NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2026

by | Mar 7, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2026

Recapping Friday’s games, fallout from the trade deadline, contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider had a goal and three assists as his club nipped the Montreal Canadiens 6-5 on a shootout goal by Alex Killorn. Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, and Jackson LaCombe each had a goal and an assist for the 35-24-3 Ducks, who took over first place in the Pacific Division with 73 points. Cole Caufield had two goals and an assist, and Lane Hutson had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (33-18-10), who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 76 points.

Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

The Golden Knights (29-20-14) dropped a 4-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild, slipping one point behind the Ducks. Filip Gustavsson made 29 saves, and Michael McCarron had a goal and an assist in his debut with the Wild after being acquired from the Nashville Predators. Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev had two points, including his 30th goal of the season. The Wild sit third in the Central Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone missed this game with an upper-body injury, but he’s not expected to be sidelined for long.

A shootout goal by Valeri Nichushkin lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Dallas Stars 5-4, snapping the latter’s 10-game win streak. Nichushkin also scored the tying goal that sent the game to overtime and the shootout, while Martin Necas had a goal and three assists for the Avalanche (42-10-9), who remain atop the overall standings with 93 points. Wyatt Johnston, Miro Heiskanen, and Justin Hryckowian each had a goal and an assist for the 38-14-10 Stars as they sit second in the Western Conference with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz left this game after injuring his left leg following a collision with Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon during the second period. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Carolina Hurricanes got two goals from Jackson Blake in a 6-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. K’Andre Miller collected three assists for the 40-16-6 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 86 points. Zach Hyman tallied twice for the Oilers (30-25-8) as they cling to third place in the Pacific Division.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk’s hat trick gave his club a 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves for the Panthers (31-29-3) as his club ended a four-game losing skid. Alex DeBrincat replied for the 35-21-7 Red Wings, who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 77 points, but have dropped seven of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin left this game with a lower-body injury in the third period. Head coach Todd McLellan doesn’t believe Larkin will be sidelined long-term, but he must have his injury attended to.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas scored twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Dylan Holloway collected three assists for the 24-29-9 Blues. Macklin Celebrini and Kiefer Sherwood replied for the 30-25-5 Sharks (65 points), who sit two points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Sharks signed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year, $6 million contract extension.

The Vancouver Canucks ended a seven-game losing skid by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3. Brock Boeser scored twice for the 19-36-7 Canucks. Frank Nazar and Ilya Mikheyev each had a goal and an assist for the 23-29-10 Blackhawks.

TRADE DEADLINE FALLOUT

THE ATHLETIC: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong expressed his displeasure regarding leaked reports of a proposed trade involving Colton Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres before the blueliner was approached about waiving his no-trade clause. Parayko ultimately refused to waive his clause, killing the deal.

Armstrong was adamant that the leak didn’t come from the Blues. He ordered a thorough examination of his staff’s phone, text, and email records. “Everyone passed the test, not surprisingly,” Armstrong said. “I knew it didn’t come from us.”

However, Armstrong is not pointing the finger at the Sabres. “There’s so many people involved in things that go on: family members, agents. It’s a never-ending cycle of people that get talked to.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals players were shocked and saddened by the trade of long-time Capitals defenseman John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks.

Team captain Alex Ovechkin said hearing the news was the toughest day of his career. “We’re very close, and it’s hard,” Ovechkin said. “We’ve been together since his Day 1 on Caps, and we’re growing up together as a person, families. It’s hard and it’s a sad day.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Getting traded is part of the business for professional hockey players, but it still takes an emotional toll, especially when they’ve spent years together as teammates.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving shouldered the blame for his club’s poor performance this season. He made the remarks after trading forwards Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton before Friday’s trade deadline. Treliving also acknowledged that more changes could be coming for the struggling Maple Leafs in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving could be among those changes. His three-year contract expires at the end of this season.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said his club’s decline after winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season starts with him. Cheveldayoff admitted that his offseason acquisitions were past their prime. He intends to play more of their younger players for the remainder of this season and is looking toward resetting in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unlike Treliving, Cheveldayoff won’t lose his job over this season’s disappointing effort. However, he must replace some of those aging players with younger talent for the Jets to bounce back next season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky was expected to make another big trade deadline move after doing so the last two years. However, his only move was acquiring rugged depth forward Nic Deslauriers. Tulsky explained his quiet trade deadline, claiming his club didn’t find any deals that made sense for them.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin received a five-game suspension from the league for slashing at the head of Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken signed captain Jordan Eberle to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders re-signed center Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a three-year extension with an AAV of $4.85 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Islanders, goaltender Semyon Varlamov is not expected to return to action this season. He’s been sidelined by a knee injury since November 2024.

