NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2026

by | Jan 23, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2026

Milestone games for the Predators’ Roman Josi and the Blue Jackets’ Charlie Coyle, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone set a franchise record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Steven Stamkos tallied a hat trick, and Roman Josi had an assist in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game as the Nashville Predators overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Ottawa Senators 5-3. Ryan O’Reilly collected three assists as the Predators improved to 24-22-4. Senators rookie Stephen Halliday scored his first career NHL goal as his club dropped to 23-20-7.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Senators announced winger David Perron will require surgery to repair a sports hernia and will be sidelined at least five to seven weeks.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 30 shots while Elias Lindholm had a goal and an assist for the 29-20-2 Bruins. Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (24-13-12), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone collected an assist to extend his points streak to a franchise-record 13 games.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves made 28 saves in a 1-0 shutout of the Dallas Stars. Zach Werenski tallied the only goal as the Blue Jackets have won five of their last six games and improved to 23-20-7. Casey DeSmith turned aside 21 shots for the Stars (28-14-9), who have dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets center Charlie Coyle played in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game. Meanwhile, the Stars remain in a lengthy funk, with just three wins in their last 14 games.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored twice (including the winner in overtime) and picked up an assist in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Mats Zuccarello also has two goals and an assist, and Quinn Hughes collected three assists for the Wild (29-14-9). Lucas Raymond scored two goals for the 31-16-5 Red Wings, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Wild activated center Joel Eriksson Ek off injured reserve. They also announced that defenseman Jonas Brodin will miss the Olympics next month after undergoing surgery for a lower-body injury.

The Chicago Blackhawks upset the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on a shootout goal by Oliver Moore. Spencer Knight made 28 saves, and Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (21-22-7). Hurricanes rookie defenseman Joel Nystrom scored his first career NHL goal as his club picked up a point to hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 67 points (31-15-5) and a game in hand over the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forwards Andre Burakovsky and Frank Nazar returned to action. An illness sidelined Burakovsky while Nazar missed 14 games with an upper-body injury.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got three first-period goals in 37 seconds (two by Anthony Mantha) in a 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Arturs Silovs made 30 saves, and Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist for the 25-14-11 Penguins, who have won three straight games. Former Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry gave up six goals on 22 shots for the Oilers (25-19-8).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, Malkin told reporters that he wants to play one more year with the Penguins. The 39-year-old center’s contract expires at the end of this season. Meanwhile, the Penguins activated defenseman Erik Karlsson from injured reserve, but placed blueliner Ryan Graves on IR.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kicked out 32 shots as his club doubled up the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 4-2. Zach Benson scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Sabres (28-17-5), who are 4-1-1 in their last six games. Cole Caufield scored to extend his goal streak to four games for the 28-16-7 Canadiens.

A shootout goal by Sam Reinhart gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Daniil Tarasov stopped 17 shots, and Sam Bennett scored in regulation for the Panthers (26-20-3). Cole Perfetti replied for the 20-23-7.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2026

by | Jan 22, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2026

Could Auston Matthews consider moving on if the Leafs miss the playoffs? Would Dougie Hamilton be a good fit in Toronto? Could the Penguins attempt to acquire Jason Robertson and re-sign Evgeni Malkin? Will the Blues trade Robert Thomas? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST MAPLE LEAFS SPECULATION

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos wonders what Auston Matthews will be thinking if the Maple Leafs miss the playoffs this season. The 28-year-old superstar center has two seasons left on his contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Kypreos believes Matthews will need assurances that the Maple Leafs are capable of building a contender. He pointed out that other elite NHL players, such as Matthew Tkachuk in 2022 and Quinn Hughes last month, forced a change of scenery, and wondered if Matthews might do the same at some point if the Leafs are no longer playoff contenders going forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews isn’t going anywhere this season, but it’s fair to raise the question about his future if the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs. Even if they squeak in but endure another early elimination, that will spark speculation about whether he’ll finish his contract in Toronto.

