NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2026

by | Jan 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 2, 2026

Recapping the New Year’s Day games, injury updates, and the three stars and Rookie of the Month for December are revealed in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews tallied his 14th career NHL regular-season hat trick to rally the Toronto Maple Leafs from a 4-1 deficit to a 6-5 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Matthews’ third goal snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period, and he also collected an assist for the 19-15-6 Maple Leafs, who’ve won four of their last five games. Mark Scheifele scored two goals and picked up an assist for the Jets (15-20-4) as their winless skid reached eight games (0-5-3).

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 419 NHL career regular-season goals, Matthews needs one more to tie Mats Sundin for the franchise goals record. The Maple Leafs replaced goaltender Joseph Woll with Dennis Hildeby after Woll gave up 4 goals on 17 shots. Since Nov. 11, the Jets have won only six times in their last 24 games.

Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther collected his first NHL hat trick and picked up an assist as his club thumped the New York Islanders 7-2. Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, and Mikhail Sergachev each had three-point performances as the Mammoth improved to 19-19-3. Calum Ritchie and Matthew Schaefer replied for the 22-15-4 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Bo Horvat left this game in the third period with a lower-body injury. He will see a doctor on Friday. Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka stopped 20 shots for the win as he returned to action after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang celebrated his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game by scoring in overtime in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Sidney Crosby scored twice and collected an assist for the 18-12-9 Penguins, who have won three straight games. James van Riemsdyk, Andrew Copp, and Alex DeBrincat scored for the Red Wings (24-14-4), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson had two assists to reach 900 career NHL regular-season points. The last time the Red Wings were in first place in the Eastern Conference at this stage or later in the season was Feb. 7, 2015.

The Montreal Canadiens picked up their first win in Carolina since 2016 by defeating the Hurricanes 7-5. Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, and Sammy Blais each had a goal and an assist, and Cole Caufield sniped his 20th goal of the season for the Canadiens (22-12-6) as they extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2). Sebastian Aho had two goals and three assists for the 24-13-3 Hurricanes, who slipped out of first place in the Eastern Conference but hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson missed this game with an upper-body injury, while winger Josh Anderson left in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov collected two assists to become the first rookie to reach 35 points this season.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Anthony Cirelli, Gage Goncalves, and Nikita Kucherov lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Kucherov finished with three points, and Brandon Hagel scored twice for the 24-13-3 Lightning, who extended their win streak to six games. Corey Perry picked up three assists for the Kings (16-14-9), who have only two wins in their last 10 contests.

The Ottawa Senators overcame a 2-0 deficit to nip the Washington Capitals 4-3. Fabian Zetterlund snapped a 3-3 tie late in the third period while Tim Stutzle collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games for the 19-15-1 Senators, ending their three-game winless skid. Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (21-15-5), who have only two wins in their last seven games (2-4-1).

Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev tallied twice in a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars. Spencer Knight stopped 22 shots while Ryan Donato and Andre Burakovsky each had two assists for the 15-18-7 Blackhawks. Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, and Matt Duchene each had a goal and an assist for the slumping Stars (25-9-7), who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers scored two goals in a 4-1 victory against the Nashville Predators. Philipp Grubauer made 24 saves for the Kraken (17-14-7), who are 5-0-1 in their last six contests. Roman Josi replied for the 18-18-4 Predators.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, and San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini are the league’s three stars for December 2025. Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov was the Rookie of the Month.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forwards Conor Garland and Marco Rossi have been sidelined for at least a week due to injuries.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry is out until at least mid-January with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Miles Wood is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta and Gavin Brindley are day-to-day with injuries.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 1, 2026

by | Jan 1, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 1, 2026

Check out the latest on the Rangers and Penguins in the first NHL Rumor Mill of 2026.

THE ATHLETIC: Vincent Z. Mercogliano believes the biggest midseason question facing the New York Rangers is whether to buy, sell, or thread the needle.

They feel the Rangers are at a crossroads. They have a “win-now” core with four players (Artemi Panarin, J.T. Miller, Mika Zibanejad, and Vincent Trocheck) at 32 or older, and made Mike Sullivan the league’s highest-paid coach. However, this is a club that must get younger, faster, and more skilled, and they have a chance to accelerate that process by the March 6 trade deadline.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

Panarin is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and this season could be his last with the Rangers. If so, they should approach him about waiving his no-movement clause.

They should also consider having conversations with other veterans who still have trade value. The same applies to struggling young players such as Alexis Lafreniere and Brennan Othmann.

