NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2026

by | Apr 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2026

Mitch Marner, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt each have five-point games, the Hurricanes and Wild clinch playoff berths, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane becomes the highest-scoring American player, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Mitch Marner tallied a hat trick and collected two assists to lead the Vegas Golden Knights over the Calgary Flames 6-3. Ivan Barbashev had a goal and two assists for Vegas (34-26-16), who picked up their second straight win under interim coach John Tortorella. With 84 points, the Golden Knights are third in the Pacific Division. Blake Coleman scored twice for the 31-36-8 Flames.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart stopped 19 saves in his return to action after being sidelined by a leg injury since Jan. 8.

New Jersey Devils forwards Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each had five points in a 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Hughes had two goals and three assists while Bratt had a goal and four assists for the Devils (39-34-2). Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist for the 38-29-9 Capitals (85 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Devils announced that rookie forward Arseny Gritsyuk will undergo season-ending surgery for an upper-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth with a 5-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Logan Stankoven scored two goals while Taylor Hall and Sebastian Aho each had two assists for the 48-21-6 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 102 points. Denton Mateychuk scored for the Blue Jackets (38-26-12), who are 0-4-1 in their last five games. They sit outside the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal played in his 1,400th NHL regular-season game.

The Minnesota Wild punched their ticket to the postseason by defeating the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Matt Boldy scored two goals, including his 40th of the season, and collected an assist while Ryan Hartman also tallied twice for the Wild (41-21-12), who sit third in the Central Division with 96 points. Tom Wallinder and Jake DeBrusk replied for the 22-45-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first game between the two clubs since the Canucks traded Quinn Hughes to the Wild in December. Hughes collected an assist against his former club. This loss ensured the Canucks will finish last in the overall standings, improving their odds of winning the draft lottery next month.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Alex DeBrincat had two goals for the 40-27-8 Red Wings, who sit out of the Eastern wild-card spot with 88 points. Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny scored for the Flyers (37-26-12), who are two points behind the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 1,393 regular-season points, Kane surpassed Hall of Famer Brett Hull (1,391 points) to become the league’s all-time leading American scorer. Earlier this season, he overtook Mike Modano (1,374 points) to become the highest-scoring American-born scorer.

Foerster was playing in his first game after missing 49 games recovering from arm surgery.

The Ottawa Senators reclaimed the final Eastern wild card by beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-1. Lars Eller scored the winning goal, Ridly Greig had a goal and an assist, and Linus Ullmark stopped 21 shots for the Senators (39-26-10), who have 88 points and hold the wild card over the Red Wings with 33 regulation wins. Mattias Samuelsson scored for the 46-22-8 Sabres, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in 14 years. They’ll get another chance to do so when they face the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Sabres forward Sam Carrick didn’t play as he’s week-to-week with an injured left arm. Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven was absent from this game with an upper-body injury.

A hat trick by Anthony Cirelli carried the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists for the 47-22-6 Lightning, who sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 100 points. Egor Chinahkov scored twice for the Penguins (38-22-16), who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning placed defenseman and team captain Victor Hedman on long-term injury reserve. He hasn’t played since March 19.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored twice, including the winning goal, as his club nipped the New York Rangers 3-2. Nick Suzuki collected two assists while Jacob Fowler made 22 saves for the Canadiens (44-21-10), who hold third place in the Atlantic with 98 points. Adam Fox and Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers (31-36-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield has 49 goals, sitting one back of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy.

The Florida Panthers got a 28-save performance from Sergei Bobrovsky (including 15 in the third period) in a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers (37-35-3). Fraser Minten had the only goal for the 43-25-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 94 points.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 22 saves to shut out the Winnipeg Jets 3-0. Matt Duchene, Arttu Hyry, and Adam Erne were the goal scorers for the 45-19-12 Stars, who hold second place in the Western Conference with 102 points. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18 of 21 shots for the 32-31-12 Jets (75 points), who are three points behind the San Jose Sharks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Elias Salomonsson left this game midway through the second period after a high hit from Stars winger Jason Robertson.

