NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2025

by | Dec 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 16, 2025

A notable hat trick by Predators winger Filip Forsberg, the Ducks’ Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba return to New York, the Sabres make a management change, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A hat-trick performance by Filip Forsberg carried the Nashville Predators to a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly each collected two assists for the 13-15-4 Predators, who have won seven of their last 10 games. Dalibor Dvorsky netted both goals for the Blues, who dropped to 12-15-7.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg picked up his 11th career hat trick, tying Markus Naslund for the second-most NHL hat tricks by a Swedish player. Kent Nilsson is the leader with 14.

Before this game, the Blues announced that winger Dylan Holloway would miss at least six weeks with an ankle injury.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored twice, and goalie Lukas Dostal stopped 26 shots to defeat the New York Rangers 4-1. Ryan Poehling had two assists for the Ducks (20-12-1), as they ended a two-game losing skid. Matthew Robertson replied for the Rangers (16-14-4), who have dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first game back in New York for former Rangers Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba, who received ovations from the fans at Madison Square Garden during tribute videos for both players. Both were traded to the Ducks in separate trades last season.

Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad was benched from this game for missing a team meeting.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart tallied two goals in a 5-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for the 17-13-2 Panthers, who’ve won five of their last six contests. Brayden Point had two assists for the Lightning (18-12-3), who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning forward Brandon Hagel left this game in the third period after a questionable hit by Panthers defenseman Seth Jones. Earlier in the day, the Lightning announced that defenseman Emil Lilleberg will miss several weeks with an injury, while sidelined goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy could return to the lineup before Christmas.

The Dallas Stars beat the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 4-1. Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist, and Casey DeSmith made 27 saves for the 22-7-5 Stars. Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the Kings (14-9-9), who are 0-1-2 in their last three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a collision with Rantanen.

An overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Tim Stutzle had three assists, and Jake Sanderson scored the tying goal late in the third period for the Senators (15-13-4). Neal Pionk and Logan Stanley replied for the 15-15-2 Jets, who have three wins in their last 10 games.

HEADLINES

TSN: The Buffalo Sabres fired general manager Kevyn Adams, replacing him with Jarmo Kekalainen on a full-time basis.

Adams was in his sixth season as the Sabres’ general manager. He was criticized for mismanaging the team’s assets, his inability to secure a franchise goaltender, and his failure to address a lingering leadership void within the team.

In June, Adams hired Kekalainen as a senior advisor. He spent 10 seasons as general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A recent report in The Athletic indicated the Sabres were internally discussing replacing Adams. During his tenure, the Sabres’ postseason drought stretched to a league-record 14 seasons and counting. His two biggest blunders were trading Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights and Sam Reinhart to the Florida Panthers. Both players flourished with their new teams, becoming Stanley Cup champions.

Adams lacked management experience when he was hired for the job. He did his best, but he had no business being in that role. It was yet another example of the ineptitude of the club’s ownership, which has gone through five general managers, eight head coaches, 28 goaltenders with more than one game played, and seven team captains since 2011.

Kekalainen has considerable management experience. He guided the Blue Jackets through their most successful period in franchise history from 2016 to 2020, reaching the playoffs in four straight seasons. However, things fell apart soon afterward, leading to his firing last year. Whether he fares better than his four predecessors remains to be seen.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, and Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek are the league’s stars for the week ending Dec. 14, 2025.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks placed center Connor Bedard (upper body) on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 12.

DAILY FACEOFF/DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will miss the next two games with an upper-body injury. The Wings also placed forward Jonatan Berggren on waivers.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner and defenseman Brett Kulak joined the Pittsburgh Penguins’ active roster after resolving their immigration status over the weekend. On Friday, the Oilers traded Skinner and Kulak to the Penguins for goalie Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks placed forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev on injured reserve.

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks agreed to a two-year contract extension with center Max Sasson. He will earn an average annual value of $1 million.

RG.ORG: Prospect winger Gavin McKenna is hoping for redemption at the 2026 World Junior Championship. He was part of Canada’s junior team that failed to medal last season.

McKenna believes his move from the CHL to the NCAA with Penn State University this season has improved his decision-making, defensive play, and physical growth. He thinks those attributes will help his performance in this year’s tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna said his focus is on winning gold, and he’s not looking at this tournament as an opportunity to elevate his status in the 2026 NHL Draft. Nevertheless, he has slipped from the top spot in some recent draft rankings. A strong performance at the WJC could help him regain that placement.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

by | Dec 14, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 14, 2025

The ongoing fallout from the Quinn Hughes trade in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said it was around the time of the American Thanksgiving weekend last month that Quinn Hughes informed the Vancouver Canucks that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension next summer.

