NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2025

by | Nov 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2025

The Predators beat the Penguins in the first games of their Global Series, Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer makes history with an overtime goal, and the latest injury updates in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Steven Stamkos lifted the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first game of their two-game Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. The Predators (6-9-4) overcame a 1-0 deficit as Filip Forsberg scored late in the third period to send the game to overtime. Evgeni Malkin scored for the 9-5-4 Penguins.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images).

New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer became the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal (18 years, 70 days) to nip the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Emil Heineman and Jonathan Drouin also scored for the Islanders (10-6-2), who picked up their fourth straight win. JJ Peterka and Dylan Guenther scored for the 10-7-1 Mammoth, who have dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer sits atop this season’s rookie scoring race with 15 points in 18 games.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Sebastian Aho. Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and collected an assist, and Shayne Gostisbehere picked up three assists as the Hurricanes improved to 12-5-0. Center Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (8-9-2), who are winless in their last three contests (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forwards Seth Jarvis and Jesperi Kotkaniemi left this game with injuries. Jarvis was accidentally clipped in the eye by Svechnikov’s stick in the first period, but he’s not expected to miss much time. Kotkaniemi left after the first period with a lower-body injury.

Earlier in the day, the Canucks placed goaltender Thatcher Demko (lower body) on injured reserve.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras had two goals and an assist in regulation and tallied the only goal in the shootout in a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Blues. Owen Tippett had a goal and three assists, and Christian Dvorak also had two goals and an assist for the 9-5-3 Flyers. Richard Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Jimmy Snuggerud each had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who dropped to 6-8-4.

INJURY UPDATES

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Joseph Woll from his AHL conditioning stint, and placed captain Auston Matthews (lower body) on injured reserve.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW/CBS SPORTS: Devils center Jack Hughes suffered a hand injury during a team dinner on Thursday when he slipped and cut his hand in a fluke accident. He’s not expected to play against the Washington Capitals on Saturday and will continue to be evaluated.

Meanwhile, the Devils placed forward Connor Brown (upper body) on injured reserve.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Alex Newhook underwent surgery on Friday to repair a fractured ankle. He is expected to be sidelined for four months. The Canadiens also announced that defenseman Kaiden Guhle will be out for 8 to 10 weeks with a partially torn adductor muscle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will test the depth of the young Canadiens roster. Newhook was off to a terrific start before this injury with 12 points in 17 games. Guhle’s been out since Oct. 16.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings goaltender John Gibson returned to practice on Friday after leaving Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks with an upper-body injury. He revealed he’d left due to a headache after being struck by two shots off his facemask.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed defenseman Troy Stecher on waivers and demoted winger Isaac Howard to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. The moves were made to create room for winger Zach Hyman and blueliner Alec Regula, who are both returning from injuries.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2025

by | Oct 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2025

Jonathan Toews scores as the Jets win their fifth straight game, the Golden Knights extend their points streak, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Jonathan Toews scored his first goal with his hometown Winnipeg Jets in a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Mark Scheifele also scored for the Jets as they picked up their fifth straight win. Rasmus Andersson scored for the Flames, who’ve lost six straight (1-6-0) and sit last in the overall standings.

Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was Toews’ first goal since his final game with the Chicago Blackhawks on Apr. 13, 2023. The 37-year-old center has four points in his first six games of this season. Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames placed little-used defenseman Daniil Miromanov on waivers earlier in the day.

The Vegas Golden Knights extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2) by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1, snapping the latter’s five-game season-opening win streak. Akira Schmid made 22 saves in relief of Adin Hill after the latter was sidelined in the first period with an injured left leg. Ivan Barbashev had a goal and an assist, and Mitch Marner collected two assists for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the overall standings with 12 points. Nikolaj Ehlers collected his first point with the Hurricanes by assisting on Sebastian Aho’s goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Golden Knights placed captain Mark Stone (wrist) on injured reserve. Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 30 shots in a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, snapping the latter’s two-game win streak. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki collected two assists to extend his points streak to six games, and Lane Hutson tallied the game-winner for the 5-2-0 Canadiens. Alex Lyon made 27 saves, and Jiri Kulich and Tyson Kozak scored for the 2-4-0 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres defenseman Beck Malenstyn missed this game for personal reasons.

