NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2026

by | May 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2026

The Hurricanes defeat the Flyers in the opening game of their second-round series, the schedule for the second round is released, the latest on the Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Logan Stankoven scored twice to lead his club over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round playoff series. Frederik Andersen had a 19-save shutout, and Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Dan Vladar stopped 20 shots for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers played better in the third period, but it was all Hurricanes in the first period and most of the second. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet admitted his team wasn’t mentally prepared for this contest. He believes they were still riding the emotional high of making the playoffs and winning their first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins

Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven (NHL Images)

Carolina’s second line of Stankoven, Blake, and Taylor Hall remains a scoring force in this postseason.

Stankoven is tied with Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel for this postseason’s goal-scoring lead with six goals. He’s also set a franchise record with a five-game playoff goal-scoring streak. Four of his six goals were series-openers.

Carolina winger Nikolaj Ehlers returned to action after a lower-body injury sidelined him from Game 4 of the Hurricanes’ first-round series with the Ottawa Senators. Defenseman Alexander Nikishin remained out of their roster as he continues to recover from a concussion.

Flyers forward Owen Tippett missed this contest with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day.

NHL.COM: The schedule for the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs was released.

Game 1 of the series between the Hurricanes and Flyers began Saturday. Game 2 will be on Monday, May 4, in Carolina.

The opening game of the series between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche will be on Sunday, May 3, in Colorado. Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek is questionable for Game 1 of this series with a lower-body injury.

Game 1 of the series between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vegas Golden Knights begins on Monday, May 4, in Las Vegas.

The Buffalo Sabres will face the Montreal Canadiens or the Tampa Bay Lightning. Game 1 of that series begins on Wednesday, May 6, in Buffalo. The Canadiens and Lightning face off in Game 7 in Tampa Bay on Sunday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Leon Draisaitl was frank about his club’s performance and his concern about their future. Speaking with the media on Saturday, Draisaitl said he felt the Oilers “are not trending in the right direction,” adding that they’ve taken “big steps backward.” He warned that the Oilers must get a grip on this situation and return to the right direction.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid concurred with Draisaitl’s assessment of the club’s direction. Following their first-round elimination by the Anaheim Ducks, McDavid said he felt the Oilers were “an average team all year.” He said he still felt that way, adding that he and Draisaitl deserve their share of the blame, and that they can all be better and need to improve.

“There’s no doubt everybody knows what we’re trying to do here in Edmonton, and it’s no secret,” McDavid said, referring to their goal of winning the Stanley Cup. “We’re pressing pretty hard, so the patience is obviously worn pretty thin.”

McDavid also shot down trade speculation that surfaced during and after the series against the Ducks. “I want to win, and I want to win here in Edmonton. That’s my focus.”

However, McDavid declined to comment on whether he’ll play out his upcoming two-year contract with the Oilers. “I’m not going to get into all that,” he said. “The only thing that matters is competing for the big trophy. That’s all that matters. And if I feel that’s here, then yeah.”

McDavid also confirmed that he played with an injury during the Ducks series, suffering a fractured bone in his left foot in Game 2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers GM Stan Bowman acknowledged the club isn’t where they want to be while pointing to the positives from this season, such as the evolution of players Vasily Podkolzin, Matt Savoie, and Josh Samanski.

Nevertheless, the comments from McDavid and Draisaitl are a shot across Bowman’s bow. He’ll face a daunting task attempting to improve the Oilers. I’ll have more about that in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to hold a press conference on Monday to officially announce the hiring of former team captain Mats Sundin and former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka to join their front office.

It’s been previously reported that the Leafs were interested in hiring Sundin as vice president of hockey operations and Chayka as general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports of Sundin and Chayka being the frontrunners for those positions drew a nervous vibe from Leafs Nation. It will be interesting to see what those two have in store for the club during this offseason.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will have an in-person meeting with the league’s department of player safety for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of their first-round series.

THE SPORTING NEWS: Speaking of the Bruins, forward James Hagens is reportedly joining Team USA for the upcoming IIHF World Championship.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Ridly Greig will have a virtual hearing with the department of player safety on Monday for his sucker punch to the head of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker during Game 4 of their first-round series.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers owner Vinnie Viola got his second Kentucky Derby win on Saturday. Viola is a co-owner of Golden Tempo, a 23-1 long shot that won the 152nd running of the Derby at Churchill Downs.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers promoted assistant director of player development Tanner Glass as their new director of player development.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 21, 2026

by | Apr 21, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – April 21, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we have the latest on contract talks between the Panthers and Sergei Bobrovsky, plus updates on the Jets and Predators.