Friedman claimed that several teams were deterred or concerned that Hughes wouldn’t commit to a long-term extension at this time. However, the Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils weren’t bothered by it.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

The Devils felt they were in a better position because Hughes’ brothers, Jack and Luke, were on their roster. However, they couldn’t free up sufficient salary-cap space to make the deal happen.

Friedman believes the Wild’s offer (Center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick) was the best one, adding there was no way the Canucks would’ve received a better deal.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers were among six clubs confirmed to have made legitimate offers for Hughes. The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes also showed some interest.

The Philadelphia Flyers also considered Hughes, but didn’t want to part with the assets the Canucks were seeking. LeBrun also believes the Washington Capitals weren’t that involved because they didn’t want to move the kind of pieces it would’ve taken to get the deal done.

Hughes’ agent, Pat Brisson, said he and his client weren’t able to guarantee to any of the interested clubs whether he would sign with them or not. At some point, Hughes will decide if he likes Minnesota enough to sign an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One thing that works to the Wild’s advantage is they’re the only club that can offer him an eight-year, front-loaded extension. However, Hughes will have to decide before Sept. 15, 2026. After that, the maximum term for re-signing players is reduced to seven years as per the updated collective bargaining agreement.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted his players struggled to tune out the Quinn Hughes trade speculation swirling around their team.

Ever since Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last weekend that the Devils contacted the Canucks about Hughes, multiple names surfaced as trade candidates. Defenseman Simon Nemec and center Dawson Mercer were mentioned as potential trade chips that could have gone to Vancouver as part of a package offer.

Nichols believes those players can rest easy for now, but noted that Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald continues to work the phones in search of a trade to help his struggling team.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh believes the Devils’ biggest area of need is forward. He claimed Fitzgerald has inquired about Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly. However, struggling clubs like the Predators are setting high asking prices. Fitzgerald faces overpaying to keep the team afloat, or try to ride this out and hope the prices drop.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-battered Devils will get some help as their sidelined players return to action. Whether they will get back in time to prevent the club from sliding further out of contention remains to be seen.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reported the Canucks liked Washington prospect Cole Hutson when the two sides were discussing a potential trade package for Hughes. However, the Capitals didn’t want to part with their top defensive prospect.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson, 19, is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens star Lane Hutson. Chosen in the second round (43rd overall) by the Capitals, he’s in his second season with Boston University.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch wonders if the Quinn Hughes trade, and the goalie swap that saw the Edmonton Oilers ship Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tristan Jarry, will shake the trade market loose.

The St. Louis Blues are reportedly open for business, and the Canucks still intend to entertain offers for their UFA-eligible players. The Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, and Nashville Predators are also prepared to make moves.

Garrioch pointed out that the upcoming holiday roster freeze begins at 11:59 pm ET on Dec. 19 and will remain in place until 12:01 am ET on Dec. 28.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2025

by | Dec 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 13, 2025

The Canucks trade Quinn Hughes to the Wild, Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is injured against the Blues, Lightning captain Victor Hedman is sidelined until February, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

CANUCKS SHIP QUINN HUGHES TO THE WILD IN A BLOCKBUSTER TRADE

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks traded defenseman Quinn Hughes on Friday to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for center Marco Rossi, left wing Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium, and a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The retooling of the Canucks roster is underway. Management reportedly knew for some time that Hughes wouldn’t sign a contract extension next summer.

Vancouver Canucks trade Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild (NHL Images).

The fault lies not with Hughes, one of the greatest players in Canucks history, but on a front office that failed to build a stable, winning roster around him. This move seemed inevitable following the drama between centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller, resulting in the latter’s trade to the New York Rangers in January.

The Canucks didn’t get full value from the Wild in this return, but no team ever does when they trade a superstar. What they got was three players who could have a positive long-term effect on their roster.

Rossi will fill the second-line center position and has the skills to become a reliable two-way forward. Ohgren and Buium are promising youngsters who could blossom into stars. They also get an unprotected first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, which they can keep for themselves or use as a trade chip to add another NHL-ready player to their roster.

Meanwhile, there’s no question that Minnesota is the immediate winner of this trade. General manager Bill Guerin has signaled his intent to turn the Wild into a Stanley Cup contender.

