Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 2, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 2, 2025

Check out the latest on Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, Senators center Shane Pinto, and Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

COULD THE PENGUINS MOVE MALKIN AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox believes Evgeni Malkin could be a hot commodity by the March 6 trade deadline. The 39-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins center is among the league’s leading scorers with 18 points, and is among the biggest reasons why his club is off to a surprisingly strong start.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

Fox observed that there were rumblings that this season could be Malkin’s last. He also had a good start to last season before his production declined.

Despite the Penguins’ early-season performance, it’s unlikely they can maintain their current pace. Even Malkin could regress again. Nevertheless, he could remain in high demand at the trade deadline if he’s willing to accept a move to a contender.

Fox suggested the Florida Panthers could be a suitor for Malkin. They could be in the market by the deadline for a replacement for Aleksander Barkov, who is out for the season recovering from knee surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Malkin was the subject of similar trade speculation during training camp and preseason. When asked about it, he said he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh, but wasn’t sure how he’d react if management asked him to waive his no-movement clause.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said he would meet with Malkin during the Olympic break in February to discuss his future. He won’t be going anywhere if his club remains in playoff contention, but it’ll be interesting to see how many suitors he attracts if the Penguins are out of the playoff race by the deadline.

AN UPDATE ON PINTO’S CONTRACT TALKS WITH THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch wondered if Shane Pinto and the Senators are at a crossroads in their contract extension talks. The 24-year-old center’s hot start to this season has raised speculation about how much he might get on his next contract.

Pinto is in the final season of a two-year deal with a cap hit of $3.75 million. He will be eligible to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.

Senators GM Steve Staios hopes to sign Pinto to a long-term extension. Sources told Garrioch that the club offered the young forward an eight-year contract worth $52 million back in September.

That offer has an AAV of $6.5 million. However, the Pinto camp could be holding out for something between teammate Dylan Cozen’s $7.1 million AAV and Tim Stutzle’s $8.35 million. The center also has to decide if he wants to stay in Ottawa for eight years or on a shorter deal between three-to-six years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These negotiations could drag on throughout the season. Staios could be waiting to see if Pinto can maintain his current rate of production before deciding on his next step.

COULD SHERWOOD INTEREST THE OILERS?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples recently cited Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer suggesting that power forward Kiefer Sherwood of the Vancouver Canucks would be a good fit with the Oilers.

Sherwood, 30, is in the second season of a two-year contract with an annual cap hit of $1.5 million. He had a career-best 19 goals and 40 points in 2024-25 and has nine goals in his first 12 games of this season.

Stauffer suggested the Oilers target Sherwood as a middle-six forward if the Canucks are unable to sign him to an extension. He believes the gritty winger will attract plenty of interest if he becomes available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staples pointed out that this was speculation by Stauffer as the Oilers could have different ideas on which possible trade targets would fit well within their roster.

It’s too early to determine what the Canucks’ intentions are for Sherwood or other pending UFAs on their roster. Nevertheless, he could be a player worth watching once the calendar flips to 2026, especially if the Canucks are outside the playoff picture as the trade deadline approaches.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2025

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee, we recap a busy Saturday schedule, plus the three stars and the Rookie of the Month for October are revealed.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets got two goals from Kyle Connor to down the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had two points for the 9-3-0 Jets as they picked up their third straight win. Sidney Crosby and Blake Lizotte replied for the 8-3-2 Penguins as their points streak ended at eight games (6-0-2).

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele took over the scoring lead, becoming the first player to reach 20 points this season. Penguins winger Justin Brazeau missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

A shootout goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Marchand also scored in regulation, as did teammates Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett for the Panthers, who improved to 6-5-1. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist, and Sam Steel had three assists for the 6-3-3 Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand returned to the Panthers’ lineup after taking a leave of absence to be with his friend and trainer, J.P. MacCallum, following the death of his daughter. Marchand immediately pointed skyward after he opened the scoring. Reinhart’s goal was the 300th regular-season goal of his NHL career.