TSN: Free-agent forward Mathieu Joseph signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings worth a prorated $900,000.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres forward Jiri Kulich will likely miss the remainder of the season. He’s been sidelined since November with blood-clot issues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2025

by | Dec 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 10, 2025

Four games see tying goals in the final seconds of regulation, Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi extends his win streak, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is the first player to reach 50 points this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on a shootout goal by Leo Carlsson. Ducks rookie Beckett Sennecke got credit for the shorthanded tying goal with 1 second remaining after Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson accidentally deflected the puck into his own net. Ville Husso kicked out 44 shots for the 19-10-1 Ducks, who picked up their third straight win to remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 39 points. Karlsson finished with two assists for the Penguins (14-7-7).

Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sennecke leads all rookie scorers with 26 points. Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens is second with 23 points, followed by New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer with 22 points.

Before this game, the Penguins placed forwards Evgeni Malkin and Blake Lizotte on injured reserve.

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch scored in overtime to lift his club to a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Connor McDavid scored twice for the 13-11-6 Oilers, including the tying goal with two seconds remaining in the third period. Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin each had three points, and Josh Doan tallied two goals for the Sabres (12-14-4), who snapped a three-game losing skid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Sabres placed winger Jason Zucker on IR after he suffered upper and lower-body injuries during Monday’s loss to the Calgary Flames. Center Josh Norris was a late scratch due to illness and muscle stiffness, and goaltender Colten Ellis was replaced by Alex Lyon in the first period after being removed by concussion spotters following a collision with Oilers winger David Tomasek.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly’s shootout goal gave his club a 4-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche. Cale Makar tied it for the Avalanche with eight seconds left in regulation time. Juuse Saros stopped 39 shots for the 11-14-4 Predators. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists for the league-leading Avalanche (21-2-7, 49 points), becoming the first player to reach 50 points this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood returned to the lineup after suffering an upper-body injury last Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. During the shootout, he was pulled by the concussion spotters after Predators winger Filip Forsberg lost his footing and accidentally collided with the Avs goalie.

The New York Islanders got a shootout goal from Emil Heineman to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 5-4 after Vegas winger Pavel Dorofeyev tied the game with 14 seconds left in the third period. Bo Horvat scored twice for the Islanders (17-11-3), as they’ve won four of their last five games. Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone each collected two points for the 14-6-9 Golden Knights as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi turned aside 23 shots to pick up his seventh straight win in a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Andrei Svechnikov collected two assists for the Hurricanes (18-9-2). Dmitri Voronkov scored for the 13-11-6 Blue Jackets as their losing streak reached three games.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh scored two goals as his club ended a four-game losing skid by thumping the Montreal Canadiens 6-1. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point each had a goal and an assist for the 17-11-2 Lightning, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 36 points. Oliver Kapanen replied for the Canadiens, who dropped to 15-11-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning captain Victor Hedman left this game after the first period with an undisclosed injury. This was his third game back after missing 12 games.

Following the game, the Canadiens called up center Owen Beck, defenseman Adam Engstrom, and goaltender Jacob Fowler from their AHL affiliate in Laval. The addition of Fowler is notable because the Canadiens’ tandem of Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes has the league’s second-worst goals-against per game (3.55) this season. He could make his NHL debut as early as Thursday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.