Mercogliano believes general manager Chris Drury will take the same “thread the needle” approach as last season. He’ll try to peddle players who no longer fit into the Rangers’ plans while trying to add those who can provide immediate help.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers will be worth monitoring between now and the trade deadline. Drury’s plans will depend on where they are in the standings in the coming weeks. Failure to rise into playoff positioning will make it easier for Drury to justify attempting to move Panarin or other players who aren’t part of their long-range plans.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe believes Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is gearing up to make a massive move in 2026, likely during the offseason.

The Penguins have their own first-round pick, two second-round picks, and two third-rounders in the talent-rich 2026 NHL Draft. However, Yohe speculates that not all those picks will be used by the Penguins in that draft. He also pointed out that they have 16 picks in the top three rounds of the next three drafts.

Some of those picks could be used as part of a massive trade similar to the Minnesota Wild’s recent acquisition of Quinn Hughes.

The Penguins will also have over $50 million in cap space, giving them plenty of room to land some impactful free agents or swing a blockbuster trade for a star.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas has set the table to become a major buyer in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets. The question is, which players could they pry away via trades, and which free agents could be enticed into signing with the Penguins?

Most of the big-name players in this summer’s UFA market re-signed with their respective clubs. The best UFA-eligible talent includes 34-year-old Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, power forward Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres, and Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz.

Landing talent via trade could prove difficult if the players that Dubas targets aren’t interested in joining a rebuilding club. However, the Penguins could reach the playoffs, and the ageless Sidney Crosby could insist on staying in Pittsburgh. Those factors could be solid selling points.

Dubas could also surprise us by signing a restricted free-agent star to an offer sheet. Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson would be the most attractive target if he and the Stars can’t agree to a long-term extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2025

by | Dec 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 31, 2025

Recapping Tuesday’s games, Sharks sophomore Macklin Celebrini could make Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team, Flames re-sign Devin Cooley, and more in the final NHL Morning Coffee Headlines for 2025.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The injury-depleted Toronto Maple Leafs got a 33-save shutout from Joseph Woll to blank the New Jersey Devils 4-0. Bobby McMann and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who extended their points streak to four games (3-0-1) and improved their record to 18-15-6. Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom allowed three goals on 29 shots for the slumping Devils (20-17-2), who are winless in their last four contests (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs played without Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Chris Tanev, and Dakota Joshua, who are currently sidelined by injuries. Following the game, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe called out his players’ “lack of balls” after team captain Nico Hischier lost a lopsided scrap to Leafs power forward Matthew Knies in the third period.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored the tying and winning goals to lead his club to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers. Cole Caufield also scored for the Canadiens (21-12-6), who overcame a 2-0 deficit to extend their points streak to six games (4-0-2). Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart tallied for the 21-15-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers honored Marchand for his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game in a pregame ceremony. He also took a roughing penalty in overtime that led to Suzuki’s game-winning goal.

A shootout goal by Bo Horvat lifted the New York Islanders over the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-2. Horvat also scored in regulation, and rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer collected an assist for the 22-14-4 Islanders. Oliver Moore collected two assists for the Blackhawks, who slipped to 14-18-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shaefer’s assist made him the youngest defenseman in NHL history to reach 25 career regular-season points.

Goalie Stuart Skinner made 27 saves for his first win with the Pittsburgh Penguins as his club downed the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1. Anthony Mantha tallied two goals while Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Justin Brazeau each had two points for the Penguins (17-12-9). Mark Jankowski netted the only goal for the Hurricanes (24-12-3), who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 51 points.

The Philadelphia Flyers got two-point performances from Noah Cates, Bobby Brink, Trevor Zegras, and Travis Konecny in a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. David Kampf and Drew O’Connor each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks, who dropped to 16-20-3. The Flyers (20-11-7) have won three of their last four games.

HEADLINES

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: According to a report by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, Sharks sophomore center Macklin Celebrini had made Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team. The formal announcement of Canada’s roster will be made on Dec. 31.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be a well-deserved honor for Celebrini. The 19-year-old Sharks center is having an outstanding season, sitting third among NHL scorers with 60 points in 39 games. He’s on pace to eclipse Joe Thornton’s single-season franchise record of 114 points in 2006-07.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports that sidelined Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson will not be available for Sweden’s Men’s Olympic hockey team. He has been absent since Nov. 8 with a lower-body injury.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed goaltender Devin Cooley to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cooley’s been a solid backup for Dustin Wolf in the Flames’ crease this season. He has a record of 4-4-2 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers could get Adam Fox back in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Washington Capitals. The 27-year-old defenseman has been sidelined since Nov. 29 with a shoulder injury.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel could return to action against the Nashville Predators on Dec. 31. He’s missed six games with an illness and a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: The Los Angeles Kings activated goaltender Darcy Kuemper from injured reserve.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres goalie Alex Lyon is being evaluated for a lower-body injury suffered on Monday against the St. Louis Blues.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 30, 2025

by | Dec 30, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 30, 2025

Are the Oilers planning to trade winger Andrew Mangiapane? Could the Bruins pursue Maple Leafs forward Matias Maccelli? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

OILERS COULD TRY TO MOVE ANDREW MANGIAPANE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman wondered if Andrew Mangiapane could become the odd man out on the Edmonton Oilers as their roster gets healthier.