Speaking of the Sharks, they regained the final Western wild card with a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Collin Graf scored his 20th goal of the season while William Eklund and Zack Ostapchuk each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (36-31-7), who’ve won four straight games and now have 79 points. John Tavares scored for the 32-31-13 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the loss, the Maple Leafs have been officially eliminated from the postseason race for the first time in 10 years. Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Nashville Predators winger Luke Evangelista scored in the eighth round of the shootout to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-4. The Predators (35-31-9) had a 4-1 lead, but the Kings (30-26-19) stormed back to tie the game. Both clubs sit behind the Sharks with 79 points each.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have more wins than the Predators and Kings, and they also have a game in hand over both clubs.

The Edmonton Oilers picked up their fifth straight win by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Adam Henrique, Matt Savoie, and Vasily Podkolzin scored for the 39-28-9 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 87 points. Nick Lardis scored for the 27-35-14 Blackhawks, who were officially eliminated from the playoff race for the sixth straight season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are tied with the Anaheim Ducks, but the latter holds first place with two more wins and a game in hand.

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Dylan Guenther had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth (39-30-6), who hold the first Western wild card with 84 points. Jordan Eberle and Bobby McMann replied for the 32-31-11 Kraken, who have dropped seven of their last eight games to sit four points behind the Sharks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2026

by | Apr 1, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2026

No April fooling here, as the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin reaches another scoring milestone, the Sabres reclaim first place in the Eastern Conference, the Stars re-sign general manager Jim Nill, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied twice to reach the 30-goal plateau for the 20th time in a 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Tom Wilson also scored two goals, Pierre-Luc Dubois collected four assists, and Jakob Chychrun had a goal and two assists for the 38-28-9 Capitals (85 points), who are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Travis Sanheim and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (37-25-12), who are two points out of that Eastern wild-card spot.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin tied Gordie Howe and Teemu Selanne for the third-most goals (31) by a player age 40 or older. He’s behind Howe (44 goals) and Johnny Bucyk (36) for the most goals by a player in that age category.

The Buffalo Sabres reclaimed first place in the Eastern Conference by holding off the New York Islanders by a score of 4-3. Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (46-21-8), who reached the 100-point plateau for the first time since 2009-10. Bo Horvat picked up three assists, and Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the 42-29-5 Islanders, who cling to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Sam Carrick left this game with an injured left arm after a fight with Islanders captain Anders Lee in the third period. The Islanders played without forward Simon Holmstrom, who suffered an upper-body injury during Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield netted his 47th goal of the season and collected an assist in a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Juraj Slafkovsky and Mike Matheson each had a goal and an assist while Jakub Dobes stopped 36 shots for the 43-21-10 Canadiens, who picked up their sixth straight victory and remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Jake Guentzel replied for the Lightning (46-22-6), who are two points up on the Canadiens in the Atlantic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield sits two goals behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s top goal scorer. Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier missed this game as he’s out two to four weeks with an upper-body injury.

A four-goal third period by the Boston Bruins lifted them to a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Viktor Arvidsson had a hat trick while David Pastrnak had three assists for the Bruins (43-24-8), who got their fourth straight win to sit two points behind the Canadiens in the first Eastern wild-card spot. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson each had two points for the 44-19-12 Stars, who have dropped six of their last seven games but continue to hold second place in the Western Conference with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Stars announced the signing of general manager Jim Nill to a two-year contract extension. He’s held the job since April 2013 and is the reigning holder of the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award, which he’s won three consecutive times as the Stars reached the Western Conference Final in each of those seasons.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Egor Chinakhov had a goal and an assist while Anthony Mantha reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time for the 38-21-16 Penguins, who sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points. Dylan Larkin replied for the struggling Red Wings (39-27-8), who remain two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evgeni Malkin collected an assist as he returned to action since being sidelined on March 22 with an injured hand. Before the game, the Red Wings announced that prospect goaltender Trey Augustine had signed a three-year entry-level contract and reported to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids for the remainder of the season.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers scored the game-winning goal and picked up two assists in a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are 1-4-1 in their last six games. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (47-21-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 100 points. Kirill Marchenko had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (38-25-12), who cling to the final Eastern wild card with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes and Sabres are tied in points, but the former holds first place in the conference based on a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are struggling to regain the winning form that propelled them from last place in the conference in mid-January into second place in the Metropolitan Division by March 25.