The Dallas Stars extended their points streak to 11 games (9-0-2) by holding off the Winnipeg Jets 4-3. Mikko Rantanen collected three assists as the Stars jumped to a 3-0 lead. The Jets rallied with two goals from Mark Scheifele before Jason Robertson scored what proved to be the winning goal for the 21-5-5 Stars. Kyle Connor had two assists for the Jets, who dropped to 14-14-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Thomas Harley was held scoreless in his first game back in action since missing the last 12 games with an injured foot.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak collected three assists in his return to action in a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Fraser Minten and Mark Kastelic each tallied twice for the 18-13-0 Bruins, extending their win streak to three games. Robert Thomas had two goals for the Blues, who slipped to 11-13-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak missed the last five games with an undisclosed injury.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist to reach his 500th career NHL point in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Christian Dvorak also had a goal and an assist for the Flyers as they improved to 16-9-3. Collin Graf replied for the 14-14-3 Sharks, who have dropped three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov missed this game due to an illness, forcing them to turn to former collegiate netminder Justin Kowalkoski to back up Alex Nedeljkovic.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Cody Glass broke a 3-3 tie in the third period for New Jersey (17-12-1) as they ended a five-game losing skid. Connor Brown and Arseny Gritsyuk each had three points for the Devils. Drake Batherson had two goals for the 13-12-4 Senators as their losing skid reached three games.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks starting goaltender Thatcher Demko is expected to return to action against the Sabres on Thursday after missing 12 games with a groin strain. That’s good news for the struggling Canucks, who are 2-7-1 in their last 10 contests.

TORONTO SUN: The NHL’s department of player safety suspended Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann for one game for high-sticking Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand on Monday.

ESPN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league projects the revenue for this season could reach $6.8 billion. He claimed it’s what the league was expecting and won’t change the salary cap figures for the next two seasons, as was agreed upon earlier this year by the NHL and the NHL Players Association.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The salary cap is $95.5 million for this season. It will rise to $104 million for 2026-27 and $113.5 million for 2027-28.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 1, 2025

by | Dec 1, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 1, 2025

Check out the latest on the Islanders and Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ISLANDERS SPECULATION

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears recently listed several factors that could play into the Islanders’ approach to the March 6 trade deadline.

Their current record suggests they’re more of a playoff contender than originally thought when the season began. They could also have over $12 million in usable salary-cap dollars if or when Alexander Romanov and Semyon Varlamov join Pierre Engvall on long-term injury reserve.

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee (NHL Images).

Meanwhile, veteran forwards Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau are on expiring contracts, which could make them valuable trade chips if the Isles become sellers. However, it’s difficult to imagine general manager Mathieu Darche trading either player if his club continues playing the way it has.

Improving their defense corps should be the Islanders’ priority. They miss the sidelined Romanov on the left side, and they never fully replaced the departed Noah Dobson on the right. Sears considered Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames as an obvious fit. Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks could be another, but he’s reportedly not among the players the Canucks would consider moving.

The Isles could use another scorer and some physicality among their bottom-six forwards.

Following Kyle Palmieri’s season-ending knee injury, Sears suggested Darche shouldn’t make any hasty decisions that might sacrifice future first-round picks or top prospects to replace the sidelined winger or bolster their defense.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports Palmieri’s injury has put the Islanders among the rumored suitors for Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old winger is enjoying a career-best performance thus far. Canucks management is wary that he’ll regress, but is also buoyed by the possibility that he’ll return a first-round pick, and possibly more, in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuzma observed that the Islanders may not wish to mortgage their future in pursuit of Sherwood, but he believes they’d have to at least part with a first-rounder to land the feisty winger. That would also apply to any other significant player (Andersson, Hronek) that they could be monitoring in the trade market.

UPDATE ON THE SENATORS

THE ATHLETIC’s Julian McKenzie cited a report by TSN’s Darren Dreger on Friday in which Dreger claimed that Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios would like to add a forward or a defenseman to his roster. However, he doesn’t think that Staios is going to be “a big game hunter” in the trade market.