Mangiapane, 29, signed a two-year contract with the Oilers on July 1 with an average annual value of $3.6 million. He has 11 points in 39 games, and his playing time has been reduced recently.

Edmonton Oilers winger Andrew Mangiapane (NHL Images).

Meanwhile, Mark Spector cited Friedman saying the Oilers and Mangiapane are exploring a path to move him to another NHL club. He noted that the winger was a healthy scratch for Monday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets.

Spector pointed out that Mangiapane has a full no-trade clause for the remainder of this season. However, Friedman thinks the winger would waive it for a chance to go somewhere where he’ll get more playing time. Given his struggles and his cap hit, however, it might not be easy to move him.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson stated that Mangiapane skated among the Oilers’ top-six forwards during the first two months of this season. However, he’s been unable to regain the form that made him an effective middle-six forward during his tenure with the Calgary Flames.

Matheson believes Kasperi Kapanen would be a suitable replacement for Mangiapane on the third line once he finally returns from his knee injury. He suggested the Jets, Flames, and Pittsburgh Penguins as possible trade destinations.

David Staples believes the Oilers’ scratching Mangiapane from Monday’s game against the Jets bodes well for their chances of trading him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Approaching the midseason point of the schedule, there is starting to be some separation between the contenders and pretenders in the tightly packed standings. There has also been a recent increase in trade activity, suggesting that more clubs are willing to make moves than they were through October and November.

Mangiapane’s production was declining during his final two seasons with the Flames. That slide continued last season with the Washington Capitals. Another change of scenery is unlikely to spark a return to his 40-plus form from earlier in his career.

The Flames are transitioning toward younger talent, so it’s unlikely that they’re interested in a reunion with Mangiapane. Ditto the Penguins. The Jets could be an option given their struggles this season after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2024-25.

BRUINS INTERESTED IN MATIAS MACCELLI

NESN: Victor Barbosa cited The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa, who suggested the Boston Bruins attempt to acquire Matias Maccelli from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Shinzawa believes Maccelli, a 25-year-old left-shot winger, would provide the Bruins with some offensive help among their top-nine forwards.

Barbosa indicated that rumors linked the Bruins to Maccelli earlier this month. He also pointed out that they tried to acquire the winger from the Utah Mammoth before he was shipped to Toronto in an offseason trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maccelli has struggled with the Leafs this season, but his production improved recently. They could hang onto him to see if he can build on that uptick, but could also decide to peddle him while he still has some value. Whether it’ll be to a division rival, such as the Bruins, remains to be seen.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2025

by | Dec 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 30, 2025

A milestone win for Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, Predators forward Steven Stamkos poised to reach 600 goals, Islanders forward Mathew Barzal fined, the Blue Jackets trade Yegor Chinakhov to the Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves for his 446th career NHL regular-season win as he backstopped his club over the Washington Capitals by a score of 5-3. Sam Reinhart scored two goals (including his 20th of the season), and Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to eight games for the 21-15-2 Panthers. Tom Wilson tallied twice for the Capitals (20-14-5), who have three wins in their last 11 contests.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky moved ahead of Terry Sawchuk into eighth place on the all-time goaltender wins list. He needs nine more victories to surpass Curtis Joseph, who is seventh with 454 wins, and 14 more to vault over Henrik Lundqvist (459) into sixth place.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 4-3 win over the Utah Mammoth. Luke Evangelista had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who’ve won four of their last five games and improved to 17-17-4. Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist for the 18-19-3 Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After a slow start to this season, Stamkos has 17 goals and 25 points in 38 games. He’s also one goal away from becoming the 22nd player in league history to reach 600 career regular-season goals, and only the third active player to do so.

Before this game, the Mammoth placed starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka (upper body) on injured reserve.

