who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 98 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin received a standing ovation from Penguins fans in what may be his final game in Pittsburgh. Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois and defenseman Rasmus Sandin left this game with injuries. There was no postgame update regarding their conditions.

The Penguins scratched seven players, including Sidney Crosby, from this game. Crosby is expected to be in the lineup for today’s game between the two clubs in Washington.

The St. Louis Blues defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3, but it wasn’t enough to prevent them from being eliminated from postseason contention. Cam Fowler scored what proved to be the game-winning goal for the Blues (34-33-12). Ilya Mikheyev tallied twice for the 28-38-14 Blackhawks.

Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time since 2015-16 in a 4-1 win over the Utah Mammoth. Staal also collected an assist while Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho also scored for the 52-22-6 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 110 points. Dylan Guenther netted his 40th goal of the season for the playoff-bound Mammoth (42-31-6), who hold the first Western wild card with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes scratched eight regulars from this game. Among them were Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven, and K’Andre Miller.

The Dallas Stars clinched the second seed in the Central Division by blanking the New York Rangers 2-0. Jake Oettinger turned in a 22-save shutout, and Jason Robertson scored both goals for the 48-20-12 Stars (108 points). Igor Shesterkin stopped 17 of 18 shots for the 33-38-9 Rangers.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos tallied his 40th goal of the season and collected an assist in a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Matthew Wood also scored for the 38-32-10 Predators (86 points), who sit one point behind the Kings for that final Western wild-card berth. Michael McCarron scored for the Wild (45-23-12), who are third in the Central Division with 102 points.

A shootout goal by Linus Karlsson lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks, leaving the latter’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Jake DeBrusk scored his 20th goal of the season for the 23-48-8 Canucks. Igor Chernyshov scored twice, and Macklin Celebrini had two assists to reach 110 points this season for the 37-34-8 Sharks (82 points), who are five points behind the Kings for that final Western wild card.

The Seattle Kraken scored four unanswered goals to beat the Calgary Flames 4-1, but it didn’t prevent them from being eliminated from the playoff race. Rookie goalie Nikke Kokko stopped 26 shots to win his first NHL game while Matty Beniers scored his 20th goal of the season for the 34-34-11 Kraken. Hunter Brzustewicz scored for the 32-38-9 Flames.

Florida Panthers forward Tomas Nosek scored his first two goals of this season in a 6-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mackie Samoskevich and Eetu Luostarinen each had three points for the 38-38-4 Panthers. William Nylander scored both goals for the 32-34-14 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Maple Leafs announced that goaltender Anthony Stolarz, defenseman Brandon Carlo, and forward Dakota Joshua have been shut down for the rest of the season due to injuries.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2026

by | Apr 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2026

Oilers captain Connor McDavid leads his club to a big win over the Sharks, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin talks about his future, the Masterton Trophy finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a five-point performance (three goals, two assists) to lead his club to a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Macklin Celebrini and Kiefer Sherwood replied for the Sharks. With 90 points, the 40-29-10 Oilers hold first place in the Pacific Division. Meanwhile, the loss leaves the 37-33-7 Sharks (81 points) sitting three points behind the Nashville Predators for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid has 133 points, opening a five-point lead over Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov for the lead in the scoring race. Celebrini is fourth with 108 points. Meanwhile, Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram left this game after two periods with an undisclosed injury. Forward Jason Dickinson departed in the third period after taking a shot to the foot.

The Buffalo Sabres got three unanswered third-period goals from Alex Tuch, Jason Zucker, and Zach Benson to defeat the New York Rangers 5-3. Benson had two goals while Zucker and Ryan McLeod each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (48-23-8), who have sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with 104 points. Alexis Lafreniere tallied twice for the 33-37-9 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are two points behind the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes, who hold a game in hand.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson turned in a 21-save shutout in a 4-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dylan Strome and Martin Fehervary each had a goal and an assist for the 40-30-9 Capitals (89 points), who sit three points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz left the game early with a lower-body injury. Joseph Woll made 14 saves on 17 shots in relief for the 32-32-14 Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals rookie Ilya Protas collected his first point with an assist in his NHL game, while his older brother Aliaksei also had an assist.

Before the game, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said he won’t decide his future until after this season is over.

The 40-year-old left wing is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He said he intends to speak with his family and Capitals management before deciding during the summer.

Some observers think Ovechkin will retire or return to Russia to finish his player career where it started. TSN’s Chris Johnston said he wouldn’t be surprised if last night’s game against the Maple Leafs was his last in Toronto as an NHL player.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, and Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark are among the 32 players nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey, as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA).

Other notable players nominated this season include Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin, Carolina Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall, Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand, Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar, St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington, Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, and Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to all the nominees. You can see the complete list by following the above link.

OTTAWA SUN: Ullmark had mixed feelings about being nominated for the Masterton. He was honored to be recognized, but knows that it was based partially on the hardships he went through off the ice.

“It’s both good and bad, in a way, because it’s one of those honors where you don’t really want it, because that means you’ve gone through a lot of stuff, and it means you’ve gone through hardships that maybe people don’t want you to go through,” Ullmark said.

The 32-year-old Senators goaltender took time away from the team earlier this season to seek help dealing with his mental health. He expressed his gratitude to the Senators organization, his teammates, family, and friends for their support.

“They haven’t treated me any differently, which I don’t want them to, either. I’m still the same person. The only difference is that I’m now more aware that I am broke, that I was broken, and am still very much fighting the demons every day,” he said.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken announced Ron Francis is stepping down from his role as president of hockey operations by mutual agreement.

Francis was named the Kraken’s first general manager in 2019, a role he held until last summer when Jason Botterill was promoted as GM and Francis was shifted into his current role. His contract runs through 2026-27.

During his tenure with the Kraken, Francis was unable to bring a scoring star to Seattle. Their expansion draft core has struggled offensively, while former Kraken players such as Morgan Geekie and Tye Kartye have found success with other teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Botterill will be staying on as general manager.

NHL.COM: Calgary Flames forward Ryan Strome was fined $5,000 for cross-checking Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson on Tuesday.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed top prospect James Hagens to a three-year entry-level contract.

THE ATHLETIC: The Utah Mammoth is only five games away from becoming the first NHL team in the salary-cap era to go a full season without a single game ending in a shootout.