NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2025

by | Dec 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2025

Quinn Hughes and Zeev Buium debut with their new clubs, the Mammoth stage a three-goal comeback win, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Quinn Hughes scored in his debut game with the Minnesota Wild in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman each had three points for the Wild (19-9-5) as they picked up their fourth straight win. Alex Steeves and Andrew Peeke replied for the 19-14-0 Bruins as their four-game win streak ended.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild acquired Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. He’s not committed to signing a contract extension, but the 26-year-old superstar defenseman said he will be “extremely open-minded” about it before his deal expires in 2027.

Meanwhile, Kaprizov reached the 20-goal plateau for the sixth consecutive season. Bruins winger Viktor Arvidsson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Zeev Buium had a goal and an assist in his first game with the 12-17-3 Canucks. Luke Hughes scored for the Devils (18-14-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buium, Marco Rossi, and Liam Ohgren were part of the return the Canucks received from the Wild in exchange for Hughes. All three played in this game.

Earlier in the day, the Canucks placed center Elias Pettersson on injured reserve and activated Rossi off IR. They also sent winger Lukas Reichel to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford after he cleared waivers.

An overtime goal by Dylan Guenther completed a 5-4 comeback by the Utah Mammoth over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Mammoth overcame a 3-0 deficit in the third period and took a 4-3 lead before the Penguins’ Justin Brazeau tied it to force overtime. Michael Carcone tallied twice for the Mammoth, who improved to 16-15-3. Brazeau had two goals and Ben Kindel had a goal and two assists for the Penguins (14-8-9), as their winless streak extended to 0-1-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second game in as many days that the Penguins blew a big lead, having fallen 6-5 in overtime to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Penguins rookie goalie Sergei Murashov gave up five goals on 37 shots.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov tallied in the shootout to lift the Carolina Hurricanes over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Hurricanes rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi made 24 saves to extend his win streak to nine games, giving him 11 in 12 games this season. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist as the 16-9-6 Flyers extended their winless skid to 0-0-3, while the Hurricanes (21-9-2) have won four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 44 points. Their blueline got a boost with the return of Jaccob Slavin, who missed 29 games with a lower-body injury.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 27-save performance from Jakub Dobes for a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson each collected two assists for the Canadiens, who improved to 17-11-4. Zach Hyman scored for the 15-12-6 Oilers.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson extended his goal streak to four games as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots for the Sabres, who have won three straight games and improved to 14-14-4. Chandler Stephenson scored for the 12-12-6 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Mason Marchment missed this game with the flu.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway suffered a lower-body injury during practice on Sunday.

ESPN.COM: The NHL Board of Governors would like to have more games in which both home and road teams wear solid-colored jerseys.










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 14, 2025

by | Dec 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 14, 2025

The Sharks’ five-goal comeback win, Tristan Jarry’s debut with the Oilers, and Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s return to action highlight the recaps of Saturday’s action in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the third period to upset the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5 on an overtime goal by John Klingberg, who finished the game with two goals. Tyler Toffolli scored twice and assisted on two others while Macklin Celebrini and Alexander Wennberg each had three points as the Sharks improved to 16-14-3. Bryan Rust and Anthony Mantha each had a goal and two assists for the Penguins (14-8-8), who are winless in their last four games (0-1-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev left this game with upper-body injuries. Earlier in the day, the Sharks provided an update on center Michael Misa, saying he was not injured as originally reported and will report to Canada’s training camp for the upcoming 2026 World Junior Championship.