Hughes is a superstar, a Norris Trophy winner who brings a high level of skill to the Wild’s already deep defense core. He’ll also provide a significant measure of offense from the blueline, especially on the power play. His playmaking talent should mesh well with scoring stars Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy.

Guerin also hopes that Hughes will agree to a contract extension before his eligibility for unrestricted free agent status on July 1, 2027. The earliest he can sign it is next July, when the Wild would have an opportunity to sign him an eight-year, front-loaded, bonus-laden deal before the rules change for those types of contracts on Sept. 15, 2026.

At the very worst, the Wild have Hughes for two playoff runs. If he helps turn them into a Stanley Cup champion, or at least a Cup Finalist, they will consider it a worthwhile investment.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Chicago Blackhawks lost 3-2 to the St. Louis Blues, and they also lost franchise star Connor Bedard in the final second of the game.

Bedard injured his right shoulder after being checked by Blues captain Brayden Schenn off the faceoff in what Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill called “a freak accident”. Bedard left the ice immediately, gripping his shoulder in obvious pain.

Before the injury, Bedard assisted on both Blackhawks’ goals. He won’t play in Saturday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, and an update on his condition is expected on Monday. Blues defenseman Logan Mailloux scored his first of the season, and Robert Thomas set up two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is tied for third in league scoring (44 points) with San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini. His performance this season is the biggest reason why the rebuilding Blackhawks are jockeying for a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. A lengthy absence could send them into a tailspin. It could also jeopardize Bedard’s chances of playing for Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Utah Mammoth picked up their third win in their last 10 games by downing the Seattle Kraken 5-3. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth as they snapped a three-game losing skid. Mason Marchment scored twice for the Kraken, who’ve lost seven of their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken played without winger Jared McCann, who is sidelined for three weeks with a lower-body injury. He’s only appeared in 11 of his club’s 29 games this season.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman will undergo a procedure on his elbow that will sideline him until early February. The 34-year-old defenseman missed 12 games with the injury, returning to action last Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hedman is expected to be ready when the 2026 Winter Olympics begin in February. He will be playing for Sweden.

SPORTSNET: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat is expected to miss one to three weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Ducks, they activated goaltender Lukas Dostal off injured reserve on Friday.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Jets winger Nino Niederreiter will become the first Switzerland-born player to appear in 1,000 NHL regular-season games when his club faces the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forward Arseny Gritsyuk will be sidelined this weekend with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed defenseman Matt Dumba on waivers Friday. The move is a result of their acquisition of blueliner Brett Kulak as part of the return in yesterday’s trade that sent goaltender Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers for netminder Stuart Skinner.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators traded defenseman Spencer Stastney to the Oilers in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers added Stastney to fill the gap left by Kulak’s departure to Pittsburgh.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Sharks rookie center Michael Misa is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. It’s the second time he’s been sidelined in just over a month. He will miss the start of Canada’s training camp for the upcoming 2026 World Junior Championship.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes signed rookie defenseman Joel Nystrom to a four-year, $4.9 million contract extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2025

by | Dec 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2025

A four-goal performance by Predators forward Steven Stamkos, Canadiens rookie goalie Jacob Fowler wins his NHL debut, four-point performances by the Bruins’ David Pastrnak and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov, and more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Steven Stamkos had his second career four-goal NHL game as the Nashville Predators thumped the St. Louis Blues 7-2. Luke Evangelista collected three assists as the 12-14-4 Predators have won six of their last eight games. Winger Hugh McGing scored his first NHL goal as the Blues fell to 11-14-7.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is now six goals away from reaching 600 regular-season goals in his NHL career.

Montreal Canadiens rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler stopped 36 shots to win his first NHL game in a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Cole Caufield netted his 17th goal of the season while Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky each had two assists for the Canadiens (16-11-3). Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson replied for the 14-8-7 Penguins, who are 0-1-2 in their last three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler became the first Florida-born goaltender in NHL history. He’s also the fourth goaltender in Canadiens history to make his NHL debut against the Penguins, joining Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, and Carey Price.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied twice and collected two assists to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 6-3. Morgan Geekie had three assists for the Bruins, who extended their win streak to four games and improved to 19-13-0. Morgan Barron, Alex Iafallo, and Gabriel Vilardi scored for the struggling Jets (14-15-1) as they’ve lost three straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy collected an assist as he returned to action after missing 11 games due to a facial fracture.