San Jose Sharks forward Philipp Kurashev tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 3-2 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Macklin Celebrini scored to extend his points streak to seven games while Yaroslav Askarov kicked out 37 shots for the 4-6-2 Sharks, who’ve won three of their last four contests. Nathan MacKinnon netted his 10th goal of the season for the 7-1-5 Avalanche, who picked up a point to sit atop the overall standings with 19 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren left this game with an upper-body injury after being struck by a puck while sitting on the bench. Avalanche call-up Taylor Makar made his debut, marking the first time he and older brother Cale Makar played together in the NHL. Taylor was returned to Colorado’s AHL affiliate after this game.

The Montreal Canadiens got an overtime goal from Alex Newhook for a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki extended his points streak to 11 games with two assists, and Cole Caufield scored his 10th goal of the season for the Canadiens (9-3-0), who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 18 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who dropped to 6-5-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Batherson ended up being the goat in this game, as his errant pass in overtime was picked off by Newhook, who made no mistake on the breakaway.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom turned in a 43-save performance to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Dawson Mercer has two goals for the 9-3-0 Devils as they move into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Andrei Kuzmenko had the only goal for the Kings as they dropped to 5-4-4 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Connor Brown was ruled out for this game with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, the Kings placed winger Warren Foegele (upper body) on injured reserve.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson had a goal and an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs got their first road victory of the season with a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Rookie Easton Cowan tallied his first career NHL goal, and John Tavares had two assists as the Maple Leafs improved to 6-5-1. Christian Dvorak and Tyson Foerster replied for the 6-4-1 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev was stretchered off the ice with a suspected head injury in the third period after being inadvertently hit from behind by Flyers winger Matvei Michkov. After the game, Leafs coach Craig Berube said they will know more about Tanev’s condition after he undergoes more tests, but added that the defenseman was moving. Berube thinks Tanev will be okay.

An overtime goal by Evan Bouchard lifted the Edmonton Oilers (6-4-3) over the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-2. Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to eight games with a goal and an assist, and Connor McDavid assisted on all three Oilers goals. Andre Burakovsky had a goal and an assist for the 5-4-3 Blackhawks.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman stopped 27 shots to backstop his club over the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and an assist as the Bruins improved to 7-7-0. Alexander Nikishin scored for the Hurricanes, who have lost three of their last four games and dropped to 7-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis returned to action in this game after leaving Thursday’s 6-2 win over the New York Islanders with a lower-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist as his club nipped the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Jet Greaves made 37 saves for the Blue Jackets as they improved to 7-4-0. Justin Faulk and Nick Bjugstad scored for the Blues, who dropped to 3-7-2.

A shootout goal by Bowen Byram gave the Buffalo Sabres a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch each netted their fifth goals of the season, and rookie Isak Rosen scored his first NHL goal for the 5-4-3 Sabres. Aliaksei Protas potted his fifth of the season for the Capitals (6-5-1), who are winless in their last four (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle scored in overtime to give his team a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Cuylle finished with two points, and teammate Adam Fox collected two assists for the 6-5-2 Rangers as they picked up their third straight win. Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist as the 5-2-4 Kraken extended their points streak to four games (2-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko was held scoreless against his former team in his season debut after suffering a broken hand in a preseason game.

Minnesota Wild winger Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists as his club snapped a five-game winless skid to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Filip Gustavsson stopped 26 shots for the 4-6-3 Wild. Drew O’Connor tallied twice as the Canucks slipped to 6-7-0.

The Nashville Predators ended a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Michael Bunting had a goal and two assists in the first period for the 5-6-2 Predators. Jonathan Huberdeau and Joel Farabee scored for the Flames, who sit last in the overall standings with a record of 2-9-2.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes are the three stars for October 2025. New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer was named Rookie of the Month.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2025

Milestone games for the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman, the Kraken’s Brandon Montour makes an emotional return to action, the Red Wings stage a big comeback, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin played in his 1,500th career regular-season NHL game, but the Ottawa Senators spoiled the party with a 7-1 victory. Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson each had two goals and an assist for the Senators as they improved to 4-4-1. Trevor van Riemsdyk scored for the 6-3-0 Capitals, who also lost center Dylan Strome to a lower-body injury in the first period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is the 24th player in league history to reach 1,500 regular-season games. Only seven players missed fewer games on their way to that milestone, and the eighth to do so with one team. The Capitals superstar remains one goal away from becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 regular-season goals. Meanwhile, Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois returned to the lineup after missing five games with a lower-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Nikita Kucherov became the second player in franchise history to reach 1,000 regular-season points as the Tampa Bay Lightning nipped the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Kucherov collected two assists, including the primary one on Anthony Cirelli’s game-winning goal. Cirelli and Jake Guentzel each scored twice, and Lightning captain Victor Hedman had two assists to reach the 800-point milestone. Troy Terry had a goal and an assist for the 4-3-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Steven Stamkos is the Lightning’s franchise points leader with 1,137. Hedman sits fifth among their all-time points leaders with 801. The Lightning (2-4-2) snapped a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). Meanwhile, Ducks center Mikael Granlund left this game with a lower-body injury.