COULD THE PANTHERS AND SERGEI BOBROVSKY PART WAYS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio cited ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, who claimed he’d heard contract talks between the Florida Panthers and Sergei Bobrovsky aren’t going well. The 37-year-old goaltender is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

During a recent appearance on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, Wyshynski claimed the situation between the two sides was “pretty bad” and that the Panthers could decide to go in a different direction.

Both sides are believed to be far apart in contract talks. The Panthers are understandably reluctant to overpay an aging goaltender who struggled this season. His difficulties prompted rumors before the March trade deadline, but the Panthers retained him, with general manager Bill Zito insisting that his club hopes to re-sign their long-time starter.

DAILY FACEOFF: Scott Maxwell recently looked at possible replacements for Bobrovsky if he departs via free agency on July 1.

Pending UFAs include Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes, Petr Mrazek of the Anaheim Ducks, Cam Talbot of the Detroit Red Wings, and James Reimer of the Ottawa Senators. Younger options include Eric Comrie of the Winnipeg Jets, Connor Ingram of the Edmonton Oilers, David Rittich of the New York Islanders, Stuart Skinner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Vitek Vanecek of the Utah Mammoth.

Offer-sheet options could include Jet Greaves, but the Columbus Blue Jackets will match any offer for the emerging starting goalie. Others include Akira Schmid of the Vegas Golden Knights, Samuel Ersson of the Philadelphia Flyers, and Arturs Silovs of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The trade market could include former Panthers such as Samuel Montembeault of the Montreal Canadiens and Anthony Stolarz of the Toronto Maple Leafs. They could also take a shot at acquiring Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues. Jesper Wallstedt of the Minnesota Wild could be available, but he would be more expensive to acquire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky is completing a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $10 million. He understands he’s not getting another deal like that again.

It’s rumored that Bobrovsky would like a deal similar to the six-year, $31.5 million contract ($5.25 million average annual value) that teammate Brad Marchand received last summer. The Panthers are said to have balked at that option. They might be willing to offer a similar AAV, but on a much shorter term.

Looking at the list of potentially available goalies, Wallstedt would be the best option for the Panthers. However, Maxwell is correct that he’ll also be the most expensive, which could put him out of the Panthers’ reach.

Binnington might be a fit, but his inconsistency in recent years remains a concern.

THE LATEST ON THE JETS

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Paul Friesen believes Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Scott Arniel didn’t have any answers for their club’s disappointing performance this season during their end-of-season media availability on Monday. Instead, they only promised to work harder to fix the mess their team is in.

Friesen doesn’t expect Cheveldayoff to lose his job, pointing out that Jets co-owner Mark Chapman last year said that Cheveldayoff had a job for life. Friesen believes the Jets have a group of aging core players with no obvious next wave coming behind them.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Mike McIntyre also doesn’t see Cheveldayoff losing his job because of the loyalty the ownership has in him. However, McIntyre wondered what his vision would be for the team and how it would be achieved.

Cheveldayoff might not be feeling pressure from above, but there are signs it’s coming from within. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck didn’t mince words during his end-of-season presser last week, publicly expressing his frustration over the state of the team.

If trades and free-agent signings are difficult to pull off, McIntyre wondered how the Jets are supposed to get better. They’re going to get a high first-round pick in this year’s draft, but it won’t help a core of players such as Hellebuyck, who are in win-now mode.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cheveldayoff downplayed Hellebuyck’s remarks a little, adding that the goalie raised the same issues with him beforehand.

Some observers, such as McIntyre, took Hellebuyck’s comments to mean he might not be with the Jets for much longer. However, it’s unlikely that Cheveldayoff will trade him this summer. Instead, he’s going to beat the bushes to try to add veteran talent that can help the Jets return to form next season.

UPDATE ON THE PREDATORS

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty reports Predators forward Steven Stamkos doesn’t think a change of management means there will be major changes to their roster.

The Predators are currently seeking a replacement for outgoing general manager Barry Trotz. Stamkos said he’d heard from the current management that the club intends to remain competitive and push for the playoffs next season.

“I don’t anticipate any huge changes,” Stamkos said. “We’ve talked about it. Is there going to be a rebuild or this or that? It’s safe to say that’s not going to be the case.”

Stamkos wasn’t the only member of the Predators to share that view. Team captain Roman Josi and alternate captains Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg believe the club is close to returning to playoff form, based on their solid performance over the second half of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It appears that whoever takes over from Trotz will not be given the green light to tear things down and commence a rebuild. Instead, it could be to tweak the roster by adding younger NHL players.










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 16, 2026

by | Apr 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2026

The Golden Knights will face the Mammoth in the first round, Blue Jackets players respond to their coach’s criticism, the Blackhawks re-sign GM Kyle Davidson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights clinched the Pacific Division title by defeating the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Reilly Smith scored twice for the 39-26-17 Golden Knights, who hold first place in the division with 95 points. Shane Wright scored for the Kraken.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights will face the Utah Mammoth in the opening round of the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs. Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner scored to reach the 80-point plateau for the fifth consecutive season.