The Tampa Bay Lightning pounded the New Jersey Devils 8-4. Nikita Kucherov had four assists while Jake Guentzel and Oliver Bjorkstrand each had three points for the Lightning (18-11-2), who reclaimed first place in the Atlantic Division with 38 points. Goalie Jacob Markstrom was replaced by Jake Allen after giving up three goals on seven shots as the Devils (17-13-1) have lost six of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning captain Victor Hedman was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Dave Randorf reports it’s the same injury that sidelined him for 12 games earlier this season. He will see a specialist for a second opinion, and it will be a couple of days before they know how long he’ll be sidelined.

Devils forward Timo Meier missed this game as he took a personal leave to attend to a family health matter.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi turned aside 22 shots to win his eighth straight start in a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Seth Jarvis scored the winning goal in the shootout, while Nikolaj Ehlers and Logan Stankoven each had a goal and an assist for the 19-9-2 Hurricanes, who moved past the Capitals into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 40 points. Connor McMichael and Rasmus Sandin each had two points for the Capitals (18-9-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bussi became the first goaltender in NHL history to win 10 of the first 11 games of his career. Meanwhile, the Capitals announced that sidelined rookie forward Ryan Leonard will miss three to four weeks with a shoulder injury.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist in a 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers. The league-leading Avalanche (22-2-7, 51 points) picked up its 10th straight home win. Noah Gregor and Mackie Samoskevich replied for the 15-13-2 Panthers as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all scorers with 25 goals and 53 points. Avalanche rookie forward Gavin Brindley had a goal and an assist as he returned from a 10-game absence due to a lower-body injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights got an overtime goal from captain Mark Stone to nip the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Stone finished with two goals while linemate Jack Eichel had two assists for the 15-6-9 Golden Knights, who took over first place in the Pacific Division with 39 points. Trevor Zegras and Noah Juulsen scored for the Flyers (16-9-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights opted not to play Carter Hart against this former club, pointing out that he was coming off back-to-back starts.

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee had two goals and two assists to lead his club over the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 5-2. Simon Holmstrom had a goal and two assists for the Islanders, who have won five of their last six games and improved to 18-11-3. Troy Terry had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (19-11-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Bo Horvat is listed as day-to-day after leaving this game in the second period with an injured left leg.

The Minnesota Wild defeated the Dallas Stars 5-2, snapping the latter’s 11-game points streak. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists, and Marcus Johansson tallied two goals for the 17-9-5 Wild. Miro Heiskanen had a goal and an assist for the Stars (21-6-5).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz left this game late in the third period with an injured foot. Earlier in the day, the Wild placed winger Mats Zuccarello and defenseman Jake Middleton on injured reserve.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman tallied a hat trick in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Connor McDavid picked up four assists for the 14-11-6 Oilers. Simon Edvidsson replied for the Red Wings (17-12-3) as their six-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Oilers placed forwards Jack Roslovic and Connor Clattenburg on injured reserve, and moved defenseman Jake Walman on long-term injury reserve.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle scored two goals in a 6-3 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Drake Batherson, Michael Amadio, and Dylan Cozens each had three points for the Senators (14-12-4) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Jet Greaves replaced Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins after giving up three goals on five shots as his club slipped to 13-12-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Lars Eller left this game with a lower-body injury. This was his second game back from an undisclosed injury.

An overtime goal by Alexander Wennberg lifted the San Jose Sharks over the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2. Wennberg finished with three points, and John Klingberg tied the game late in the third for the Sharks, who improved to 15-14-3. William Nylander had two assists for the Maple Leafs (14-11-5).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson left this game in the third period after injuring his left leg. He will be reevaluated on Friday. Before the game, the Leafs announced that sidelined blueliner Brandon Carlo (lower-body injury) underwent surgery and will be out for a month.

The Buffalo Sabres held off the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-2. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (13-14-4) as they picked up their first regulation road win since Apr. 1. Kiefer Sherwood and Max Sasson scored for the 11-17-3 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sabres placed goaltender Colten Ellis on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley is expected to miss at least eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a significant blow for the struggling Mammoth. He leads them with 14 goals and is fourth in points with 23.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 11, 2025

by | Dec 11, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 11, 2025

Are the Devils interested in Ryan O’Reilly? Are the Oilers still interested in Tristan Jarry? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast,” Elliotte Friedman said he believes Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly remains a legitimate trade target for the New Jersey Devils.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (NHL Images).