The Seattle Kraken (5-2-2) got two goals from Jordan Eberle to hold off the Edmonton Oilers 3-2, tying them with the first-place Vegas Golden Knights (12 points) in the Pacific Division. Joey Daccord stopped 31 shots, and Matty Beniers collected two assists for the Kraken. Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse replied for the 4-4-1 Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour logged over 23 minutes in his return to action from a leave of absence on Oct. 18 to be with his family. His brother, Cameron, passed away due to ALS (otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) two days later. “I’m very, very happy to be his brother,” an emotional Montour said. “He’s probably smiling and chirping me up there, for crying.” My condolences to Montour and his family.

Earlier in the day, the Kraken placed sidelined winger Jared McCann (lower body) on injured reserve.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson scored the winning and insurance goals as his club overcame a 4-0 deficit for a 6-4 upset of the St. Louis Blues. Jonatan Berggren and J.T. Compher each had a goal and an assist for the 6-3-0 Red Wings. Jake Neighbours tallied two goals for the Blues (3-4-1), who’ve gone 1-3-1 in their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares’ 499th career regular-season goal came in overtime to lift his club over the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Tavares also picked up an assist while winger Matthew Knies had two helpers as the Leafs improved to 4-4-1. Tage Thompson tallied twice for the 4-4-1 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander missed this game due to an injury suffered on Friday night against the Sabres. Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly returned to the lineup after missing Friday’s contest with an undisclosed injury.

The Montreal Canadiens got a three-point performance from Ivan Demidov as they overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Demidov scored the game-winner and collected two assists, while Nick Suzuki scored to extend his points streak to nine games as the Canadiens (7-3-0) sit atop the Atlantic Division with 14 points. Center Elias Pettersson had a goal and two assists for the 4-5-0 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Canadiens announced winger Patrik Laine will be sidelined three to four months after undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly scored two goals and collected an assist, and Ozzy Wiesblatt scored the game-winner in a shootout to nip the Los Angeles Kings 5-4. Juuse Saros kicked out 36 shots in regulation and overtime as the Predators improved to 4-3-2. Joel Armia had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who fell to 3-3-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings captain Anze Kopitar was held scoreless in his return from a foot injury suffered on Oct. 17. Meanwhile, Predators captain Roman Josi missed this game as he’s listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves for a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, snapping a six-game losing streak. Morgan Geekie scored the game-winner while Mason Lohrei collected three assists for the 4-6-0 Bruins. Artturi Lehkonen tallied both goals for the Avalanche (5-1-3), who are winless in their last three (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Bruins defenseman Jordan Harris is reportedly considering surgery for a lower-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets blew a 4-2 lead but emerged with a 5-4 shootout win on a goal by Kirill Marchenko. Dmitri Voronkov tallied twice for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 4-4-0. Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha collected two points, and Arturs Silovs made 37 saves for the 6-2-1 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins winger Rickard Rakell left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Earlier in the day, the Penguins announced defenseman Caleb Jones will be sidelined for eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras netted his first two goals of the season, and Matvei Michkov scored the shootout winner to down the New York Islanders 4-3. Zegras finished the game with three points as the Flyers improved to 4-3-1. Defenseman Marshall Warren collected two assists in his NHL debut as his Islanders sit at 4-3-1.

The Florida Panthers got a 17-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to blank the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0, handing the latter their first regulation loss. Sam Reinhart, Cole Schwindt, and A.J. Greer scored for the Panthers, who improved to 5-5-0. Akira Schmid made 23 saves for the 5-1-2 Golden Knights.

Utah Mammoth forwards Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz each scored two goals in a 6-2 rout of the Minnesota Wild. Karel Vejmelka turned aside 32 shots for the 7-2-0 Mammoth, who extended their win streak to six games and hold first place in the Central Division with 14 points. Marcus Johansson scored both goals for the struggling Wild, who fell to 3-5-1.