The Florida Panthers scored five straight goals in the first period to defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-3. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and three assists while Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and collected an assist for the 35-32-3 Panthers. Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark was pulled in the first period after giving up those five goals as his club remains two points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Noah Gregor set a franchise record for the fastest game-opening goal as he found the back of the net in the first eight seconds. Gregor also received a match penalty in the third period for knocking Senators rookie defenseman Carter Yakemchuk out of the game with a high hit.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram made 27 saves to shut out the Seattle Kraken 3-0. Max Jones, Kasper Kapanen, and Connor McDavid scored for the 38-28-9 Oilers, who sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 85 points. Philipp Grubauer stopped 21 of 23 shots for the Kraken (32-30-11), who are two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken center Shane Wright missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Winnipeg Jets moved one point behind the Nashville Predators (77 points) for the final Western wild card by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Kyle Connor. Mark Scheifele collected three assists for the Jets (32-30-12). Tyler Bertuzzi scored two goals for the 27-34-14 Blackhawks, who overcame a 3-1 deficit to force overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced that defensemen Artyom Levshunov and Matt Grzelcyk have been sidelined by injuries for the remainder of the season.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves for a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. J.T. Miller scored what proved to be the game-winner for the 31-35-9 Rangers. Connor Brown replied for the 38-34-2 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The main highlight of this contest was a third-period fight between Shesterkin and Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom, which Shesterkin won handily.

HEADLINES

TORONTO STAR/TORONTO SUN: Keith Pelley, the President and COO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, met with the media yesterday to outline his plans to find a new general manager for the Maple Leafs, and the club’s plans going forward.

Among the notable points from Pelley’s word salad of a press conference is the intention to build a new hockey department in time for the NHL Draft combine in early June. He expects the next GM will be required to make data-driven decisions.

Meanwhile, Pelley expects the club to build around foundational players Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Basically, the roles of team president and general manager will not be held by one person; they’re focusing more on analytics, and they will be retooling around their foundation rather than tearing everything down and rebuilding.

I’ll have more about the potential candidates for the role of Maple Leafs general manager in today’s Rumor Mill.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar’s injury isn’t considered serious. However, he’ll likely miss a few games over the remainder of this season to ensure he’s ready for the upcoming playoffs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Forward Jansen Harkins underwent surgery on his hand and is expected to be out for four weeks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2026

by | Mar 29, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2026

Check out the recaps from a 15-game Saturday night in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A hat-trick performance by Owen Tippett carried the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Tippett finished with four points, and Dan Vladar made 32 saves for the 35-24-12 Flyers (82 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Patrick Kane and Moritz Seider each had two assists for the Red Wings (39-25-8), who are one point out of that wild card with 86 points.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers have been hot of late, with a record of 7-1-1 in their last nine games.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg had a goal and two assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Ottawa Senators 4-2. Brandon Hagel and Charle-Edouard D’Astous each had a goal and an assist for the 45-21-6 Lightning, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points. Dylan Cozens and Jordan Spence scored for the Senators (38-25-10), who sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul missed this game due to illness.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield sniped his 45th goal of the season in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. The Canadiens’ second line of Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Alex Newhook each had a goal and an assist as the Habs (41-21-10) picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 91 points. Zachary L’Heureux scored for the 34-30-9 Predators, who cling to the final Western wild card with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist to become the third defenseman in NHL history to record multiple 60-assist seasons before the age of 23, joining Hall of Famers Paul Coffey (three seasons) and Bobby Orr (two seasons).

The Winnipeg Jets are getting closer to a Western Conference wild-card spot with a 4-2 upset of the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. Cole Perfetti snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period while Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist for the 31-30-12 Jets (74 points), who moved within three points of the Predators. Brock Nelson and Parker Kelly replied for the 48-14-10 Avalanche (106 points).