Penguins defenseman Matt Dumba cleared waivers and was sent to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Tristan Jarry made 25 saves to win his first game with the Edmonton Oilers as they downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3. Connor McDavid scored two goals and set up another, Leon Draisaitl had three assists, and Vasily Podkolzin tallied twice for the 15-11-6 Oilers. Steven Lorentz had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who sank to 14-12-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, the Oilers acquired Jarry from the Penguins in exchange for Stuart Skinner in a multiplayer trade on Friday.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots in his return from knee surgery to defeat the Washington Capitals 5-1. Gabriel Vilardi scored two goals while Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, Adam Lowry, and Alex Iafallo each had two points for the 15-15-1 Jets, snapping a three-game losing skid. Jakob Chychrun tallied for the Capitals (18-10-4), who have lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are a different team with Hellebuyck in the lineup. They were 12-7-0 before his surgery, and 2-8-1 during his absence. Meanwhile, the Capitals took goalie Charlie Lindgren off injured reserve.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche picked up their 11th straight home win with a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who improved to 23-2-7 (53 points). Jonathan Marchessault and Tyson Jost replied for the 12-15-4 Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league this season with 26 goals and 55 points in 32 games.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb snapped a 2-2 tie as his club nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Mitch Marner had three assists as the Golden Knights (16-6-9) extended their points streak to seven games. Charlie Coyle and Yegor Chinakhov scored for the Blue Jackets, who have lost five straight and dropped to 13-13-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific Division with 51 points.

The Carolina Hurricanes overcame an early 2-0 deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jackson Blake scored the winner in the shootout while Shayne Gostisbehere picked up two assists for the Hurricanes (20-9-2), who collected their third straight win. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the 16-9-5 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 42 points.

New York Islanders forward Emil Heineman scored the winning goal in the shootout to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Ilya Sorokin made 32 saves while Matthew Schaefer and Calum Ritchie scored for the Islanders (19-11-3), who have won three straight games. Darren Raddysh and J.J. Moser scored for the Lightning (18-11-3) as they overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Islanders inducted Pat LaFontaine into their Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. LaFontaine began his 15-season NHL career with the Islanders in 1983-84, spending eight seasons with them and netting 566 of his 1,013 regular-season points with them. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.

An overtime goal by J.T. Miller gave the New York Rangers a 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens. It was the second of two goals for Miller, and teammates Will Cuylle and Noah Laba each had a goal and an assist for the 16-13-1 Rangers, who ended a three-game winless skid. Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson each had two assists for the Canadiens (16-11-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, it was announced that former Canadiens forward Bobby Rousseau had passed away at the age of 85. He spent 10 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Canadiens from 1960-61 to 1969-70, winning four Stanley Cups. Rousseau also played for the Rangers and Minnesota North Stars. He had 245 goals and 458 assists for 703 points in 942 regular-season games, and 84 points in 128 playoff games.

My condolences to Rousseau’s family, friends, and former teammates.

The Minnesota Wild squeaked past the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on a goal by Joel Eriksson Ek with 24 seconds left in the third period. Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves while Tyler Pitlick and Ryan Hartman scored for the 18-9-5 Wild, who picked up their third straight win. Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens scored for the Senators (14-13-4) as they overcame a 2-0 deficit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quinn Hughes will make his debut with Minnesota on Sunday against the Boston Bruins. The Wild acquired the superstar defenseman from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen stopped 30 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, ending a five-game losing streak. Ondrej Palat, Colton White, and Juho Lammikko each had two assists for the 18-13-1 Devils. Troy Terry replied for the 19-12-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Simon Nemec missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to miss some time, though no details have been provided yet as to how long he’ll be sidelined. He joins a growing list of injured Devils, including Jack Hughes, Brett Pesce, Arseny Gritsyuk, Evgenii Dadonov, Zack MacEwen, and Johnathan Kovacevic.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane tallied his 498th career regular-season NHL goal as his club blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. John Gibson turned in a 26-save shutout while Alex DeBrincat scored twice and had an assist for the 18-12-3 Red Wings. Arvid Soderblom made 20 saves on 23 shots for the 13-13-6 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks called up top prospect Nick Lardis for some offensive support. Meanwhile, Blackhawks center Connor Bedard missed this game with an upper-body injury. More information on his status is expected on Monday.

The Florida Panthers got a 15-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to defeat the Dallas Stars 4-0. Brad Marchand had two goals and an assist for the Panthers, who improved to 16-13-2. Jake Oettinger made 19 saves on 22 shots for the 21-7-5 Stars.