The Dallas Stars got two goals from Miro Heiskanen to rally past the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. Jake Oettinger made 26 saves as the (4-3-1) Stars snapped a four-game losing streak. Jackson Blake and Sebastian Aho tallied for the 6-2-0 Hurricanes.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 22, 2025

Milestone games for the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, and Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Panthers winger Brad Marchand returns to Boston, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored to pass Mario Lemieux for the most regular-season and playoff points (1,896) in franchise history in a 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Kris Letang collected two assists to reach 600 for his career, and Justin Brazeau had a goal and two assists for the 5-2-0 Penguins. Conor Garland replied for the injury-depleted Canucks, who are 4-3-0 in their first seven games.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks were missing Filip Chytil, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Teddy Blueger, and Derek Forbort. The four remain sidelined by injuries. Winger Brock Boeser also missed this game as he’s on a leave of absence for personal reasons.

New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer scored and collected an assist as his club nipped the San Jose Sharks 4-3, handing the latter their sixth straight loss (0-4-2). Schaefer became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to score a game-winning goal, and tied the record for the longest points streak to begin a career for a defenseman (six games). The Islanders have won three straight after losing their first three games. Collin Graf had a goal and an assist, and rookie forward Michael Misa picked up an assist for his first NHL point.

Brad Marchand collected two assists to help the Florida Panthers defeat his former club, the Boston Bruins, by a score of 4-3. During the first period, the Bruins honored Marchand with a video tribute, garnering a standing ovation from Boston fans that moved the winger to tears. Carter Verhaeghe scored with 26 seconds left for the Panthers, snapping a four-game losing skid. Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who’ve lost five straight after winning their first three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins held defenseman Hampus Lindholm out of this game as he continues to be hampered by a nagging lower-body injury.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes’ hat trick powered his club to a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jesper Bratt collected three assists for the Devils, who have won five straight games after dropping their season-opener. John Tavares had a goal and an assist, and Matias Maccelli scored his first goal for the Leafs as their record dropped to 3-3-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes is off to a hot start, with six goals in his last three games. Meanwhile, Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Jake Walman lifted the Edmonton Oilers (3-3-1) over the Ottawa Senators by a score of 3-2, snapping a three-game losing skid. Oilers captain Connor McDavid and rookie forward Isaac Howard scored their first goals of the season. Dylan Cozens and Thomas Chabot replied for the 2-4-1 Senators, who have one win in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

The Utah Mammoth got an overtime goal from Dylan Guenther to upset the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots and Mikhail Sergachev had a goal and two assists as the Mammoth (5-2-0) extended its win streak to four games. Cale Makar, Jack Drury, and Martin Necas scored for the Avalanche, whose points streak has reached seven games (5-0-2).

Columbus Blue Jackets forwards Boone Jenner, Adam Fantilli, and Kent Johnson each had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 upset of the Dallas Stars. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 22 shots for the Blue Jackets, improving their record to 3-3-0. Tyler Seguin replied for the Stars, who have lost three straight after winning their first three games of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Matt Duchene missed this contest as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Aliaksei Protas collected two assists for the Capitals, who have won five of their last six and are 5-2-0 on the season. Jaden Schwartz scored for the Kraken, whose record dropped to 3-2-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken played with winger Mason Marchment, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Anaheim Ducks got a goal and two assists from winger Ross Johnston in a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Cutter Gauthier had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who are 3-2-1 in their first six games. Tyson Jost and Filip Forsberg scored for the 2-3-2 Predators, who have dropped four straight (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault missed this game with a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Adrian Kempe lifted the Los Angeles Kings over the St. Louis Blues by a score of 2-1. Alex Laferriere also scored for the Kings as they ended a four-game winless streak (0-2-2). Justin Faulk replied for the 3-2-1 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kings placed captain Anze Kopitar (foot) on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Corey Perry made his season debut with the Kings after being sidelined by knee surgery before training camp.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will miss his club’s next two games with a lower-body injury.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild placed defenseman Zach Bogosian (lower body) on injured reserve.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres are sending goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to their AHL affiliate for conditioning.