A five-goal second period vaulted the New York Islanders over the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-2. Brayden Schenn had a goal and two assists for the Islanders (42-27-5) as they moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points. Matthew Tkachuk scored both goals for the 35-34-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers center Sam Bennett missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Zach Hyman had a goal and an assist while Jack Roslovic tallied his 20th goal of the season for the 37-28-9 Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 83 points. Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier tallied for the Ducks (41-28-4), who hold first place in that division with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks winger Troy Terry returned to the lineup after missing one game with a lower-body injury. Teammates Radko Gudas and Pavel Mintyukov missed this contest with lower-body injuries.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist after missing 15 games with a lower-body injury in a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mavrik Bourque scored twice and picked up an assist, and Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the Stars (44-18-11), who remain in second place in the overall standings with 99 points. Erik Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the 36-21-16 Penguins, who are clinging to third place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins played without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as both are day-to-day with injuries.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak collected two assists to extend his points streak to 12 games to help his club beat the Minnesota Wild 6-3. Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm each tallied twice for the 41-24-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 90 points. Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman each had a goal and an assist for the Wild (41-21-12), who sit third in the Central Division with 94 points.

The Carolina Hurricanes scored five straight goals in a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. Nikolaj Ehlers and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (46-20-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 98 points. Timo Meier and Evgenii Dadonov replied for the 37-33-2 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gostisbehere returned from a nine-game absence with a lower-body injury.

San Jose Sharks rookie winger Igor Chernyshov scored twice (including the game-winner) for his first NHL multi-point game to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist for the 33-31-7 Sharks (74 points), who snapped a six-game skid to sit four points out of the final Western wild card. Denton Mateychuk and Cole Sillinger scored while Elvis Merzlikins stopped 33 shots for the Blue Jackets (38-24-11), who slipped into the final Eastern wild card with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov left this game after the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on a shootout goal by Tage Thompson. Rasmus Dahlin scored his 100th career NHL regular-season goal while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 32 shots for the 45-21-8 Sabres, who remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. Chandler Stephenson and Bobby McMann each had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (32-29-11) as they sit two points out of the final Western wild card with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres rookie Noah Ostlund could be sidelined longer than expected with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Kraken center Shane Wright left this game in the first period with an undisclosed ailment.

Utah Mammoth forwards Alexander Kerfoot and Logan Cooley each tallied two goals to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 6-2. Mikhail Sergachev collected four assists as the Mammoth (37-30-6) remains in the first Western wild card with 80 points. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe scored for the 29-25-18 Kings (76 points), who are one point out of the final Western wild-card berth.

The Washington Capitals blew a 3-0 lead but rallied from a 4-3 deficit for a 5-4 shootout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Dylan Strome scored the tying goal and the winner in the shootout for the 36-28-9 Capitals. Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights (32-26-16), who have lost six of their last seven games but remain third in the Pacific Division with 79 points.

St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours each had two assists for the 31-30-11 Blues (73 points), who sit four points out of the Western wild-card spot. Jake McCabe replied for the 31-30-13 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas returned to action after missing one game with an upper-body injury.

The Calgary Flames pounded the Vancouver Canucks 7-3. Matt Coronato and Morgan Frost each had a goal and two assists for the 30-34-8 Flames. Center Elias Pettersson picked up two assists for the 21-42-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Joel Hanley’s season is over as he suffered an undisclosed injury on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2026

by | Mar 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2026

Connor McDavid reaches another milestone as he regains the scoring lead, the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin and the Ducks’ Mikael Granlund have hat-trick performances, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists to regain the lead in the scoring race in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Evan Bouchard scored in overtime and collected an assist while Zach Hyman netted his 30th goal of the season for the 36-28-9 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 81 points. Mark Stone tallied twice for the Golden Knights (32-26-15), who sit two points behind the Oilers in third place.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is tied with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov with 121 points, but he holds the lead with 41 goals. He also became the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach the 800-assist plateau, doing so in 785 regular-season games. He’s behind Wayne Gretzky (527 games) and Mario Lemieux (661 games)

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin set a league record by tallying a hat trick against his 21st NHL team to lead his club over the Utah Mammoth 7-4. Ivan Miroshnichenko scored two goals for the Capitals (36-28-9). Dylan Guenther tallied twice while Clayton Keller collected three assists for the 37-30-6 Mammoth, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 29 goals, Ovechkin is poised to reach the 30-goal mark for what will be a league-record 20th time. He also has 34 career hat tricks, passing Brett Hull for fourth place on the all-time list behind Gretzky (50), Lemieux (40), and Mike Bossy (39).