Dreger also dismissed the possibility of promising defenseman Carter Yakemchuk becoming a trade chip. “Not going to happen.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staios wants to improve his roster, but not at the expense of his top prospect. Yakemchuk is projected to fill the role of a top-pairing, right-shot defenseman.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports league sources told him that there is “virtually no chance” that the Senators will find a trade partner for Alex Formenton’s rights. The 26-year-old winger is a restricted free agent, and the deadline for him to sign a new NHL contract is 5 pm ET on Dec. 1.

The Senators have tried to trade Formenton’s rights for months, seeking a draft pick in return. If he’s not traded and signed by Monday’s deadline, he’ll be ineligible to play in the NHL this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2025

by | Nov 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2025

Avalanche extends their win streak to 10 games, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scores after a pregame ceremony honoring two career milestones, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki reaches 400 career regular-season points, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The league-leading Colorado Avalanche (17-1-5, 39 points) extended their win streak to 10 games by blanking the San Jose Sharks 6-0. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood turned in a 26-save shutout against his former club, Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, and Cale Makar collected an assist to lead all NHL defensemen with 30 points. San Jose goalie Yaroslav Askarov was pulled early in the second period after giving up four goals on 19 shots. The Sharks slipped to 11-10-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all NHL scorers with 18 goals and 39 points.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 908th career regular-season goal in a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored to extend his goal streak to four games as the Capitals (13-9-2) have won five of their last six games. Gabriel Vilardi tallied twice for the Jets, who’ve lost three in a row and dropped to 12-10-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals honored Ovechkin for reaching 900 career goals and 1,500 regular-season games in a pregame ceremony.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki reached the 400-point regular-season milestone with two goals and an assist to nip the Utah Mammoth 4-3. Jakub Dobes stopped 31 shots, Zach Bolduc had a goal and two assists, and Ivan Demidov tallied the winning goal as the Canadiens blew a 2-0 lead but rallied to improve their record to 12-7-3. Barrett Hayton, Kailer Yamamoto, and Michael Carcone replied for the Mammoth (12-9-3), who are 2-2-3 in their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game saw the debut of Canadiens defenseman Adam Engstrom. Meanwhile, Mammoth blueliner Sean Durzi returned to the lineup after missing 21 games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Simon Nemec lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists for the 15-7-1 Devils, who moved into first place in the Eastern Conference. Cam Fowler had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who dropped to 7-10-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Evgenii Dadonov is expected to be out for a period of time after suffering an undisclosed injury during Monday’s game with the Detroit Red Wings.

Two goals in the opening 90 seconds by Brandon Hagel and Charle-Edouard D’Astous powered the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Hagel and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 31 shots as the Lightning (14-7-2) picked up their fifth straight win to sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 30 points. Joel Farabee scored for the 8-14-3 Flames, whose three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are reportedly poised to extend the contract of general manager Craig Conroy.

Boston Bruins forward Alex Steeves scored twice for his first NHL multi-goal game in a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 44 shots as the Bruins improved to 14-11-0. Mathew Barzal scored for the 13-9-2 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders announced that they would not loan rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer to Canada’s World Junior Team. That’s understandable, given Schaefer’s value to the Islanders. Meanwhile, the Isles announced Jean-Gabriel Pageau is expected to return from an upper-body injury before Christmas.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry made 29 saves in his return to action to double up the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 4-2. Matt Dumba and Kevin Hayes tallied their first goals of the season for the Penguins (11-6-5), who picked up their third win in their last 10 games. Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who slipped to 9-10-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Penguins returned goaltender Sergei Murashov to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Given his solid performance during his call-up, he might not be down on the farm for long.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin stopped 36 shots in a 4-2 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. The win improved the Rangers to 12-11-2. Sebastian Aho and Shayne Gostisbehere each had two points for the Hurricanes (14-7-2), who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller picked up an assist as he returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1. Easton Cowan scored to tie the game for the Maple Leafs (10-10-3), who got their second win in their last nine games. Zach Werenski scored for the 11-9-3 Blue Jackets, who are winless in their last three (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Auston Matthews and Matthews Knies returned to the Maple Leafs lineup after missing several games with injuries. The Leafs also placed forward Sammy Blais on waivers.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson had a goal and two assists as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on a shootout goal by Shane Pinto. Linus Ullmark made 32 saves for the Senators, who improved to 12-7-4. Brett Howden, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone scored as the Golden Knights (10-5-8) overcame a 3-1 deficit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stone returned to the Golden Knights’ lineup after being sidelined since Oct.18 with an injured wrist. Meanwhile, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk confirmed he will return to action on Friday against the St. Louis Blues. He’s been out with an injured thumb since Oct. 13.