Kypreos also addressed whether Dougie Hamilton would be a good fit with the Maple Leafs. The 32-year-old New Jersey Devils defenseman has surfaced in the rumor mill after his agent recently indicated that the blueliner was willing to be flexible with his 10-team trade list.

“Aside from the high acquisition cost and a few warts in his game, the Devils defenseman does check many boxes the Leafs desperately need on their blueline for a playoff push.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Warts aside, the acquisition cost is the biggest stumbling block in the path of a trade here. Hamilton carries an average annual value of $9 million through 2027-28. It’ll likely take a sweetener to convince the Devils to retain any part of that cap hit.

The Leafs have limited cap room and trade capital. They could face difficulty trying to outbid other clubs.

Meanwhile, Kevin McGran noted the logjam in the Maple Leafs crease with Anthony Stolarz due to return soon from injury, joining Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby.

McGran believes Hildeby will likely return to their AHL affiliate because he’s waiver-exempt. If Stolarz regains last season’s solid form, the Leafs could be tempted to use one of those three goalies as a trade chip to shore up the defense.

COULD THE PENGUINS PURSUE JASON ROBERTSON AND RE-SIGN EVGENI MALKIN?

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe speculated recently that the Pittsburgh Penguins might go the trade route this summer to bring in a young NHL star forward.

He believes the Penguins love Jason Robertson. The 26-year-old Dallas Stars winger is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He will draw lots of attention if the Stars make him available in the trade market, suggesting the Penguins have the salary-cap space and the tradeable assets to make a solid pitch. He also doesn’t see them attempting to go the offer sheet route as the compensation required would be over the top.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas will probably be in touch with the Stars if they decide to trade Robertson this summer. And yes, it would be in the summer because the Stars are all-in this season to win the Stanley Cup, and that includes having Robertson in the lineup.

The Penguins would be well-situated to outbid most teams. The question is whether Robertson would be committed to joining them on a long-term deal. He could opt to go to arbitration, sign a one-year deal, and test the unrestricted free-agent market in 2027. That would crush his value in next season’s trade market, making him enticing only to Stanley Cup contenders seeking a postseason rental.

Yohe also reported that long-time Penguins star Evgeni Malkin is willing to sign a one-year contract and accept a pay cut to stay in Pittsburgh.

Malkin, 39, realizes this could be his final NHL season, but he’s not ready to retire yet. He’s not interested in playing for another team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas indicated last fall that he would meet with the Malkin camp during the upcoming Olympic break to discuss his future. Despite missing 15 games with an upper-body injury, he’s third among their scorers this season with 37 points in 34 games. It won’t be surprising if he ends up with that one-year deal at a reduced price.

COULD THE BLUES PEDDLE ROBERT THOMAS?

THE ATHLETIC: With St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas surfacing in recent trade speculation, Jeremy Rutherford and Shayna Goldman looked at his potential value in the trade market.

Thomas, 26, is in the third season of an eight-year contract with a AAV of $8.125 million. Rutherford and Goldman believe he’ll fetch more than the asking price of a comparable center on an expiring contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You’ll need a subscription to see their detailed breakdown of comparables, cost, and whether it would be worthwhile for the Blues to trade Thomas. In my opinion, he could fetch three assets containing at least a first-round pick and a top prospect or a promising young NHL player.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2026

by | Jan 22, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2026

Recapping Wednesday’s action, the Sabres re-sign Josh Doan, the Bruins re-up Alex Steeves, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller scored the tying and overtime goals in a 5-4 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Keller finished with three points while Dylan Guenther and Nick Schmaltz each had two assists as the Mammoth (26-20-4) overcame a 4-2 deficit. Chris Dvorak had two goals and an assist for the 23-17-9 Flyers.

Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers forward Rodrigo Abols missed this game and is expected to be sidelined for two months with a fractured ankle.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kicked out 40 shots as his club nipped the Colorado Avalanche 2-1. Cutter Gauthier scored the winner in the shootout for the 26-21-3 Ducks, who picked up their fifth straight win. Scott Wedgewood turned aside 16 of 17 shots in regulation and overtime for the league-leading Avalanche (34-5-9), who are 1-1-2 in their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the 1,000th regular-season NHL game for Ducks winger Alex Killorn. Ducks center Mason McTavish missed this game with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Jackson Lacombe was named to the United States Olympic men’s hockey team as a replacement for sidelined Florida Panthers blueliner Seth Jones.

An overtime goal by Dylan Larkin gave the Detroit Red Wings a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Larkin also assisted on Simon Edvinsson’s game-tying goal while John Gibson stopped 30 shots for the Red Wings (31-16-4), who have won seven of their last eight games. Joseph Woll made 39 saves, and Scott Laughton scored for the 24-17-9 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson suffered a lower-body injury midway through the first period and did not return to action. He will be reevaluated on Thursday.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Calgary Flames 4-1. Evgeni Malkin and Tommy Novak each had a goal and an assist for the 24-14-11 Penguins, who are 3-0-2 in their last five contests. Yegor Sharangovich replied for the Flames, who dropped to 21-24-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser had a goal and an assist as his club ended an 11-game winless skid with a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves for the Canucks (17-28-5). Dylan Strome tallied twice and collected an assist for the slumping Capitals (24-21-6), who have dropped four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger Tom Wilson collected an assist in his return to action after missing eight games with a lower-body injury. Capitals defenseman John Carlson collected two assists to reach 600 for his NHL career.

The Seattle Kraken beat the New York Islanders 4-1. Vince Dunn had a goal and an assist for the 22-18-9 Kraken, ending a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). Anthony Duclair scored for the Islanders (27-18-5).

IN OTHER NEWS…

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres signed forward Josh Dean to a seven-year, $48.75 million contract extension, with an average annual value of $6.95 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Acquired from the Mammoth in the JJ Peterka trade last June, the 23-year-old Doan has become a valuable young forward for the Sabres. He’s moved up in their lineup into a first-line role, and sits fourth among their scorers with 35 points in 49 games.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed forward Alex Steeves to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $1.625 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Steeves, 26, has become a versatile player for the Bruins this season, earning praise from head coach Marco Sturm for his ability to play any forward position and move easily throughout the lineup as required.

TSN: The New Jersey Devils placed defenseman Luke Hughes (shoulder) on long-term injury reserve.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning have officially extended their lease at the Benchmark International Arena for six more years through 2043.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2026

by | Jan 21, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2026

The Lightning’s points streak reaches 14 games, Senators goalie Linus Ullmark talks about his leave of absence, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning extended their points streak to 14 games (13-0-1) with a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Brandon Hagel scored twice and collected an assist. Nikita Kucherov had three assists for the 31-13-4 Lightning, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 66 points, holding two games in hand over the Carolina Hurricanes (66 points). Tyler Toffoli replied for the Sharks (25-21-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning center Anthony Cirelli suffered an injury early in the third period. He will be reevaluated on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

Ottawa Senators forwards Tim Stutzle and Ridly Greig each had a goal and an assist as their club defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Jame Reimer stopped 21 shots as the Senators improved to 23-19-7. Sean Monahan scored for the Blue Jackets (22-20-7) as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, TSN published an interview with Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark, who is currently on a leave of absence. Ullmark explained that he stepped away for mental health reasons after suffering panic attacks before and after the Senators’ game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 27. There is no timetable for his return.

Ullmark also addressed the rumors circulating on social media regarding his absence, prompting the Senators to release a statement on January 8, condemning the unfounded speculation.

“And people wonder why hockey players – professional athletes – are not talking. Why we’re not showing any sort of emotions. Why mental health in men and in women are a stigma,” Ullmark said.

Referring to the trolls on social media, he said that it took them 24 hours from the announcement of his leave of absence to come up with reasons why he stepped away. “Saying I’m a homewrecker, a person no one likes on the team. And I can’t defend myself.”