Mammoth forward Barrett Hayton missed this game as he’s considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of hat tricks, Mikael Granlund had one in the Anaheim Ducks’ 3-2 overtime win over the Calgary Flames. John Carlson picked up two assists for the 41-27-4 Ducks as they hold first place in the Pacific Division with 86 points. Blake Coleman and Matvei Gridin replied for the Flames (30-34-8).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice to widen his lead in the goal-scoring race as his club downed the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. The Avalanche (48-13-10) extended its win streak to four games as they hold first place in the overall standings with 106 points. Mark Scheifele scored both goals for the Jets (30-30-12) as they sit five points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon has 48 goals, sitting four ahead of Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield. With 117 points, he’s third in the race for the Art Ross Trophy behind McDavid and Kucherov. Meanwhile, Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen collected an assist as he returned to action after being sidelined for 11 games with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of Kucherov, he had an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Seattle Kraken. Defenseman Brandon Montour scored twice (including the game-winner) while Kaapo Kakko and Bobby McMann each had a goal and an assist for the 32-29-10 Kraken (74 points), who are three points out of the final Western wild card. Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (44-21-6), who hold second place in the Atlantic Division with 94 points.

The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 2-1. Jayden Struble and Zach Bolduc snapped their lengthy scoring droughts for the Canadiens (40-21-10), who picked up their third straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 90 points. Damon Severson replied for the 38-23-11 Blue Jackets, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer collected two assists in a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Bo Horvat tallied his 30th goal of the season, and Calum Ritchie also scored for the 41-27-5 Islanders, who regained the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 87 points. Matt Duchene replied for the Stars (43-18-11), who remain in second place in the overall standings with 97 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders played without defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who will be out for one to two weeks with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by rookie forward Ben Kindel lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Rickard Rakell had two goals and an assist, and Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for the 36-20-16 Penguins, who moved back into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points. Drake Batherson tallied twice for the Senators (38-24-10), as they slipped out of the final Eastern wild card by one point behind the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left this game early in the second period with a lower-body injury. There was no post-game update regarding his condition. Crosby recently returned to action after missing 11 games with a torn MCL in his right knee.

The Senators will be without Thomas Chabot for the next six to eight weeks after he suffered a broken forearm during Monday’s win against the New York Rangers.

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek snapped a 2-2 tie with five seconds remaining in the third period to give his club a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers. Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman also scored for the Wild (41-20-12) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 94 points. Daniil Tarasov kicked out 47 shots, and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist for the 35-33-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Foligno returned to action after missing the last 12 games with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues left this game after suffering a broken finger and could be out for the remainder of the season.

The New Jersey Devils doubled up the Nashville Predators 4-2, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Nico Hischier scored two goals, and Jesper Bratt had a goal and two assists for the 37-32-2 Devils. Steven Stamkos scored his 36th goal of the season for the Predators (34-29-9) as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 77 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Arseny Gritsyuk is out for the rest of this week after suffering an undisclosed injury during their 6-4 win over the Stars on Tuesday.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves to shut out the Vancouver Canucks 4-0. Quinton Byfield and Trevor Moore each had a goal and an assist for the Kings (29-25-18), who remain one point behind the Predators. Kevin Lankinen stopped 34 of 37 shots for the 21-42-8 Canucks.

The Philadelphia Flyers kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Bump, Christian Dvorak, and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist for the 35-24-12 Flyers (82 points), leaving them five points out of the final Eastern wild card. Connor Bedard netted his 30th goal of the season for the 27-32-13 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers forward Nikita Grebenkin missed this game as he’s out for at least a week with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Dylan Holloway gave the St. Louis Blues a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Holloway also collected the primary assist on Dalibor Dvorsky’s second-period goal for the 30-30-11 Blues. Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks (32-31-7), who are 0-5-1 in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 26, 2026

by | Mar 26, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – March 26, 2026

Could Oilers captain Connor McDavid request a trade this summer? What position could the Sharks attempt to improve this summer? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST OILERS SPECULATION

EDMONTON JOURNAL: A reader told Gerry Moddejonge that he believes there’s a legitimate shot that Connor McDavid leaves the Oilers this summer. “Oilers are going to see the writing on the wall and won’t want to lose him for nothing at the end of the contract.”

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid signed a two-year extension last fall that begins on July 1 and ends in 2028.