Calgary Flames forward Morgan Frost scored in overtime for a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Blake Coleman also scored, and Dustin Wolf turned aside 20 shots for the 13-16-4 Flames, who’ve won four of their last five contests. Adrian Kempe scored, and Darcy Kuemper kicked out 36 shots for the 14-8-9 Kings.










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 Rumor Mill – December 12, 2025

by | Dec 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 12, 2025

The latest on Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, plus updates on Kings center Phillip Danault, Ducks center Ryan Strome, Maple Leafs winger Matias Maccelli, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

QUINN HUGHES TRADE RUMORS HEATING UP

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports that trade talks involving Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes have started. The club has set a very high asking price for the 26-year-old superstar defenseman.

Friedman believes a “young, impactful center” is very important to the Canucks. He believes a deal isn’t impossible without one, “but it will require something special to offset that desire.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Multiple sources said that there was no truth to rumors that Hughes informed Canucks management last summer that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension. Friedman believes the Canucks could wait until the draft next June to move Hughes if they can’t find a suitable deal before the March trade deadline.

Hughes lacks no-trade protection, and the Canucks have indicated they would be prepared to move him to any team. It’s believed Hughes would prefer playing in the East, but they could ship him to a Western club for the right price. Friedman thinks the Capitals would be open to taking on Hughes for the remainder of his contract, depending on the price.

Friedman also pointed out that nothing’s stopping the Canucks from attempting to re-sign Hughes next July to an eight-year extension. He believes that would mean Hughes would be invested for a few more seasons, with the understanding that he could be traded if he doesn’t like what he sees from the Canucks by then.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Talks being underway could mean teams are calling the Canucks about what it would cost to acquire Hughes, and the Canucks are obliging them by seeking what one executive told Friedman was an “outrageous” return. They may not be at the stage yet where they’re swapping offers. Nevertheless, there’s a growing sense that this season could be Hughes’ last in Vancouver.

Trading a big star during the season isn’t impossible. Winger Mikko Rantanen was moved by the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes within six weeks before last season’s deadline.

However, Hughes is a Norris Trophy defenseman in his prime. The Canucks want a much bigger return than what the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes received for Rantanen.

Draft picks and prospects will be part of the deal, but the Canucks will also want a good young NHL player or two. Some teams could risk weakening their roster depth to get Hughes. Others could be leery about gutting their prospect pools.

Salary cap space is another significant factor. Hughes’ $7.85 million cap hit through 2026-27 is a bargain for a player of his caliber, but it’s still not easy for some teams to absorb. If they plan on signing him to an extension, it could eat up at least $18 million annually.

Friedman believes the New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and Washington Capitals could be among the suitors. He doesn’t see a trade match with the New York Rangers. The Philadelphia Flyers lack a center, but Friedman wondered what else they might come up with. He claimed sources dismissed the notion of the Pittsburgh Penguins getting involved. The Utah Mammoth have plenty of draft picks and prospects to make a competitive offer. Friedman doesn’t rule out the Carolina Hurricanes looking into this.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman reported last Saturday that the Devils had asked the Canucks about Hughes. The Red Wings are being mentioned partly because Hughes played his formative hockey years in Michigan, plus they have the cap space and plentiful trade assets to pull this off if they want to.

Capitals beat writer Sammi Silber of The Hockey News doesn’t doubt the Capitals may have done due diligence, but she doesn’t think there’s a trade to be made here. Silber doesn’t see them parting with any of their top players for Hughes, especially for a short-term tenure. The asking price could cost them rookie forward Ryan Leonard and prospect defenseman Cole Hutson. Meanwhile, they made a long-term investment in Jakob Chychrun, who handles the left-side top-pairing role on their blueline.

As for the Flyers, winger Owen Tippett has come up in trade rumors this season, but he’s not going to offset the Canucks’ desire for a young, impactful center. The Hurricanes could try, but their big swings tend to be for scoring centers, and they’ve got Jaccob Slavin filling the first-pairing left-side defense role.

The Mammoth have the draft picks and prospects, and their recent struggles following their hot start could have them looking to shake things up. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely they’d want Hughes if he’s unwilling to commit beyond 2027.