The Vancouver Canucks got a 37-save performance by call-up goalie Nikita Tolopilo in his season debut to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. Max Sasson, Filip Hronek, and Tom Willander each collected two points for the Canucks (10-12-2), who snapped a three-game losing skid. Jackson LaCombe had a goal and two assists for the 14-8-1 Ducks, who remain in first place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks starting netminder Lukas Dostal missed this contest with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Dallas Stars defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok snapped a 2-2 tie to lift his club over the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell also scored for the Stars (15-5-4) as they extended their road points streak to 10 games. Brandon Montour and Vince Dunn tallied for the 11-6-6 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jared McCann collected an assist as he returned to the Kraken lineup after being sidelined since Oct. 18 with a lower-body injury.

The Nashville Predators ended a three-game losing skid with a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the 7-12-4 Predators. Alex DeBrincat, James van Riemsdyk, and Ben Chiarot scored for the Red Wings (13-10-1), who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

Four unanswered goals by Emil Andrae, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, and Sean Couturier rallied the Philadelphia Flyers from a 2-0 deficit to upset the Florida Panthers 4-2. The win improved the Flyers’ record to 12-7-3. Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers (12-10-1).

The Minnesota Wild collected their sixth straight win by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Kirill Kaprizov. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists, and Filip Gustavsson turned aside 34 shots for the 13-7-4 Wild. Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (10-8-5), who are winless in their last five contests (0-3-1).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2025

by | Nov 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2025

Recaps of Sunday’s action, the Sabres will terminate goalie Alexandar Georgiev’s contract, the Canadiens sign Alexandre Texier, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche picked up their ninth straight win by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 1-0. Scott Wedgewood turned in a 22-save shutout, and Cale Makar tallied the only goal for the 16-1-5 Avalanche, who sit atop the overall standings with 37 points. Spencer Knight stopped 25 shots for the Blackhawks (10-8-4), who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering an injured shoulder on Oct. 30.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt picked up his third shutout in his last four games by blanking the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 3-0. Danila Yurov, Brock Faber, and Kirill Kaprizov were the goal scorers as the Wild collected their fifth straight win and improved to 12-7-4. Jets goalie Eric Comrie turned aside 27 of 30 shots as the Jets fell to 12-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Neal Pionk left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

The New York Islanders got a 19-save shutout from David Rittich in a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Kyle Palmieri tallied the winning goal in the shootout for the 13-8-2 Islanders. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord kicked out 34 shots in regulation and overtime for the Kraken (11-5-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders announced that defenseman Alexander Romanov suffered a shoulder injury after being boarded by Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen last week. He will undergo surgery and will be sidelined for five to six months.

Speaking of Rantanen, he received a one-game suspension for his second game misconduct in three games for boarding Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato.

Meanwhile, the Islanders announced Sunday that center Jean-Gabriel Pageau is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 29 saves to upset the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to six games, and Ryan McLeod collected two assists for the Sabres, who improved to 9-9-4. Shayne Gostisbehere replied for the 14-6-2 Hurricanes, who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 30 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sabres placed goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. He’s expected to sign with KHL team HC Spartak Moscow.

Georgiev, 29, was a promising netminder earlier in his career with the New York Rangers, but he had no chance of landing the starter’s job with Igor Shesterkin in the lineup. He got that opportunity with the Colorado Avalanche, winning 40 games in 2022-23. However, his performance quickly declined as he struggled with the pressure of the job. A trade to the San Jose Sharks last season did little to improve his performance. He signed a one-year, $825K contract with the Sabres but was relegated to their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

In 303 NHL games, Georgiev has a record of 151 wins, 108 losses, and 26 overtime losses, with a 2.99 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage, and 15 shutouts.