Ullmark said the rumors prompted family and friends to contact him and his wife to find out if they were okay. “They send text messages asking, ‘Hey, are you guys good?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, why?’ And then they tell you about the rumors, and you’re like, ‘What the f**k is wrong with people?’”

Speaking of the Senators, defenseman Jake Sanderson said he apologized to now-demoted Leevi Merilainen for publicly criticizing the goaltender’s performance in a 6-5 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Sanderson said he still feels embarrassed about making those comments and feels bad about his teammate.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored twice to beat the Boston Bruins 6-2, ending the latter’s six-game win streak. Justin Hryckowian and Miro Heiskanen each had three points for the 28-13-9 Stars, ending a three-game losing skid. Morgan Geekie and Fraser Minten scored for the Bruins (28-20-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Robertson, he recently changed agents amid contract extension talks with the Stars. He’s slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. Meanwhile, Stars winger Mikko Rantanen missed the game due to illness.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored with 15 seconds remaining in regulation to nip the Minnesota Wild 4-3. Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov each had two points for the 28-15-7 Canadiens. Vladimir Tarasenko tallied twice for the Wild (28-14-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens winger Alexandre Texier missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin will miss the upcoming Winter Olympics with a lower-body injury. Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson could also miss that tournament as he recovers from a procedure on his left thigh. Both players were selected for Sweden’s Men’s Hockey Team.

The Los Angeles Kings got 27 saves from Anton Forsberg in a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers, ending a four-game winless skid. Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who improved to 20-16-13. J.T. Miller scored two goals for the Rangers, who slipped to 21-24-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg took over late in the first period as Darcy Kuemper left the game with an upper-body injury.

New Jersey Devils forwards Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass scored to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 2-1. Jake Allen made 22 saves for the 26-22-2 Devils, who have won four of their last five games. Matt Savoie replied for the Oilers (25-18-8).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Luke Hughes missed this game after suffering an apparent shoulder injury against the Calgary Flames on Monday.

Buffalo Sabres rookie forward Konsta Helenius had a goal and two assists for his first NHL points in a 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators. Noah Ostlund scored twice to open the scoring for the Sabres (27-17-5). Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg each had three points for the Predators, who dropped to 23-22-4.

The Winnipeg Jets downed the St. Louis Blues 3-1. Mark Scheifele had two goals and an assist, and Josh Morrissey had a goal and two assists for the 20-23-6 Jets. Jordan Kyrou tallied for the Blues (19-23-8).

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz was sent to the club’s AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint. It’s the next step in his return to the lineup after being sidelined with an upper-body nerve issue since Nov. 11.

CBS SPORTS: Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins acquired defenseman Ilya Solovyov from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for winger Valtteri Puustinen and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2026

by | Jan 20, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2026

Milestone performances by Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews is welcomed back to Chicago, Matthew Tkachuk returns to action, the Canucks trade Kiefer Sherwood to the Sharks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and collected an assist to reach 1,100 career NHL regular-season points in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Martin Necas and Victor Olofsson each had two points for the 34-5-8 Avalanche, who lead the league with 76 points. Ethen Frank had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (24-20-6), who’ve lost three straight games.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is the second player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to reach 1,100 points. Joe Sakic is the franchise leader with 1,641 points. Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin suffered minor injuries in a car accident while driving to the game. He was held out for precautionary reasons.

Speaking of the Capitals, they have reportedly opened contract discussions with John Carlsson. The long-time Capitals defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby played his 1,400th career NHL regular-season game as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 6-3. Crosby, Anthony Mantha, and Blake Lizotte each had two assists while Connor Dewar tallied twice for the Penguins (23-14-11). Ben Meyers had a goal and an assist for the struggling Kraken (21-18-9) as they are 1-4-2 in their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is the 45th player in league history to reach 1,400 games. He remains the Penguins’ leader in that category.