The Philadelphia Flyers got two goals from winger Owen Tippett to down the Seattle Kraken 5-2. Cam York had three assists and Sean Couturier collected two helpers for the Flyers, who improved their record to 3-2-1. Jordan Eberle and Jani Nyma replied for the Kraken as they suffered their first regulation loss (3-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jared McCann missed this contest with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Minnesota Wild rookie winger Danila Yurov scored his first NHL goal as his club beat the New York Rangers 3-1. Jonas Brodin and Kirill Kaprizov also scored for the 3-3-1 Wild. Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers as their record dropped to 3-4-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Marco Rossi and defenseman Zach Bogosian missed this game as they’re day-to-day with lower-body injuries. Meanwhile, Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy returned to action after missing the last four games with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, and Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood were the three stars for the week ending Oct. 19, 2025.

RG.ORG: Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish is happy to have put his protracted contract negotiations behind him. The 22-year-old center enjoys playing head coach Joel Quenneville’s up-tempo, aggressive system. He’s now focused on helping his club reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish missed training camp due to his contract negotiations, but it hasn’t adversely affected his performance thus far in this regular season. He’s tied for second among Ducks scorers with five points in as many games.

THE SCORE: Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno has rejoined his teammates after taking a leave of absence to be with his 12-year-old daughter as she underwent follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease. She is now at home and doing well.

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks placed Filip Chytil and Jonathan Lekkerimaki on injured reserve after the two forwards were sidelined during Sunday’s game against the Washington Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chytil left the game following a high hit from Capitals winger Tom Wilson. He has a history of concussions and is still being evaluated.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen is expected to miss several games after leaving Sunday’s contest with the Detroit Red Wings. Meanwhile, Oilers anthem singer Robert Clark announced he has been diagnosed with leukemia. He’ll undergo treatment starting next month, and hopes not to miss too much time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Clark for a swift and full recovery.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 4, 2025

by | Sep 4, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – September 4, 2025

Check out the latest on Ducks center Mason McTavish and Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RG.ORG: James Murphy wondered if the NHL trade market for a second-line center would pick up with all general managers and coaches gathered in Detroit for meetings this week.

An NHL executive told Murphy he’s not sure, but he indicated that talks are picking up again. “I just think there are more buyers than sellers still,” he said.

Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish? (NHL Images)

The biggest name remains center Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks. A restricted free agent, McTavish remains unsigned with training camp two weeks away. However, an NHL executive told Murphy that there is no indication of an impasse between the 22-year-old center and Ducks management.

According to Murphy’s sources, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has not yet signaled to his peers that he’s shopping McTavish.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Verbeek and the McTavish camp have kept their contract talks out of the media for the most part. Nevertheless, Ducks beat writer Eric Stephens of The Athletic reported last month that the club wants to sign McTavish, claiming the two sides had exchanged several different contract proposals.

Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild (who recently signed a three-year contract), Jared McCann of the Seattle Kraken, Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames, and Boston Bruins forwards Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha have been mentioned as possible trade candidates. However, the executive told Murphy that he wondered which ones were really available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild didn’t sign Rossi with the intention of trading him. McCann has spent most of his tenure with the Kraken as a winger. Kadri has a full no-movement clause and hasn’t requested a trade, nor are the Flames interested in moving him.

Mittelstadt and/or Zacha could be available later this season if the Bruins fail to rebound from their disappointing 2024-25 campaign. For now, it’s unlikely either one will be moved.

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith reports Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold said his club wasn’t that far off from getting winger Kirill Kaprizov signed to a contract extension.

The 28-year-old superstar is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. His average annual value on his current contract is $9 million.

Contract extension talks have been ongoing during the summer, but the lack of a deal thus far has raised some speculation about his future with the Wild.

“I kind of think we’re there,” Leipold said. “I like to believe when Kirill comes over and gets a sense again for the excitement and the love of the city, I think we’ll be moving in a good direction”.