The Ottawa Senators finished the regular season with a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Claude Giroux collected two assists for the playoff-bound Senators, who will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. William Nylander scored his 30th goal of the season for the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With this season-ending loss, the Maple Leafs finish 28th in the overall standings, putting them in the top five for the NHL Draft Lottery on May 5. They had traded their 2026 first-round pick to the Boston Bruins last season, but it was top-five protected, meaning they should retain it.

However, the Leafs aren’t out of the woods yet. If a non-playoff team higher than them in the standings wins the lottery, they move up a maximum of 10 spots, which would knock the Leafs out of the top five, sending that pick to the Bruins. The exception is the Washington Capitals, who would move up into the sixth spot.

A shootout goal by Wyatt Johnston lifted the Dallas Stars over the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Esa Lindell had a goal and an assist for the Stars, who will face the Minnesota Wild in the upcoming playoffs. Zach Benson had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who meet the Boston Bruins in the first round.

New York Rangers forward Tye Kartye tallied twice to double up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Corey Perry scored for the Lightning, who meet the Montreal Canadiens in their first-round playoff series.

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Louis Crevier scored two goals as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Kiefer Sherwood picked up two assists for the Sharks.

The Florida Panthers crushed the Detroit Red Wings 8-1. Luke Kunin and Mike Benning each scored twice for the Panthers. Justin Faulk replied for the Red Wings.

HEADLINES

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets players pushed back against interim head coach Rick Bowness’ rant about them not caring enough following their season-ending loss to the Washington Capitals.

Zach Werenski, Sean Monahan, and Adam Fantilli appreciated Bowness’ frustration and emotion in the heat of the moment, but they disagreed with his assessment that they didn’t care and were comfortable with losing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether Bowness returns as head coach or not, he wasn’t wrong about the lack of effort by the Blue Jackets over their final 13 games of this season.

The Jackets rose from last place in the Eastern Conference at the time of Bowness’ hiring in mid-January to second in the Metropolitan Division by March 25, only to go 3-9-1 to finish outside the postseason picture.

It’s now up to general manager Don Waddell to assess his roster and make some changes to address what Bowness believes is a culture of losing.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks signed general manager Kyle Davidson to a multi-year contract extension.

Hired in 2022, Davidson has been attempting to rebuild the roster around young talent such as Connor Bedar, Frank Nazar, and Anton Frondell, but there’s some frustration among Blackhawks fans over the pace of the rebuilding process.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Under Davidson, the Blackhawks have a well-stocked prospect pool, recently ranked by The Athletic as the best in the league. However, those efforts have not resulted in any significant improvement for this rebuilding club, which is starting to test the fans’ patience.

TSN: New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer said he’s open to playing for Canada in the 2026 IIHF World Championships next month in Switzerland. Schaefer’s Islanders were eliminated from the NHL postseason race. The 18-year-old blueliner is considered the favorite to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman will return to the lineup for their final regular-season game against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. He missed the last five games with an undisclosed injury. The Oilers clinched a playoff berth earlier this week.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby weighed in on an article by The Athletic on the collapse of the Maple Leafs, in which it revealed how much involvement Keith Pelley, the CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, had in the club’s pre-trade deadline meetings.

During those meetings, Pelley was reportedly “armed with in-house AI figures on possible deals and offering strong opinions.” Hornby believes that will raise questions about how much autonomy the next Leafs general manager will have under Pelley.

The story also raises questions about how much AI will influence the Maple Leafs’ roster decisions, and how much other NHL front offices are using AI to build and maintain their teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pelley indicated that the next Maple Leafs GM must be “data-driven”, which had fans and pundits automatically assuming he was referring to analytics. There’s no doubt analytics will be a big part of it, but AI will likely also play a significant role.

Whether it will reverse the Leafs’ fortunes this summer, and in the long term, remains to be seen. Like analytics, AI could be a useful tool, but it shouldn’t be the primary one for building and maintaining a competitive team.

NESN: Boston Bruins forward Fraser Minten won the NESN 7th Player Award. It is an annual award to the club’s unsung hero, as voted by Bruins fans.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2026

by | Apr 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2026

The Flyers, Ducks, and Kings clinch playoff berths, the Hurricanes claim first place in the Eastern Conference, the Sabres take the Atlantic Division title, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A shootout goal by Tyson Foerster and a 24-save effort by Dan Vladar lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 to clinch their first playoff berth since 2019-20. The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead on goals by Bradley Nadeau and Nikolaj Ehlers, but Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras rallied the Flyers in the second period. The Flyers (42-27-12) clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division with 96 points, while the 52-22-7 Hurricanes secured first overall in the Eastern Conference with 111 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Flyers were among the better teams in the league since the Olympic break, riding a 17-7-1 record to an unexpected berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They will face their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the opening round.