Meanwhile, RG.Org’s James Murphy also reported the Penguins aren’t expected to be among the bidders for Hughes. He also ruled out the Boston Bruins as a suitor. According to Murphy, the Penguins are sticking to their rebuild timeline, while the Bruins’ focus is on adding a scoring forward.

OTHER RUMOR TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Friedman said several sources claim the Los Angeles Kings aren’t interested in trading struggling center Phillip Danault without a very good reason, since centers are difficult to find.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL insider Frank Seravalli claimed the Montreal Canadiens were among the clubs sniffing around Danault. He believes the 32-year-old center could be moved before the Dec. 20 roster freeze. Despite Danault’s offensive difficulties this season, the Kings aren’t likely to move him while they’re still in the playoff chase.

Teams interested in a center are watching Ryan Strome of the Anaheim Ducks. He had a delayed start to the season and has been in and out of the lineup.

Other forwards struggling for playing time to watch include Maxim Tsyplakov of the New York Islanders and Matias Maccelli of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Several teams were interested in Mason Marchment last summer before he was traded to the Seattle Kraken. Friedman suggested they might want to keep an eye on him, though he doesn’t expect anything to happen until Jaden Schwartz returns from injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 10, 2025

by | Dec 10, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 10, 2025

Check out the latest Quinn Hughes speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Nick Kypreos reports the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils have had contact regarding Quinn Hughes going back to last summer, but he wonders how far they are in actual trade talks.

Kypreos claimed New Jersey defenseman Simon Nemec is “out there”, along with center Dawson Mercer, and any of the Devils’ first-round draft picks over the next three years have to be in play.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

According to Kypreos, the Canucks believe there are teams open to the idea of acquiring Hughes without any assurances of signing him to a contract extension once his current deal expires in 2027. He wondered if the Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks might get involved in the bidding.

The Canucks seek four or five pieces for Hughes, including roster players, prospects, and draft picks. They want the first-round picks to be unprotected.

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek wondered if Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would attempt to make a major move by acquiring Hughes.

Marek noted that Yzerman has a reputation for being patient, but pointed out that they have lots of salary cap space and won’t have a franchise player to spend it on in next summer’s unrestricted free-agent market. He argued that it might be time for Yzerman to start drawing on some of his promising prospects as trade bait to add an impact player now.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols noted the Devils aren’t believed to be the only team to have called the Canucks about Hughes. He noted the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Penguins have also been linked to the superstar defenseman.

Nichols considers the Red Wings as the only real threat to the Devils’ chances of landing Hughes. He noted that they have more assets to tempt the Canucks, including at center with Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson as players of potential interest.

However, Nichols questioned whether the Wings and other clubs would trade away assets if Hughes isn’t interested in signing an extension with them. He pointed out that the opportunity for Hughes to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke, in New Jersey gives the Devils an edge.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to Kypreos, some teams might not have an issue with trading away assets to get Hughes as a two-year playoff rental. Nevertheless, Nichols makes a good point that not everyone will want to give up a king’s ransom for a player they’ll lose to free agency in 2027.

The Red Wings have another advantage over the Devils, and that is in salary-cap space.

For this season, the Wings currently have over $17 million in available cap space, while the Devils are pressed for cap room. If the Devils intend to acquire Hughes this season, they must shed considerable salary to make room for his $7.85 million average annual value

For 2026-27, the final season of Hughes’ contract, the Red Wings have a projected $41.8 million, while the Devils have $10.35 million. Even if we factor in the cost of re-signing players, the Wings would still have a significant edge.

For the 2027-28 season, the Devils have over $47 million, but we can expect that number to drop significantly by next season as players are re-signed and new ones are added via trades and free agency. The same applies to the Red Wings and their projected $77.2 million, but even then, they still have the advantage.

Hughes could accept a trade to another club like the Wings, decline to sign an extension, and hit the UFA market in 2027. However, the Devils must still clear considerable cap space if they want to reunite Quinn with Jack and Luke.