Leipold is prepared to open the vault for Kaprizov. “This will be a huge deal, likely the biggest in the NHL ever,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bleacher Report’s Frank Seravalli believes the AAV for Kaprizov’s next contract will be in the $15 million range. Smith’s colleague, Michael Russo, said he’s heard it could go as high as $16 million. The only question is whether he’ll want the maximum deal or a shorter term.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 23, 2025

by | Aug 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 23, 2025

Matthew Tkachuk undergoes surgery, William Nylander talks about former teammate Mitch Marner, Marco Rossi’s contract standoff is over, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RDS.CA: cited David Pagnotta of the NHL Network reporting Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk underwent surgery several weeks ago.

Tkachuk, 27, was injured during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February. He sat out the remainder of the regular season before returning for the playoffs.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Pagnotta claimed Tkachuk will be sidelined until January, making it likely that he’ll be able to play for Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy in February.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup in June, Tkachuk admitted he might have to undergo surgery after suffering a torn adductor and a sports hernia.

The Panthers currently sit above the $95.5 million salary cap by $4.5 million. Teams are allowed to be above the cap by 10 percent but must be cap-compliant when they begin the regular season.

Tkachuk earns an average annual value of $9.5 million. The Panthers will likely place him on long-term injury reserve at the start of their regular-season schedule. However, they’ll have to shed salary to get under the cap when Tkachuk returns to action in January.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander said former teammate Mitch Marner had no premeditated plans to leave the club as a free agent at the end of last season.

“Not sure where that stuff comes from, but I don’t think he was ever thinking of leaving ahead of time,” said Nylander. “I actually asked him during the season, and he said he was concentrating on Toronto. I didn’t want to press him on that and let him be because it was obviously on his mind, but his play was focused on helping us.”

Nylander said he asked Marner again after the season, and he said he wasn’t sure.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander addressed this because there was some media chatter suggesting Marner had made up his mind to leave the Leafs and head to the Vegas Golden Knights months in advance.

THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE: The contract standoff between the Minnesota Wild and Marco Rossi ended on Friday with the 23-year-old center signing a three-year, $15 million deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The average annual value (AAV) is $5 million, but Rossi will receive $4 million in actual salary this season, $5 million next season, and $6 million in 2027-28. He lacks no-trade protection because he’s ineligible at this stage of his career to have it included in this contract.

The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports sources claim Rossi rejected a five-year, $25 million contract, countering with a three-year proposal worth more than the $5 million AAV that the two sides ultimately agreed to. He was coming off his entry-level contract, had little leverage in negotiations, and didn’t want to miss training camp or the start of the season.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin told Russo that the Rossi camp re-engaged with them about a month ago. The young center said he’s happy to have a deal done and is looking forward to the coming season.

The Wild got Rossi at their price, but it could cost them considerably more to re-sign him if his performance improves over the next three years.

RDS.CA: A year after being traded to the Washington Capitals, Pierre-Luc Dubois said the entire organization made him feel welcome and comfortable from the start. He responded with a career-best 66-point performance last season.

Dubois said the opportunities he received with the Capitals weren’t the same as those with his previous teams. He claimed that they made him feel like they wanted him to succeed, would give him the chance to do so, and told him to be himself.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois’ performance last season played a substantial role in the Capitals exceeding expectations by finishing first in the Eastern Conference.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Florida Panthers signed forward Luke Kunin to a one-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates Kunin will earn $775K for 2025-26. That contract is also easy to bury in the minors as a cost-cutting measure to make room for Matthew Tkachuk’s return to the lineup in January if necessary.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on “X” that it appears the NHL will move ahead with preparations for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey without the International Ice Hockey Federation. “The league has informed the IIHF it intends on working directly with each Hockey Federation in planning the 2028 event.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could clear the way for Russia to participate in the NHL-sanctioned World Cup. That nation is banned from IIHF-sanctioned events because it invaded Ukraine.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2025

by | Aug 22, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2025

Check out the latest on Marco Rossi and Mason McTavish in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: cited a report by Michael Russo of The Athletic claiming there’s been “significant progress” toward a potential new contract for Marco Rossi. The 23-year-old Minnesota Wild center is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi (NHL Images)

Russo speculates an agreement between Rossi and the Wild could be announced in the coming days. He believes it will be a bridge contract.