The Buffalo Sabres picked up their ninth straight victory by doubling up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Zach Benson scored the winning goal for the Sabres, who improved to 20-14-4 on the season. Brayden Schenn and Jimmy Snuggerud replied for the Blues, who dropped to 15-17-8.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are one win away from tying the franchise record of 10 straight victories. Team captain Rasmus Dahlin returned to the lineup after spending time with his fiancée in Europe as she continues her recovery from a heart transplant earlier this year.

Before the game, the Blues announced forward Pius Suter will miss approximately four weeks with an ankle injury.

An overtime goal by Jackson Blake lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (24-11-3) as they hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 51 points. Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves for the 19-17-5 Rangers, who are 1-2-1 in their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes announced goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov underwent surgery for a nagging lower-body injury that could sideline him for the remainder of the season. They also claimed center Noah Philp off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers.

The Columbus Blue Jackets got a 27-save performance from goalie Jet Greaves to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Kirill Marchenko scored to collect his 30th point of the season while Charlie Coyle and Cole Sillinger each picked up two assists for the 17-15-6 Blue Jackets, who have won three straight games. Jake Sanderson replied for the Senators (18-15-3), who are 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The start of this game was pushed back to 7:30 PM ET as mechanical issues with the Blue Jackets’ jet delayed their arrival into Ottawa. They played without forward Isac Lundestrom, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Before the game began, the Blue Jackets traded forward Yegor Chinakhov to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Details and analysis below in the Headlines section.

Senators center Shane Pinto and defenseman Tyler Kleven returned to action after being sidelined by injuries.

Edmonton Oilers netminder Calvin Pickard kicked out 41 shots in a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his points streak to 13 games as the Oilers (20-14-6) took over first place in the Pacific Division with 46 points. Adam Lowry scored for the struggling Jets (15-18-4), who are winless in their last six games (0-3-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Andrew Mangiapane was a healthy scratch as trade rumors are swirling. I’ll have more about his situation in today’s Rumor Mill.

Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson had a goal and three assists to lead his club over the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2. Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Jared Spurgeon each had a goal and an assist for the 24-10-6 Wild. Vegas goalie Carter Hart gave up five goals on 12 shots before being replaced by Akira Schmid. The Golden Knights (17-9-11) have one win in their last six games (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl was ejected in the first period for boarding Wild winger Ryan Hartman.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini extended his points streak to eight games with a goal and two assists as his club held off the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves for the 19-17-3 Sharks. Troy Terry tallied twice and collected an assist for the Ducks (21-16-2), who have lost three straight and have two wins in their last nine contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Frank Vatrano (upper-body injury) and defenseman Radko Gudas (illness) missed this game, while forward Ryan Strome was a healthy scratch for the third straight game.

Colorado Avalanche forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, extending their winning streak to eight games. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots for the 29-2-7 Avalanche, who lead the league with 65 points. Corey Perry and Joel Armia replied for the Kings (16-13-9).

An overtime power-play goal by Connor Zary lifted the Calgary Flames over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Dustin Wolf stopped 24 shots, and Blake Coleman also scored for the 17-18-4 Flames. Andrew Peeke scored for the Bruins (20-18-2), who are winless in their last six (0-4-2).

The Vancouver Canucks got 37 saves from Kevin Lankinen in a 3-2 shootout win over the Seattle Kraken. Liam Ohgren tallied the winning goal while Linus Karlsson and Elias Pettersson scored in regulation for the 16-19-3 Canucks. Jaren McCann and Ryan Winterton replied for the 16-14-7 Kraken as their four-game win streak ended.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Nikita Kucherov, Seattle Kraken right wing Eeli Tolvanen, and Montreal Canadiens right winger Juraj Slafkovsky were the league’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 28.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders forward Mathew Barzal was fined $5,000.00 by the league’s department of player safety for slashing Columbus Blue Jackets winger Mason Marchment on Sunday.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW/THE ATHLETIC: The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forward Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round draft pick, and a 2027 third-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A 2020 first-round pick by the Blue Jackets, Chinakhov was projected to become a top-six forward. However, he struggled with injury and inconsistency over the past two seasons. During the summer, his agent requested a trade for his client, citing “misunderstandings” with head coach Dean Evason. He bounced around the Jackets’ forward lines this season.

