NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2026

by | Jan 30, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2026

A record-setting night for the Red Wings’ Patrick Kane, the Sabres’ Alex Tuch and Alex Lyon, the Hurricanes’ Brandon Bussi, and the Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Patrick Kane collected an assist to set the league record for most career regular-season points by a U.S.-born player (1,375), but his Detroit Red Wings dropped a 4-3 decision to the Washington Capitals on a shootout goal by Nic Dowd. Jacob Chychrun had three assists and Dylan Strome a goal and an assist for the Capitals (26-22-7), who blew a 3-1 lead as Alex DeBrincat tallied twice to force overtime and the shootout for the 32-17-6 Red Wings.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane surpassed Hall of Famer Mike Modano, who gave a videotaped tribute to the Red Wings stars that was aired after the record was broken. The next milestone for Kane is to become the first American-born player to reach the 1,400-point milestone.

The Capitals were without starting goaltender Logan Thompson for this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Backup Charlie Lindgren suffered a lower-body injury near the end of overtime, but toughed it out and remained in goal for the shootout rounds. Lindgren was helped off the ice by his teammates following Dowd’s winning goal.

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch tallied a hat trick in a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Alex Lyon made 37 saves, and Jack Quinn collected three assists for the 31-17-5 Sabres, extending their win streak to five games. Adrian Kempe replied for the Kings (22-17-13) as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tuch’s hat trick set a new NHL record for the most in one calendar month (30). Meanwhile, Lyon set a franchise record with his 10th consecutive win.

Third-period goals by Andrei Svechnikov, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Jordan Staal rallied the Carolina Hurricanes from a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Utah Mammoth 5-4. Svechnikov and Gostisbehere finished the game with two goals and an assist each as the Hurricanes (33-15-5) hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 71 points. Kailer Yamamoto had two goals and an assist for the 28-22-4 Mammoth as their win streak ended at four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi set an NHL record as the fastest goaltender to earn 20 career regular-season wins, accomplishing the feat in 24 games.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer scored what proved to be the winning goal as his club held off the New York Rangers 2-1. Former Ranger Carson Soucy also scored for the Islanders (30-19-5) as they collected their third straight win. Mika Zibanejad replied for the 22-27-6 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer has four game-winning goals, breaking Hall of Famer Denis Potvin’s franchise record for the most in a season by a rookie defenseman. He now has 14 goals this season, moving past the legendary Bobby Orr for the second-most by an 18-year-old NHL rookie blueliner. Hall of Famer Phil Housley holds the record with 17 goals.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had two goals and an assist in a 7-3 upset over the Colorado Avalanche. Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, Oliver Kapanen, and Zach Bolduc each collected two points for the Canadiens (30-17-7). Brock Nelson, Joel Kiviranta, and Ross Colton scored for the 35-8-9 Avalanche, who lead the league with 79 points but are 2-4-2 in their last eight contests.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a goal and two assists each from Darren Raddysh and Yanni Gourde to down the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 shots for the 34-14-4 Lightning, who’ve won 16 of their last 18 games and hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 72 points. Kyle Connor scored for the Jets (21-25-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh returned to action after missing 15 games with a lower-body injury.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson’s shootout goal lifted his club to a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Mavrik Bourque scored twice for the 31-14-9 Stars, who had a 4-1 lead until the Golden Knights (24-14-14) rallied on third-period goals from Reilly Smith, Ivan Barbashev, and Mitch Marner to tie the game. The Stars have won three straight, while the Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific (64 points) but are 1-3-2 in their last six contests.

The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit to nip the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Zach Hyman. Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard each had a goal and two assists, and Connor McDavid netted a goal and an assist for the 28-19-8 Oilers, who have won three straight games. Collin Graf, Adam Gaudette, and Michael Misa scored for the Sharks (27-21-4).

Boston Bruins forwards Casey Mittelstadt and Fraser Minten each had a goal and two assists to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 33 shots for the Bruins (32-20-3), who are 10-1-1 in their last 12 games. Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist for the 24-20-9 Flyers, who have dropped three straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boston center Pavel Zacha left this game midway through the second period with an upper-body injury. The Bruins were already shorthanded as Elias Lindholm missed this contest with an upper-body injury. Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson left the game with an apparent injury to his right leg.