Moddejonge acknowledged the possibility of McDavid requesting a trade. He even admits that the Oilers superstar might have to go elsewhere to pursue his Stanley Cup dream. However, the 29-year-old center hasn’t reached that point yet, though the frustration appears to be seeping in as the Oilers struggle this season.

McDavid signed that two-year extension (for the same $12.5 million average annual value as his current contract) to allow Oilers management to maintain a Cup contender. While he’s not at the stage where he would consider a trade, it could be a different story next summer if the Oilers haven’t improved.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid could request a trade this summer, but that seems unlikely. Despite his current frustration, he will probably remain patient and see what the club does this summer and how they perform next season. If they haven’t improved or they’ve gotten worse by then, McDavid could decide that he needs to leave Edmonton if he hopes to win that elusive Stanley Cup championship while he’s still in his prime.

The summer of 2027 could become one of the most significant in NHL history. McDavid isn’t the only superstar in his prime on a team that seems to be in decline. In Toronto, fans and pundits wonder what the future holds for Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.

Like McDavid, he’s signed through 2027-28. If the Oilers and Maple Leafs don’t improve, McDavid and Matthews could inform their respective teams that they don’t intend to sign extensions next summer. That could put two of the league’s biggest stars into the trade market at the same time.

SHARKS COULD FOCUS ON DEFENSE IN THE OFFSEASON

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng looked ahead at how the Sharks can improve in the offseason. He believes they must significantly upgrade their defense corps.

Dmitry Orlov and Sam Dickinson are the only Sharks defensemen signed beyond this season. Shakir Mukhamadullin is the only restricted free agent. Peng speculated that they could bring back pending unrestricted free agents Mario Ferraro or Vincent Desharnais.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Peng observed that the Sharks were holding a wild-card berth on March 14 until a five-game losing streak sent them tumbling seven points behind the surging Nashville Predators, who are on a five-game win streak.

Defense proved costly for the Sharks. Veterans Nick Leddy and John Klingberg aren’t likely to be brought back. Ferraro will be re-signed if he wants to stay, and they could also retain Desharnais, whose physical style is appreciated by Sharks goalies Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic.

Sharks general manager Mike Grier reportedly attempted to acquire Dougie Hamilton from the New Jersey Devils last summer, but Hamilton refused to waive his no-trade clause. That gives us some idea of the type of blueliner that Grier wanted to add to this defense corps.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2026

by | Mar 25, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2026

​Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches two scoring milestones, the Blue Jackets, Senators, and Predators keep climbing in the playoff standings, the Panthers’ Paul Maurice reaches a coaching milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored twice to reach his 400th career regular-season goal and his 1,200th career regular-season point in a 5-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Jack Roslovic also tallied two goals while Evan Bouchard collected three assists for the 35-28-9 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 79 points. Alexander Kerfoot and Lawson Crouse replied for the Mammoth (37-29-6), who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 80 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is the third-fastest player to reach the 1,200-point plateau, doing so in 784 games. Wayne Gretzky is the fastest (504 games), followed by Mario Lemieux (593 games).

As for the Mammoth, they signed prospect forward Caleb Desnoyers to a three-year entry-level contract on March 23. The 18-year-old center was chosen fourth overall by the Mammoth in last year’s draft. He’s hoping to earn a spot on their roster and one day play a top-six role.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (38-22-11) rose to second place in the Metropolitan Division (87 points) by holding off the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Zach Werenski and Mason Marchment each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who are 19-3-4 since hiring Rick Bowness as head coach on Jan. 12. Sean Couturier and Jamie Drysdale replied for the 34-24-12 Flyers (80 points), who remain five points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couturier, Denver Barkey, and Luke Glendening returned to the Flyers lineup after being sidelined by injuries.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Carter Yakemchuk had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut in a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Brady Tkachuk also had a goal and an assist, and Linus Ullmark stopped 32 shots as the Senators (38-24-9) have won 15 of their last 20 games to move into the final Eastern Conference wild card with 85 points. Dominik Shine and Dylan Larkin each scored for the struggling Red Wings (38-25-8), who’ve dropped two games in a row and sit one point behind the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin was returning from a seven-game absence with a lower-body injury.