The Chicago Blackhawks blanked the Winnipeg Jets 2-0. Spencer Knight earned the shutout with 32 saves while Jason Dickinson and Connor Bedard scored for the 19-22-7 Blackhawks. Jets center Jonathan Toews received a lengthy standing ovation from Chicago fans as he made his former team for the first time since staging his comeback this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews spent 15 seasons with the Blackhawks from 2007-08 to 2022-23, spending 14 of those seasons as captain. He was one of the greatest players in franchise history, leading them to three Stanley Cups. That standing ovation during the TV timeout lasted almost five minutes.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 35 shots in a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Michael Misa and Igor Chernyshov each collected two assists for the Sharks, who improved to 25-20-3. Eetu Luostarinen replied for the 25-20-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk was held scoreless in his season debut. He’d been sidelined by surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia on Aug. 22. Meanwhile, the Panthers placed defenseman Seth Jones (upper body) on long-term injury reserve.

Earlier in the day, the Sharks acquired Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks. Details and analysis of the trade are below in the Headlines section.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Buffalo Sabres 2-1. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and an assist, Sebastian Aho collected two assists, and Seth Jarvis scored the winning goal for the Hurricanes (31-15-4), as they hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 66 points. Rasmus Dahlin had the only goal for the 26-17-5 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Eric Robinson left this game in the first period with an apparent injury to his left shoulder.

Minnesota Wild winger Marcus Foligno tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist for the Wild (28-13-9). Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist for the 24-17-8 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Joshua Kloke of The Athletic reports the Maple Leafs have opened contract extension talks with winger Bobby McMann, who is UFA-eligible this summer.

The New York Islanders held off the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Anthony Duclair tallied two goals, Matthew Schaefer and Bo Horvat each had two assists, and Ilya Sorokin turned aside 29 shots for the Islanders (27-17-5). Kevin Lankinen stopped 28 shots for the Canucks (16-28-5), whose 11-game winless skid equals the franchise mark.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny tallied both of his club’s goals in a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, snapping a six-game winless skid (0-5-1). Samuel Ersson made 24 saves for the 23-17-8 Flyers. Tomas Hertl replied for the Golden Knights (24-12-12), who remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 60 points.

An overtime goal by Simon Nemec lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Calgary Flames 2-1. Dawson Mercer also scored for the Devils (25-22-2). Nazem Kadri scored for the 21-23-5 Flames.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored twice on his 22nd birthday in a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Lukas Dostal stopped 19 shots for the 25-21-3 Ducks, who picked up their fourth straight win. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to 10 games for the 21-23-6 Rangers.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson, Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi, and Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka are the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 18, 2026.

THE PROVINCE/SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Vancouver Canucks traded winger Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks on Monday in exchange for minor league defenseman Cole Clayton, a second-round pick in 2026, and a second-rounder in 2027.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sherwood was a frequent subject of trade speculation since November. The 30-year-old winger could reach a career-best 30 goals and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

It was rumored that the Canucks were seeking a first-round pick as part of the return for Sherwood. However, a pair of second-rounders isn’t bad for a physical middle-six forward whose production could decline after this season. The Canucks can use these picks to bolster their prospect pipeline or as trade chips to acquire more immediate roster help.

The rebuilding Sharks have been sellers in recent years. Led by young superstar Macklin Celebrini, they’ve exceeded expectations this season, jockeying for a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. Adding a rental player such as Sherwood indicates that management wants to help them clinch a berth. If he fits well within their roster, they could sign him to an extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2026

by | Jan 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 16, 2026

The Bruins retire Zdeno Chara’s number, multipoint performances by the Sabres’ Tage Thompson and the Golden Knights’ Jack Eichel, Jets center Jonathan Toews reaches a career milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAME

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins honored Hall of Fame defenseman Zdeno Chara by retiring his No. 33 in a pregame ceremony before winning their fifth straight game by defeating the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Mark Kastelic scored the game-winner while shorthanded, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 26 shots for the 27-19-2 Bruins. Chandler Stephenson and Eeli Tolvanen replied for the Kraken (21-16-9).