The San Jose Sharks surprised the Boston Bruins with a 3-1 victory. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 34 shots while Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to five games for the 11-9-3 Sharks. Morgan Geekie scored his fifth goal in his last three games for the Bruins (13-11-0), who’ve lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins activated center Elias Lindholm off injured reserve for this game, and placed defenseman Charlie McAvoy (facial injury) on IR.

The Calgary Flames overcame a 1-0 deficit to pick up a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Rasmus Andersson collected three assists, Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist, and Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the 8-13-3 Flames, who have won three straight games. Filip Hronek and Quinn Hughes scored for the Canucks, who’ve lost three straight and dropped to 9-12-2.

IN OTHER NEWS..

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens signed former St. Louis Blues forward Alexandre Texier to a one-year contract with a prorated salary of $1 million. Texier, 26, agreed with the Blues to terminate his contract on Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Texier is an affordable depth signing for the Canadiens, whose ranks have been depleted by injuries in recent weeks. He’s expected to see checking-line duty with the Habs.

RG.ORG: Brandt Clarke is eyeing a long-term contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings. The 22-year-old defenseman is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He will be eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

Clarke sees himself being a King for the long term. He believes his improved play has boosted his value to the club’s defense corps.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 16, 2025

by | Nov 16, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 16, 2025

Could the Devils shop for a short-term replacement for sidelined center Jack Hughes? What type of trade do the Maple Leafs want to make? What’s the Rangers’ biggest need? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WILL THE DEVILS MAKE A TRADE FOR A SHORT-TERM REPLACEMENT FOR JACK HUGHES?

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh looked at the New Jersey Devils’ options as they face the next eight weeks without leading scorer Jack Hughes. The 24-year-old center injured a finger in a freak accident during a recent team dinner, requiring surgery to repair the damage.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

One option could be making a trade as a stopgap. However, centers are scarce, and many teams are currently searching for them. Trade targets could include Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators and Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames.

Baugh suggested acquiring a winger if finding a suitable center isn’t feasible. He suggested Alexander Wennberg of the San Jose Sharks and Jason Dickinson of the Chicago Blackhawks as trade candidates.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes the Devils cannot let their strong start to this season go to waste in Hughes’ absence. He recommends going the trade route, suggesting O’Reilly, Kadri, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau of the New York Islanders as possible options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but the Predators are treating him like he does. For now, there’s no indication that he wants out of Nashville or that management is shopping him. Kadri’s been the focus of media trade chatter for weeks, but Flames ownership isn’t keen on moving him.

As for Pageau, it’s unlikely the Islanders will move him this early in the season, especially when they’re currently in a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. If they stay in that position or higher in the standings as the season progresses, Pageau won’t be going anywhere.

MAPLE LEAFS SEEK “ROSTER FOR ROSTER” DEAL

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t interested in trading futures or prospects (such as Easton Cowan) for immediate help.

Instead, they want to make a hockey trade, “roster for roster”, in which they’re exploring what’s on their roster that might have value in the trade market. Friedman stressed that the core players wouldn’t be part of that.

Friedman spoke about a recent rumor linking the Maple Leafs to Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson. He claimed they tried to do it last season, and he doesn’t believe it’s a match for Toronto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs’ prospect pool isn’t that deep. Depleting it further will only hurt them in the long run. As for “roster for roster”, there isn’t much there that would bring in any upgrades. Nick Robertson, Max Domi, and Calle Jarnkrok have been mentioned as possible trade candidates, but it’s doubtful they’d fetch much of an upgrade.

RANGERS NEED A PUCK-MOVING DEFENSEMAN

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh believes the need for a puck-moving defenseman has become a priority for the New York Rangers. Adam Fox is off to a strong start this season, but there’s no one else on their blueline who ranks above average in the skills department.

Baugh wouldn’t quibble with anyone suggesting the Rangers also need a top-six winger. However, he’s withholding judgment until he sees what top prospect Gabe Perreault can do.