The Nashville Predators widened their lead for the final Western Conference wild card by defeating the San Jose Sharks 6-3. Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists while Jonathan Marchessault collected three assists for the 34-28-9 Predators (77 points), who picked up their fifth straight win. Will Smith had two goals for the fading Sharks (32-31-6), who’ve lost five straight games.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice reached the 2,000-game coaching milestone in a 5-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Panthers (35-32-3) blew a 4-1 lead, but got the win on a shootout goal by Vinnie Hinostroza. Jordan Eberle had a goal and an assist for the 31-29-10 Kraken (72 points), who sit five points back of the Predators.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche got two goals from Martin Necas to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2. Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves for the win while Nathan MacKinnon tallied his league-leading 46th goal of the season for the 47-13-10 Avalanche, who hold a seven-point lead over the Dallas Stars in the overall standings with 104 points. Egor Chinahkov and Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins (35-20-16), who slipped to third place in the Pacific Division with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang picked up an assist to reach 800 career regular-season points. He’s the highest-scoring blueliner in franchise history, sitting fifth among their all-time points leaders. Teammate Evgeni Malkin missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor made his season debut after being sidelined by offseason hip surgery and an undisclosed issue.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked out 41 shots in a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Ivan Demidov each had a goal and an assist for the 39-21-10 Canadiens, who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 88 points. Nikolaj Ehlers and Jordan Staal scored for the Hurricanes (45-20-6), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield tallied his 44th goal of the season, sitting two behind MacKinnon in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s top goal scorer.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Erik Cernak, Brandon Hagel, and Pontus Holmberg gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (44-21-5) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 93 points. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist for the 40-20-12 Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 92 points.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored two goals as his club held off the Dallas Stars 6-4. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist for the 36-32-2 Devils. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson each had three-point performances for the Stars (43-17-11), who sit second in the West with 97 points.

Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish scored his first goal in 15 games to snap a 3-3 tie as his club went on to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. Mikael Granlund tallied twice for the 40-27-4 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 84 points. Center Elias Pettersson and defenseman Filip Hronek each had two assists for the 21-41-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas returned to action after serving a five-game suspension for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who is out for the season as a result. Gudas expressed remorse for injuring Matthews, claiming he “felt terrible about the outcome.”

Actions speak louder than words, and Gudas’ actions definitely speak louder than his empty words. The fact that he got off with a five-game suspension remains a disgraceful decision by the league’s so-called “department of player safety”.

Meanwhile, the Canucks are raising ticket prices for next season by 10 percent. Teams charge what they believe their market will bear, but they might be unwilling to bear that increase when the team is coming off a dreadful season as they rebuild their roster.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 triumph over the Vegas Golden Knights. Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the 30-29-12 Jets, as they sit five points back of the Predators with 72 points. Rasmus Andersson scored for the 32-26-14 Golden Knights, who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 78 points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs (30-29-13) got two goals from Matthew Knies to double up the Boston Bruins 4-2. Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves in his return to action after being struck in the throat by a puck during warmups on Saturday. Elias Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy replied for the 39-24-8 Bruins, who hold the first Eastern wild card with 86 points.

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Anton Frondell collected an assist in his NHL debut as his club upset the New York Islanders 4-3. Nick Lardis had a goal and two assists for the 27-31-13 Blackhawks. Anders Lee, Simon Holmstrom, and Calum Ritchie scored for the Islanders (40-27-5), as they slipped out of the final Eastern wild card with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold that wild card with a game in hand. Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer set an NHL record for the most single-game ice time by a teenager at 31:59. Isles defenseman Tony DeAngelo left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

A shootout goal by Yegor Sharangovich lifted the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Olli Maatta and Zayne Parekh scored in regulation for the 30-34-7 Flames. Quinton Byfield netted both goals for the Kings (28-25-18), who set three points behind the Predators.

The St. Louis Blues got a 21-save shutout from Joel Hofer in a 3-0 win over the Washington Capitals. Jimmy Snuggerud, Otto Stenberg, and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues (29-30-11). Logan Thompson stopped 24 of 26 shots for the 35-28-9 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois received a match penalty for a deliberate attempt to injure Blues center Robert Thomas. The two collided, and Dubois appeared to grab Thomas as they fell to the ice, with the latter’s head striking the ice. The Blues center left the game, but head coach Jim Montgomery said afterwards that Thomas was fine and had passed the concussion protocol.