However, as with the Devils’ rumored interest in O’Reilly’s teammate Steven Stamkos and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, salary-cap space would be an issue, especially if the Predators didn’t want to retain salary in the deal. That means the Devils must make a separate cost-cutting trade with another team before attempting to add O’Reilly.

Friedman also noted that O’Reilly lacks a no-trade clause, but the Predators are treating him as though he does. He would have to agree to go to New Jersey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Until this season, the Devils could attempt a three-team trade that would spread O’Reilly’s cap hit around. However, that’s no longer possible. A second salary retention on the same contract can only happen 75 regular-season days later.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe recently acknowledged the Edmonton Oilers’ rumored interest in Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. He reported that Penguins sources claimed the Oilers had inquired about the 31-year-old goaltender, who is enjoying a bounce-back season thus far.

However, Yohe doesn’t expect the Penguins to be sellers if they remain in the playoff race this season. He’d be surprised if Jarry, forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, and defenseman Erik Karlsson are moved.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins continue to rebuild…er, sorry, retool their roster by transitioning younger players into the lineup. However, a chance at reaching the playoffs is a great way to keep your players motivated and your fans invested. Another shot at the postseason for future Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin is great for ticket sales.

If the Penguins collapse over the next couple of months, then Jarry could be available by the March 6 trade deadline. However, that might be too late to save the Oilers’ season. They must look elsewhere for goaltending help.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 7, 2025

by | Dec 7, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 7, 2025

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: the Devils reportedly spoke to the Canucks about Quinn Hughes, and the Oilers could be interested in Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New Jersey Devils are looking around to see what’s in the trade market.

Friedman believes they had a conversation with the Vancouver Canucks about Quinn Hughes soon after the Canucks informed the rest of the league that they’re open for business. He doesn’t believe that anything is imminent or how far those discussions went, but thinks that there was a conversation about where things stand and where they might be going.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hughes’ contract expires at the end of next season. The 26-year-old defenseman has been the subject of conjecture suggesting he could be reunited with his brothers, Jack and Luke, who both play for the Devils.

Hughes was asked about the report following the Canucks’ win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. He said that he wasn’t part of a call involving Canucks president Jim Rutherford and Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald, but stated that he was aware that things like that might happen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils may have been conducting due diligence regarding Hughes, such as asking the Canucks to keep them in mind if they decide to trade the superstar blueliner. He’s reportedly not among the players the Canucks are willing to move before the March 6 trade deadline, focusing more on those who are eligible to become unrestricted free agents next July.

Nevertheless, this is only going to stoke speculation that Hughes will be traded if he remains noncommittal about signing a contract extension next summer. He lacks no-trade protection, giving the Canucks a broad field of potential trade partners.

The move could take place during the summer, when teams have more cap space and a willingness to make blockbuster deals. However, as we saw with Mikko Rantanen last season, we can’t dismiss the possibility of a major move occurring before the March trade deadline.

Two of their trade targets also include Nashville Predators forwards Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly. Stamkos, 35, has a full no-movement clause. The 34-year-old O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but Friedman said the veteran center has been promised verbally by Predators management that he will have a say.

The Devils are pressed against the salary cap. Friedman believes any move they make will have to be a dollar-in, dollar-out situation, meaning they must move salary in any deal they make. He also has nothing from the New Jersey side about what it would take to get Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes is a superstar, and that means parting with multiple assets. The Canucks will likely want a multiplayer return, including promising blueliner Simon Nemec, at least one of their top prospects, and a couple of draft picks (including a first-rounder).

They won’t have to part with as much for aging stars like Stamkos or O’Reilly. Nevertheless, it will mean moving a salaried player as part of the return. And no, that doesn’t mean Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, or Luke Hughes would be moved. Dougie Hamilton surfaced during the summer in the rumor mill, but he has a 10-team trade list and insists he wants to stay in New Jersey.

Friedman believes there is legitimate interest by the Edmonton Oilers in Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. However, it would be extremely complicated and might not be possible.

Jarry is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $5.375 million. However, the Penguins will not retain salary, and the Oilers are cap-strapped and would have to shed salary. It would not be a Jarry for Stuart Skinner situation, as they’d prefer to pair Jarry with Skinner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That sounds like a move that might have to happen during the offseason, when the Oilers will have more cap room to work with. However, by that point, the situation could change. Jarry could struggle again, or a better goalie might become available.