The Boston Bruins retire Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 (NHL.com)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chara spent 14 of his 24 NHL seasons with the Bruins from 2006-07 to 2019-20. He was their captain throughout that period, making him the longest-tenured captain in franchise history. He led them to three Stanley Cup Finals, winning the Cup in 2011. He also won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2008-09 and was twice named to the Second All-Star Team.

Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied his 20th goal of the season, tying him with Patrice Bergeron and Johnny Bucyk for the second-most consecutive 20-goal seasons among the Bruins’ all-time scoring leaders (10 seasons). Brad Marchand leads the franchise with 12 seasons.

Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour collected an assist as he returned to action for the first time since being sidelined by an injury on Dec. 16.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson tallied a hat trick and collected two assists in a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Thompson also passed the 200-goal plateau as the Sabres (26-16-4) have won 15 of their last 17 games. Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Lane Hutson each had two points for the 26-15-7 Canadiens, who are 1-2-1 in their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson became the second-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 100 career assists, doing so in 132 games. Sergei Zubov was the fastest with 127 games.

The Sabres recalled forward Konsta Helenius as center Josh Norris is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during Wednesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Vegas Golden Knights rallied to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 on an overtime goal by Jack Eichel, who also had three assists. Mitch Marner picked up two assists against his former club as the Golden Knights (23-11-12) picked up their sixth straight win and lead the Pacific Division with 58 points. William Nylander and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist for the 23-16-8 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander left this game after rolling his ankle in the first period. Meanwhile, Maple Leafs Auston Matthews didn’t want to answer more queries about Marner. Following the warm-up skate, he told TSN’s Mark Masters he’d had enough of the “Mitch questions” for the day, preferring to focus on the upcoming game.

Golden Knights’ goaltender Adin Hill returned to action for the first time since being sidelined by a lower-body injury on Oct. 20. He stopped 23 shots for the win.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists in a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Jonathan Toews, Josh Morrissey, and Gabriel Vilardi each had a goal and an assist as the Jets (19-22-5) have won four straight games. Danila Yurov and Marcus Johansson scored for the Wild (26-13-9), who have one win in their last six games (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews picked up his 900th career NHL regular-season point. Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 6-3. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist, Evgeni Malkin and Tommy Novak each collected two assists, and Stuart Skinner stopped 30 shots for the 22-14-10 Penguins. Flyers winger Matvei Michkov scored his 10th goal of the season for the Flyers (22-16-8) as they are winless in their last five games (0-4-1).

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin kicked out 35 shots to shut out the Edmonton Oilers 1-0. Anthony Duclair scored the game’s only goal as the Islanders improved to 26-16-5. Oilers captain Connor McDavid’s 20-game goal streak ended as his club sits at 23-17-8.

Three second-period goals by the San Jose Sharks gave them a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Collin Graf had a goal and an assist for the 24-19-3 Sharks, who are 7-2-0 in their last nine games. Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard replied for the Capitals (24-18-6).

Columbus Blue Jackets forwards Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson each had a goal and an assist to beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1, extending the latter’s winless skid to nine games (0-7-2). Elvis Merzlikins made 30 saves for the 21-19-7 Blues Jackets as they collected their third straight win. Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks, who sank to 16-26-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson returned to action for the first time since suffering a hip injury on Oct. 25.

The Utah Mammoth extended their points streak to six games (5-0-1) with a 3-1 upset of the Dallas Stars. Karel Vejmelka turned aside 26 shots while Nick Schmaltz and John Marino each had a goal and an assist for the Mammoth, who improved to 24-20-4. Mikko Rantanen scored for the Stars (27-12-9), who have two wins in their last 11 games (2-5-4).

Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund scored a shorthanded goal and picked up an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Devin Cooley made 22 saves for the 20-23-4 Flames. Nick Foligno scored for the 19-21-7 Blackhawks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers were honored at the White House on Thursday for their second straight Stanley Cup championship.

AP NEWS: St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas will be sidelined for two weeks with a lower-body injury.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Ross Colton is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.