DAILY FACEOFF: Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere will miss his team’s next two games with an undisclosed injury.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they and the Colorado Avalanche will wear Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques jerseys for two matchups this season.

THE SCORE: The NHL has cancelled an Olympic sendoff event scheduled for February at the New York Islanders’ arena (UBS Arena), and will instead hold All-Star Weekend festivities there in 2027.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 13, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – October 13, 2025

The latest on the Oilers’ goaltending and a suggested trade target for the Golden Knights in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer and TSN’s Ryan Rishaug suggesting it’s now or never for Stuart Skinner to establish himself as a reliable starting goaltender. If he can’t, there will be changes.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (NHL Images).

Rishaug told Stauffer that the Oilers intend to let it ride for a little while with Skinner as their starting netminder. However, the 26-year-old goalie is on the clock to prove himself.

The Oilers recently acquired Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth, who is currently with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, getting up to speed after missing training camp and the preseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staples observes that the Oilers’ “Plan B” will be Ingram if Skinner struggles to nail down the starter’s job. The trade market for goalies is thin right now, but it might improve a little over the course of the season if the Oilers feel they must seek a “Plan C” option before the March trade deadline.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes that, if the Oilers don’t win the Stanley Cup this season, they can go out and sign Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. He pointed out that they’ll have the money and cap space to do it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmons is assuming that the Panthers won’t re-sign Bobrovsky and that he’ll want to play for the Oilers if he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. Don’t rule out the Panthers finding a way to keep Bobrovsky in the fold.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Case Keefer suggested Rasmus Andersson as a potential trade target this season for the Golden Knights. The 28-year-old Calgary Flames defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Andersson has stood out above the rest in offseason trade rumors. It’s expected he’ll be traded before the March 6 trade deadline. The Golden Knights are reportedly his destination of choice.

Keefer noted that Mitch Marner was linked to the Golden Knights last season before he ultimately landed in Vegas. “Andersson might be even trickier financially, but it’s hard to rule anything out.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are pressed for cap space for this season, having placed defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injury reserve. They’ll have to shed salary if they intend to take on the remainder of Andersson’s cap hit for this season by the trade deadline. The same goes for next summer if they want to sign him as a UFA.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2025

The Capitals shut out the Rangers, injury updates on the Penguins’ Kris Letang, the Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm, and the Blue Jackets’ Eric Gudbranson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren made 35 saves to blank the New York Rangers 1-0. Anthony Beauvillier scored the only goal as the Capitals have won two of their first three games of the season. Jonathan Quick stopped 20 shots for the Rangers, who’ve won two of their first four contests.

Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Rangers placed defenseman Carson Soucy (upper body) on injured reserve. He suffered the injury during Saturday’s 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s loss to the Rangers.

NESN: Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (lower-body injury) is unlikely to play in Monday’s matinee against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s listed as day-to-day but could return later in the week.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson is being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

NHL.COM: Utah Mammoth defenseman Ian Cole was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL department of player safety for a dangerous trip against Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos on Saturday.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks blueliner Tyler Myers was fined $2,500.00 for slashing Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid on Saturday.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan will make his NHL debut on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cowan, 20, was chosen in the first round (28th overall) by the Maple Leafs in the 2023 NHL Draft. He’s considered their top prospect.

TSN: The Florida Panthers signed forward Jonah Gadjovich to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates the 27-year-old Gadjovich will receive an average annual value of $905K.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (upper-body injury) will return to the lineup for Monday’s game against the Predators.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets blueliner Haydn Fleury is day-to-day with a bruised knee.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reports San Jose Sharks owner Hasso Plattner recently raised eyebrows with some pointed comments about previous moves made by his club.

Plattner admitted that letting long-time Sharks forward Joe Pavelski depart to the Dallas Stars as a free agent was a mistake. He said acquiring defenseman Erik Karlsson may have been great in theory but not in practice, admitting he’d been a good player but not a team-friendly one.

The Sharks owner also admitted the long-term contracts for Karlsson, Tomas Hertl, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic put off a necessary rebuild, and that he backed current general manager Mike Grier’s work in building up the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hindsight in 20-20 and those regrets won’t change history. What matters now for the Sharks is that Grier’s rebuilding efforts continue to have Plattner’s support. The Sharks GM completed the teardown two years ago and has done a good job building up the roster with good young players and veteran acquisitions.