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited two NHL sources claiming the Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken recently revisited their interest in Rossi to see where things stand in his contract talks with the Wild.

Neither source provided specifics as to the Wild’s asking price for Rossi. Both suggested one target could be Kraken winger Jared McCann, who is entering the fourth year of a five-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s been the subject of trade speculation since last season. It was reported that his camp sought a long-term deal between $6 million and $7 million annually, while the Wild reportedly weren’t willing to go much higher than $5 million on a short-term deal.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin never ruled out trading Rossi, but he consistently stated his preference is to sign the young center. Based on Russo’s report, the latter is more likely to happen.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reports the Anaheim Ducks want to re-sign Mason McTavish. Like Rossi, the 22-year-old center is a restricted free agent coming off his ELC and has been the subject of growing trade speculation this summer.

Stephens claims the Ducks intend to keep McTavish, seeing him as an important part of their lineup. He indicated the two sides have gone back and forth on short and long-term proposals. The Ducks may not wish to go to the maximum eight-year deal, but they’re not just looking at a bridge deal.

There’s been lots of speculation about which teams need a second-line center and possible trade destinations for McTavish. Stephens believes teams have asked Ducks GM Verbeek about him.

“You know who else needs a second-line center? Anaheim,” replied Stephens. “And it has one that’s 22 and on the rise with a strong finishing kick to last season.” He believes Verbeek sees McTavish as a core player more than he did former Ducks Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the first report I’ve seen this summer from a Ducks beat writer on the status of McTavish’s contract negotiations. All the trade speculation about the young center has come from pundits in other NHL cities.

Stephens pointed out that Verbeek has a reputation as a tough negotiator, which would explain why this situation hasn’t been resolved yet. He also noted that there is still plenty of time for the two sides to get a deal done before training camp opens in mid-September.

We haven’t heard anything from the McTavish camp yet, but that could be because they’d prefer not to discuss those negotiations with the media.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 19, 2025

by | Aug 19, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 19, 2025

How Jeremy Swayman’s contract dispute last summer may be affecting this summer’s RFAs, and the Oilers might be interested in a Bruins winger. Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

RG.ORG: James Murphy recently reported that an NHL executive believes Jeremy Swayman’s contract dispute with the Boston Bruins last summer might be affecting current restricted free agents as the market remains quiet.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi (NHL Images)

The 26-year-old goaltender missed all of training camp and the preseason before signing a new contract in October. He struggled throughout the 2024-25 campaign, which contributed to the Bruins missing the playoffs.

This summer’s notable unsigned RFAs include Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary, and Nashville Predators winger Luke Evangelista.

McTavish and Rossi have become the focus of trade rumors, with recent speculation suggesting Rossi could follow Swayman’s example and sit out training camp until the Wild meet his contract demands or compromise more.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A contract standoff that carries over into training camp and preseason rarely ends well. Once an agreement is reached, the player tends to struggle after missing the opportunity to prepare for the coming season with his teammates in practice and in game situations. Depending on that player’s importance, it can adversely affect the club’s performance.

For now, there’s no indication that Rossi, McTavish, Hughes, Zary or Evangelista will end up going that route. Training camps open in mid-September, leaving plenty of time for them to be signed to new deals.

Some of them could receive offer sheets, except for Hughes, as he’s ineligible. However, the Ducks, Wild, Flames, and Predators have sufficient cap space to match, making such an attempt pointless.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited a rumor suggesting “the Boston Bruins and Edmonton may be cooking up a deal” that would send winger Fabian Lysell to the Oilers.

Staples noted that Lysell, whom the Bruins chose 21st overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, has struggled to crack their roster. He dismissed the possibility that the Oilers would part with promising Matt Savoie or winger Vasily Podkolzin to get him. Staples doesn’t see Lysell as a fit with the Oilers unless he’s a ferocious backchecker and forechecker like Savoie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only way this makes sense for the Oilers is if the cap-strapped club is trying to shed salary by moving out Podkolzin’s $1 million cap hit. However, acquiring Lysell and his $863K cap hit isn’t much of a savings.