It will be interesting to see if Chinakhov can get his NHL career back on track in Pittsburgh. Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas acknowledged Chinakhov’s issues, but indicated that his club conducted its due diligence before making this move. He stated that they liked the winger’s size, speed, and two-way skills.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Penguins, they placed defenseman Ryan Graves on waivers.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens have tapped Sam Montembeault as their starting goalie for Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers. Montembeault was recently recalled from a conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate in Laval.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2025

by | Dec 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2025

Recapping Sunday’s action, plus the latest on Senators goalie Linus Ullmark, Blues winger Jordan Kyrou, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Justin Brazeau tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Bryan Rust scored two goals, and Ryan Shea collected three assists for the Penguins, who improved to 16-12-9. Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno scored in his first game since being sidelined for 19 games with an injured hand, but his club (14-18-6) has dropped seven of its last eight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks were struggling before centers Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar were sidelined by injuries, but their absence accelerated their slide in the standings. Speaking of Nazar, he was placed on injured reserve with a facial injury and is expected to be out for another three weeks.

An overtime goal by Simon Edvinsson lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Moritz Seider and Mason Appleton also scored, and Cam Talbot stopped 25 shots for the Red Wings (23-14-3), who sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 49 points. Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson replied for the Leafs (17-15-6), who got a 33-save performance from Dennis Hildeby.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edvinsson earned praise from his teammates when he “rose from the dead” after being injured by a John Tavares shot while killing a penalty in the second period. He and Seider are among the best defense pairings in the league this season.

The Maple Leafs played without winger William Nylander, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and questionable for Tuesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov tallied twice in regulation, and Gage Goncalves scored the shootout winner to nip the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. It was the Lightning’s fourth straight win, improving their record to 22-13-3. The Canadiens (20-12-6) overcame a 4-1 deficit in the third period as Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay forward Brandon Hagel returned to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Lightning made a minor trade, shipping forward Boris Katchouk to the Minnesota Wild for forward Michael Milne.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Ivan Provorov, Kirill Marchenko, and Cole Sillinger gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. Marchenko finished the game with two goals while Sean Monahan and Denton Mateychuk each had two assists for the 16-15-6 Blue Jackets. Max Shabonov and Bo Horvat scored for the Islanders (21-14-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Things got ugly early in the second period when Blue Jackets winger Mason Marchment clipped Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer by sticking out his right leg, prompting Isles forward Mathew Barzal to slash Marchment’s right foot with his stick. That earned Barzal a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, and he could face supplemental discipline by the league’s department of player safety. Marchment received two minutes for tripping Schaefer, who was uninjured on the play.

Before this game, the Blue Jackets placed defenseman Zach Werenski (lower body) on injured reserve and activated forward Mathieu Olivier off the IR list.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Eeli Tolvanen scored two goals and picked up an assist while Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves for the 16-14-6 Kraken, who extended their win streak to four games. Carl Grundstrom replied for the Flyers (19-11-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken activated winger Jared McCann off injured reserve for this game. Defenseman Vince Dunn also returned to action after missing their previous game with an upper-body injury. Both were held scoreless in this contest.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: Senators starting goaltender Linus Ullmark is taking a leave of absence for personal reasons. There is no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sun’s Bruce Garrioch observed that this season has been a difficult one for Ullmark, with a 2.95 goals-against average and a save percentage of .881. He noted that Ullmark was pulled from Saturday’s 7-5 loss to the Maple Leafs after giving up four goals on 14 shots.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues winger Jordan Kyrou has been activated off IR after missing nine games with a lower-body injury. They also activated winger Jimmy Snuggerud, who underwent wrist surgery earlier in the month.

SPORTSNET: The NHL’s department of player safety fined Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell $5,000.00 for high-sticking Lightning winger Jake Guentzel, and fined Lightning forward Scott Sabourin $2,081.23 for slashing Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola. Both incidents occurred during Saturday’s game between the two clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a tough weekend for Sabourin. In addition to his fine, he was knocked to the ice by a punch from Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj during a fight between the two on Sunday. Sabourin left that game and didn’t return.

TSN: Penguins forward Danton Heinen and Edmonton Oilers forward Noah Philp are among six players placed on waivers on Sunday.

PUCKPEDIA: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Yegor Zamula has changed agents. He’s in the final season of a two-year contract with a cap hit of $1.7 million, but he could be willing to terminate that deal to sign with another NHL club for less money.

RDS: Former NHL forward Guy Chouinard passed away on Sunday at age 69.

Chouinard spent 10 seasons in the NHL from 1974-75 to 1983-84, beginning with the Atlanta Flames and following them to Calgary in 1980. He spent nine of his 10 seasons with the Flames organization, with his best season being his 50-goal, 107-point performance in the 1978-79 season. In 578 regular-season games, Chouinard had 205 goals and 370 assists for 575 points, along with 37 points in 46 playoff contests.

Following his playing days, Chouinard became a coach in the QMJHL, finishing third all-time in wins among that league’s coaches with 569. He was inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame in 2005.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Chouinard’s family, friends, teammates, and his former QMJHL players.