An overtime goal by Nico Hischier gave the New Jersey Devils a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 27 shots while Dougie Hamilton and Jesper Bratt also scored for the 28-24-2 Devils. Michael McCarron and Filip Forsberg replied for the Predators (24-23-6) as their losing skid extended to three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils center Jack Hughes left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. It’s not considered serious, but he will be reevaluated on Friday.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha had a goal and two assists as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2. Connor Dewar tallied twice for the Penguins (27-14-11) as they collected their fifth straight victory. Connor Murphy and Connor Bedard scored for the 21-24-9 Blackhawks, who are 0-2-2 in their last four games.

St. Louis Blues winger Jimmy Snuggerud’s goal with nine seconds left in the third period lifted his team to a 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers. Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists for the 20-25-9 Blues, snapping a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Matthew Tkachuk tallied two goals and picked up an assist for the Panthers 28-22-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Brad Marchand missed the third period with an undisclosed injury. The Blues activated Oskar Sundqvist from injured reserve for this game but placed winger Dylan Holloway (ankle) on IR.

The Minnesota Wild defeated the Calgary Flames 4-1. Filip Gustavsson made 29 saves while Kiril Kaprizov had a goal and an assist for the 31-14-10 Wild. Morgan Frost scored for the 21-26-6 Flames, who are winless in their last five (0-3-2).

Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo turned in a 32-save shutout to blank the Anaheim Ducks 2-0. Drew O’Connor and Teddy Blueger scored for the Canucks (18-31-5) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Lukas Dostal turned aside 24 shots for the 28-23-3 Ducks, who have dropped two straight games.

Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright scored twice in a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jared McCann and Brandon Montour each had a goal and an assist for the 25-19-9 Kraken as they collected their third straight win. Nick Robertson and Morgan Rielly replied for the Maple Leafs (24-21-9), who are 0-5-1 in their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken forward Berkly Catton exited this game midway through the first period with an undisclosed injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2026

by | Jan 28, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2026

Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin nets his first career hat trick, Patrick Kane ties a league record, the Devils and Islanders make a trade, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin scored his first career NHL hat trick in a 7-4 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dahlin finished the game with five points, and Mattias Samuelsson collected three assists for the 30-17-5 Sabres, who’ve won four straight games. Auston Matthews and Max Domi each had a goal and two assists for the sagging Maple Leafs (24-20-9), who are winless in their last five games (0-4-1).

Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dahlin’s hat trick is the fifth by a defenseman this season. It’s also the 28th hat trick in the NHL this month, tying February 1981 for the second-most in a calendar month. The record is 29, set in December 1985.

Dahlin’s performance comes during a season when he and his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, have endured a difficult year following her near-death experience last summer when she underwent emergency heart-transplant surgery. On Monday, Matovac revealed on Instagram that Jan. 26 would’ve been the due date for the couple’s first child. It was her concern about the unborn baby last summer that played a vital role in the discovery of her heart failure.

Speaking of the Sabres, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings winger Patrick Kane collected an assist to tie Mike Modano for the most points by a U.S.-born player (1,374) in a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Anton Forsberg stopped 27 shots while Samuel Helenius, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Corey Perry scored for the Kings (22-16-13), who have won three straight games. Alex DeBrincat replied for the 32-17-5 Red Wings.

The San Jose Sharks got a four-point effort from Macklin Celebrini (one goal, three assists) to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Will Smith had a goal and two assists for the Sharks (27-21-3). Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk each had two assists as the Canucks dropped to 17-31-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks received more bad news as they announced that starting goaltender Thatcher Demko will soon undergo season-ending hip surgery.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had a goal and an assist in a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Kyle Connor collected two assists for the 21-24-7 Jets. Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes each had two points for the Devils (27-24-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils held winger Ondrej Palat from this game. They subsequently traded him and two draft picks (2026 third-round pick, 2027 sixth-rounder) to the New York Islanders for winger Maxim Tsyplakov.

Palat’s performance has declined in recent years, and he no longer fits into the Devils’ plans. They reportedly attempted to move him earlier this season to clear his $6 million average annual value through 2026-27 from their books. Bundling those two picks into the deal was what it took to convince the Islanders to take his full cap hit.

Tsyplakov needs a fresh start after the Islanders signed him from the KHL last season. He had a promising NHL debut with 35 points in 77 games, but the 27-year-old winger is struggling this season with two points in 27 games.

Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann scored twice and set up two goals in a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle each had a goal and an assist for the 24-19-9 Kraken. Alex Ovechkin scored for the Capitals (25-22-7), who are 1-5-1 in their last seven games.

The Boston Bruins got an overtime goal by David Pastrnak to nip the Nashville Predators 3-2. Pastrnak finished with two points to extend his points streak to eight games while Morgan Geekie tallied his 30th goal of the season for the Bruins (31-20-3), who are 9-1-1 in their last 11 contests. Roman Josi and Nick Blankenburg scored for the 24-23-5 Predators, who overcame a 2-0 deficit to force the extra frame.

Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans’ overtime goal lifted his club to a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Cole Caufield scored his 30th of the season to extend his goal streak to six games for the Canadiens (29-17-7). Pavel Dorofeyev tallied both goals for the 25-14-3 Golden Knights, who are 1-3-1 in their last five games.

Utah Mammoth goaltender Vitek Vanecek made 25 saves to collect his first win since Oct. 26 as his club upset the Florida Panthers 4-3. Sean Durzi had a goal and an assist for the Mammoth (28-21-4), who are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games. Sandis Vilmanis, Cole Schwindt, and Carter Verhaeghe replied for the 28-21-3 Panthers, as their three-game win streak ended.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley scored with 1:07 remaining in the third period to give his team a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Matt Duchene scored two goals for the 30-14-9 Stars. Brayden Schenn tallied twice for the Blues, who are 0-4-1 in their last five games and dropped to 19-25-9.

The Minnesota Wild overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on a shootout goal by Kirill Kaprizov. Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal and an assist, and Jesper Wallstedt made 29 saves in regulation and overtime for the Wild (30-14-10). Teuvo Teravainen, Ryan Donato, and Ilya Mikheyev scored for the 21-23-9 Blackhawks, who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

IN OTHER NEWS…

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Bryan Rust received a three-game suspension from the NHL’s department of player safety for a hit to the head of Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser.

NHL.COM: Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany underwent successful surgery on his left hand. His expected recovery time is eight weeks.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed defenseman Sam Malinski to a four-year contract extension worth an AAV of $4.75 million.

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson and Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm have been added to Sweden’s Men’s Olympic hockey team. They will replace sidelined Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson and Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2026

by | Jan 25, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2026

A big night for Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon ties a franchise record, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane closes in on a league record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard tallied his first career hat trick and collected three assists in his 400th career NHL regular-season game in a 6-5 victory over the Washington Capitals. Connor McDavid tallied twice (including the winner in overtime) and had three assists for the 26-19-8 Oilers. Justin Sourdif and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (25-21-7), who are 1-4-1 in their last six games.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a historic game for Bouchard. He became the fourth defenseman to factor in all of his team’s goals in a six-goal game, joining Bobby Orr, Al MacInnis, and Doug Crossman. He was the fourth blueliner in Oilers history to score a hat trick, joining Paul Coffey, Marc-Andre Bergeron, and Risto Siltanen, and joined Coffey and Kevin Lowe as the only Oilers rearguards to net at least six points in a game.

Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres got a 26-save shutout by Alex Lyon to blank the New York Islanders 5-0. Jason Zucker scored two goals for the Sabres (29-17-5), who’ve won three straight games and are 18-3-1 in their last 22 contests. This was the first game in this season that the Islanders (27-19-5) were shut out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lyon tied the Sabres record of Gerry Desjardins (1976-77) with nine consecutive wins. Earlier in the day, the Sabres made a minor trade, acquiring defenseman Gavin Bayreuther from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for prospect forward Viktor Neuchev.

Islanders center Bo Horvat returned to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury. Head coach Patrick Roy was not pleased with the performance of the line of Mathew Barzal, Anthony Duclair, and team captain Anders Lee, benching them for the entire third period. Isles defenseman Ryan Pulock missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher scored two goals in a 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Lucas Raymond and Marco Kasper each had a goal and an assist, and John Gibson made 26 saves for the 32-16-5 Red Wings, who took over first place in the Atlantic Division with 69 points. Cole Koepke replied for the Jets (20-24-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane collected an assist to move within one point of Mike Modano’s record for the most points among U.S.-born players (1,374). Meanwhile, teammate Simon Edvinsson missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

A hat trick by Mason Marchment powered the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-5. Marchment finished with four points while Charlie Coyle and Adam Fantilli each had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets (24-20-7), who have won six of their last seven games. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists while Jake Guentzel and Anthony Cirelli each collected three points for the 32-14-4 Lightning as their 15-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak left this game with an injury.

Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie tallied twice in a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Charlie McAvoy collected three assists for the Bruins (30-20-2), who’ve won eight of their last nine games. Cole Caufield scored all three goals for the 28-17-7 Canadiens, who are 3-4-1 in their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shaky goaltending and penalty killing were once again the Canadiens’ undoing. They’re sixth overall in goals per game (3.37) and eighth in power-play percentage (23.8), but are 24th in goals against per game (3.29) and 26th in penalty-killing percentage (76.5).

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand scored twice (including the winning goal) and picked up an assist to beat the Minnesota 4-3 in overtime. Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist for the 27-20-3 Panthers. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy each had a goal and an assist for the 29-14-10 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand returned to action after missing seven games with an injury. Boldy was back after missing four games with a lower-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings nipped the St. Louis Blues 5-4 on a shootout goal by Trevor Moore, who also scored in the third period. Alex Laferriere had a goal and an assist for the Kings (21-16-13). Jordan Kyrou scored twice for the Blues, who dropped to 19-24-9 as their winless skid reached four games (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moore had missed 11 games with an upper-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi kicked out 35 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Seth Jarvis had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (32-15-5), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 69 points. Tim Stutzle replied for the 23-21-7 Senators, who are 1-2-2 in their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes hold first overall in the East over the Red Wings because they hold a game in hand. Before the game, the Senators inducted former head coach Jacques Martin into their Ring of Honour.

Third-period goals by Barrett Hayton and JJ Peterka lifted the Utah Mammoth to a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves, and Mikhail Sergachev collected three assists for the 27-20-5 Mammoth, who picked up their fifth straight win. Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault scored for the Predators (24-23-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague missed this game as he’s considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2026

by | Jan 24, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 24, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we have the latest on the Canucks’ Evander Kane and the Sharks’ Kiefer Sherwood, plus the Sabres could become buyers at the trade deadline.

EVANDER KANE GARNERING SOME ATTENTION IN THE TRADE MARKET

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports a source confirmed several NHL teams are inquiring about Evander Kane. The 34-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He carries a cap hit of $5.125 million with a 16-team trade list.

Vancouver Canucks winger Evander Kane (NHL Images)

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes suggested the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars could be among the interested parties. While his production is down this season (nine goals and 23 points in 50 games), his physical play could make him a good addition for a playoff club as a third or fourth-line forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Interested teams might not have to give up much to get Kane. However, it could cost a little more if they want the Canucks to retain part of his salary.

COULD THE SHARKS FLIP KIEFER SHERWOOD AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka reports San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier didn’t send two second-round picks to the Vancouver Canucks for winger Kiefer Sherwood, only to watch him depart via free agency on July 1.

Sherwood, 30, is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He’s completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million and is expected to seek a significant raise on his next deal. He reportedly rejected a three or four-year offer from the Canucks with a $4 million AAV.

Grier is optimistic he can get Sherwood signed to a contract extension. However, he must also ensure he’ll have enough long-term cap room to re-sign rising stars Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith in 2027. The Sharks GM didn’t rule out the possibility of listening to offers for Sherwood, but insisted that the winger was a targeted acquisition.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Grier acquired Sherwood because he likes his physical two-way style. He believes the veteran winger is the type of experienced player who can help the rebuilding Sharks reach the playoffs now and for the next several years.

Nevertheless, if they can’t get an extension done, Grier could be open to offers before the trade deadline, especially if his club struggles to remain in the hunt for a playoff berth.

WILL THE SABRES BECOME BUYERS AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn believes the surging Buffalo Sabres could be buyers at this year’s trade deadline. He believes that general manager Jarmo Kekalainen needs to add a depth defenseman to ease some of the workload from the top-four defensemen.

Injuries have frequently sidelined center Josh Norris, who is currently out with sore ribs. Fairburn believes another forward capable of playing among the top six would help to balance out the forward lines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kekalainen won’t overpay to address those issues. Nevertheless, he’ll keep his eyes open for any affordable options before March 6.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2026

by | Jan 23, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 23, 2026

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

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

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2026

by | Jan 21, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2026

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

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S ACTION

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

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

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IN OTHER NEWS…

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

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

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