The Flyers’ victory eliminated the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets from the postseason race.

The Hurricanes scratched Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Staal, Jaccob Slavin, and Shayne Gostisbehere to rest them for the upcoming playoffs. They also recalled goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov from a two-game conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Chicago. He’s been sidelined for the past three months recovering from surgery for a lower-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings clinched the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Quinton Byfield scored two goals, Trevor Moore and Alex Leferriere each had a goal and an assist, and Anton Forsberg stopped 28 shots for the 35-26-19 Kings (89 points). Adam Larsson and Frederick Gaudreau replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg was named the NHL’s first star for the week ending Apr. 12. Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark was named the second star, and Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was the third star.

Kraken forward Jared McCann missed this game as he’s out for the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini tallied twice to nip the Nashville Predators 3-2, ending the latter’s playoff hopes. Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves, and Igor Chernyshov had a goal and an assist for the 38-34-8 Sharks (84 points), who were also eliminated from postseason contention. Luke Evangelista scored both goals for the 38-33-10 Predators (86 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks’ victory over the Predators and the Kings’ win against the Kraken ensured the idle Anaheim Ducks clinched their first playoff berth since 2017-18. The Ducks (42-32-6) hold third place in the Pacific Division with 90 points. They face the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday and the Predators on Thursday to conclude their regular-season schedule.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

The Vegas Golden Knights are 6-0-1 under interim coach John Tortorella after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 6-2, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. Jack Eichel had a goal and three assists while Mark Stone had a goal and two assists for the 38-26-17 Golden Knights, who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Gabriel Vilardi and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are the fifth team in NHL history to miss the playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy, joining the 1992-93 and 2024-25 New York Rangers, the 2007-08 Buffalo Sabres, and the 2014-15 Boston Bruins.

The Jets’ disappointing season overshadowed Mark Scheifele’s career-best performance. He had a goal and an assist to reach 101 points to set the franchise’s single-season points record.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored twice (including his 40th goal of the season) in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (50-23-8), who clinched the Atlantic Division title with 108 points. Ryan Greene replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a remarkable season for the Sabres, rising from last place in the Eastern Conference in early December to top their division and end a 14-year playoff drought. It’s the fifth-best performance in franchise history.

The Tampa Bay Lightning blew a 3-1 lead, but an overtime goal by Nikita Kucherov gave them a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Kucherov finished with two points to reach 130 points for the second time in his career as the 50-25-6 Lightning (106 points) will face the Montreal Canadiens in the opening round of the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected an assist to reach 1,400 regular-season points.

Florida Panthers winger Cole Reinhart scored twice for a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Matthew Robertson and Gabe Perreault replied for the Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick made 14 saves on 17 shots in his final NHL game. The 40-year-old netminder announced that this game will be his last as he is retiring at the end of this season. Following the game, the Panthers lined up to shake hands with Quick.

Quick won three Stanley Cups during his 19-season NHL career, two of those with the Los Angeles Kings. His best seasons were with the Kings, setting numerous single-season and career goaltending records over his 16 seasons in Los Angeles and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2011-12. He finishes his career with a record of 410 wins, 307 losses, and 90 overtime losses, with a 2.51 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage, and 65 shutouts.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche nipped the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on a shootout goal by Nathan MacKinnon. Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves for the Avalanche, who won the Presidents’ Trophy last week as the top team in the standings. Connor Ingram also made 30 saves for the Oilers (40-30-11), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 91 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game. Oilers center Leon Draisaitl resumed skating with his teammates as he recovers from a knee injury, but he’s not expected to be ready for their opening game of the playoffs.

Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque scored his first NHL hat trick and added an assist in a 6-5 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The playoff-bound Stars overcame 3-0 and 5-3 deficits for the win. William Nylander had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the final home game for long-time Maple Leafs radio broadcaster Joe Bowen, who is retiring after this season. He received a lengthy standing ovation from Leafs fans.

The Maple Leafs got a bit of good news yesterday. With the Kings clinching a playoff berth, the conditional 2026 third-round pick they received from them in the Scott Laughton trade becomes a second-round pick.

The St. Louis Blues scored five unanswered goals to upset the playoff-bound Minnesota Wild 6-3. Jimmy Snuggerud had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who were recently eliminated from postseason contention. Nick Foligno had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who rested several of their veterans, including forwards Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek, and defensemen Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber.










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.