NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2026

by | Jan 11, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 11, 2026

The Bruins score 10 goals in a game for the first time since 1988, Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning over the Flyers, Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini extend their points streaks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins crushed the New York Rangers 10-2, marking the first time they scored 10 goals in a game since doing so against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 16, 1988. Marat Khusnutdinov had four goals and an assist, Pavel Zacha scored a hat trick, and David Pastrnak tied a team record with a career-high six assists for the 24-19-2 Bruins. Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller scored for the Rangers (20-19-6), who are 1-3-2 in their last six contests.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins winger Morgan Geekie left this game to attend to a family matter. Center Elias Lindholm suffered a lower-body injury and didn’t return.

Nikita Kucherov had two goals and two assists to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 7-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kucherov extended his points streak to nine games while Gage Goncalves tallied twice and Brayden Point collected three assists as the Lightning (27-13-3) picked up their ninth straight win. Garnet Hathaway and Owen Tippett replied for the 22-13-8 Flyers.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored the tying goal to extend his points streak to 18 games, but his club fell 4-3 to the Los Angeles Kings on a shootout goal by Adrian Kempe. Brandt Clarke had two assists, and Corey Perry picked up his 10th goal of the season for the 19-15-10 Kings. Leon Draisaitl tallied twice for the Oilers (22-16-7).

San Jose Sharks winger Tyler Toffoli scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to nip the Dallas Stars 5-4. Macklin Celebrini had three assists to extend his points streak to 13 games as the Sharks (23-18-3) rallied from a 4-2 deficit to pick up their third straight win. Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the 26-10-9 Stars, who have one win in their last eight games (1-3-4).

The Colorado Avalanche got a 29-save shutout from goaltender Trent Miner for his first NHL win as he blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0, extending his club’s home points streak to 21 games (19-0-2). Brent Burns scored two goals for the 33-4-7 Avalanche, who hold first place in the overall standings with 73 points. Elvis Merzlikins made 27 saves for the Blue Jackets (18-19-7), who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

Goals from Jordan Martinook and William Carrier lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Jordan Staal had two assists as the Hurricanes (28-14-3) picked up their fourth straight win and hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. Matty Beniers and Berkly Catton scored for the 20-15-8 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with an upper-body injury. The Kraken activated forward Jaden Schwartz from injured reserve.

Detroit Red Wings goalie John Gibson made 27 saves in a 4-0 shutout of the Montreal Canadiens. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and two assists for the Red Wings (27-15-4), who took over sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with 58 points. Jacob Fowler stopped 20 of 23 shots for the 25-14-6 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle returned to action for the first time since suffering an abductor injury on Oct. 16 against the Nashville Predators.

The Vegas Golden Knights doubled up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Mark Stone scored for the seventh straight game while Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (20-11-12), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 52 points. Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist for the 17-21-8 Blues, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues announced defenseman Philip Broberg signed a six-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $8 million. He left the game early in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore scored in his first game since being sidelined with an upper-body injury on Dec. 13. Meanwhile, the club announced that goaltender Carter Hart is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Winger Brandon Saad missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Quinn scored two goals in a 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 31 shots as the Sabres (24-15-4) won 13 of their last 14 games for the first time in franchise history. Leo Carlsson had a goal and an assist for the struggling Ducks (21-21-3) as their winless skid reached nine games (0-8-1).

The Toronto Maple Leafs blanked the Vancouver Canucks 5-0. Joseph Woll turned in a 29-save shutout, and William Nylander returned to action with a goal and two assists for the 22-15-7 Maple Leafs, extending their points streak to nine games (7-0-2). Canucks starting goalie Thatcher Demko left this game after the first period with a lower-body injury as his club dropped to 16-23-5.

An overtime goal by Simon Holmstrom gave the New York Islanders a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Holmstrom finished with two goals and an assist while Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves for the Islanders, who improved to 25-15-5. Quinn Hughes had three assists for the Wild (26-11-9).

The Florida Panthers nipped the Ottawa Senators by a score of 3-2. Gustav Forsling and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist for the 23-18-3 Panthers. Fabian Zetterlund and Drake Batherson replied for the Senators (20-19-5), who have lost four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk spoke out against social media rumors regarding teammate Linus Ullmark’s leave of absence for personal reasons, calling the rumors “f**king bulls**t”. The club released a statement late last week condemning the unfounded speculation.

Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley kicked out 27 shots as his club downed the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Matt Coronato snapped a 1-1 tie just 42 seconds into the third period for the Flames (19-22-4), ending a four-game losing skid. Yegor Chinakhov replied for the Penguins (21-13-9) as their six-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins winger Bryan Rust missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Chicago Blackhawks netminder Drew Commesso got his first NHL win with a 36-save shutout to blank the Nashville Predators 3-0. Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist, and Connor Bedard picked up two assists for the Blackhawks, who improved to 19-19-7. Predators goalie Juuse Saros gave up two goals on 20 shots as his club dropped to 20-20-4.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2025

by | Nov 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2025

Nathan MacKinnon and Morgan Geekie are this season’s first 20-goal scorers, Macklin Celebrini reaches a scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored his 20th goal of the season and collected two assists as the Colorado Avalanche thumped the Montreal Canadiens 7-2. Brock Nelson scored twice and had two assists, and Gabriel Landeskog had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche (18-1-6), who hold first place in the overall standings with 42 points. Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson replied for the 13-8-3 Canadiens, whose three-game win streak ended.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon becomes the first NHL player to score 20 goals this season, reaching that milestone for the 11th time in his career. He’s tied for the goal-scoring lead and sits atop the points race with 44.

Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble missed this game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, player agent Philippe Lecavalier said his client, Mike Matheson, wouldn’t have signed the contract he did on Friday with any other NHL club. The 32-year-old Canadiens defenseman inked a five-year extension with an average annual value of $6 million.

Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie tallied two goals, and Casey Mittelstadt scored the winner in a shootout for a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Elias Lindholm collected two assists for the 15-12-0 Bruins. Lucas Raymond and Michael Rasmussen scored for the Red Wings, who are winless in four games (0-3-1) and dropped to 13-11-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie is tied with MacKinnon with 20 goals on the season. Bruins center Pavel Zacha returned to action after missing the Bruins’ previous game with an upper-body injury, while teammate Henri Jokiharju was placed on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane is struggling to score. He had three goals and 14 points in 17 games, with the last goal being scored on Nov. 15.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals from Tomas Hertl to hold off the San Jose Sharks by a score of 4-3. Carl Lindbom turned aside 18 shots for his first NHL win as the Golden Knights (11-6-8) snapped a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). Will Smith tallied twice for the 12-11-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks center Macklin Celebrini collected an assist for his 100th career NHL point, becoming the second-fastest player in Sharks history to reach that milestone and the eighth youngest player in league history (19 years, 169 days) to do so.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel scored two goals to extend his goal streak to five games in a 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers. Nikita Kucherov picked up three assists for the Lightning (16-7-2), who won their seventh straight game and sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 34 points. The Rangers (13-12-1) got a goal from J.T. Miller as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox left this game with an injured left arm. Head coach Mike Sullivan said he was being evaluated. His status remains unclear.

The Edmonton Oilers got a 26-save shutout from Stuart Skinner to blank the Seattle Kraken 4-0. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist in his return to action after a nine-game absence with an undisclosed injury as the Oilers improved to 11-10-5. Joey Daccord allowed four goals on 25 shots for the Kraken, who are winless in three games (0-2-1) as they slipped to 11-7-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers played without forwards Jack Roslovic and Kasperi Kapanen, who are expected to miss at least two weeks with injuries. On Friday, the Kraken announced that winger Jaden Schwartz will be sidelined for six weeks with a lower-body injury.

St. Louis Blues goalie Joel Hofer made 18 saves, and Dylan Holloway scored the only goal to shut out the Utah Mammoth 1-0. Mammoth netminder Karel Vejmelka stopped 18 shots as his club has lost three straight games and dropped to 12-11-3. The Blues improved to 9-10-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth center Logan Cooley had to be helped off the ice in the third period after a knee-on-knee hit from Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko, who received a major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct. There was no update on Cooley’s status.

The Philadelphia Flyers got two goals and an assist from Owen Tippett in a 5-3 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Matvei Michkov netted two goals, and Dan Vladar stopped 29 shots for the 14-7-3 Flyers, who picked up their third straight win. Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist for the Devils (16-8-1), whose three-game win streak was snapped, but they remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 33 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist in a 7-2 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Bobby McMann, and Nicolas Roy also each had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who improved to 11-11-3. Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (12-7-5).

Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter tallied twice as his club defeated the Nashville Predators 5-2, snapping a four-game losing skid. Dylan Samberg had three assists as the Jets improved to 13-11-0. Luke Evangelista had a goal and an assist for the 8-13-4 Predators.

A shootout goal by Noah Ostlund lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 upset of the Minnesota Wild, ending the latter’s seven-game win streak. Beck Malenstyn and Josh Doan scored in regulation for the 10-11-4 Sabres. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy tallied for the 14-7-4 Wild.

An overtime goal by Adrian Kempe lifted the Los Angeles Kings over the Vancouver Canucks 2-1. Anze Kopitar also scored for the 12-6-7 Kings. Evander Kane replied for the Canucks, who dropped to 10-13-3.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri’s season is over after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee on Friday. He will undergo surgery and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight months.

CBS SPORTS: Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (upper body) was placed on injured reserve.

TSN: There is no backup plan if the main ice hockey arena for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is not ready on time. Construction is behind schedule, and its completion is going down to the wire.

The women’s tournament begins on Feb. 5, while the men’s tournament starts on Feb. 11. The latter will feature NHL players for the first time since the 2014 Games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2023

by | Dec 2, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2023

The Sharks finally win a road game, Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton is sidelined indefinitely, and the three stars and the top rookie for November are announced. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks finally won their first road game of the season by upsetting the New Jersey Devils 6-3. Kaapo Kahkonen kicked out 44 shots, Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists while Anthony Duclair and Jacob MacDonald each tallied twice for 6-16-2 Sharks. Rookie defenseman Simon Nemec collected two assists in his first-ever NHL game while Akira Schmid gave up five goals on 17 shots as the Devils slipped to 11-10-1 on the season.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks remain at the bottom of the overall standings because of their horrific start (0-10-1) to this season. However, they’ve improved since general manager Mike Grier read them the riot act in early November, going 6-6-1 since Nov. 7.

Meanwhile, the Devils received some bad news before this game as defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Tomas Nosek will be sidelined indefinitely. Hamilton went under the knife to repair a torn left pectoral muscle while Nosek underwent surgery on his right foot.

Things didn’t get any better for the Devils as defenseman Brendan Smith received a two-game suspension from the league for slashing Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny on Nov. 30. Konecny was fined $5,000.00 for cross-checking Smith.

The Devils did get some good news, however, as winger Timo Meier returned to action against the Sharks after being sidelined for seven games with a lower-body injury. It was his first game against his former club since being traded to New Jersey in February and was held without a point in this contest.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merlikins stopped 41 shots as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Ottawa Senator 4-2. Johnny Gaudreau and Zach Werenski each collected two assists while Adam Fantilli broke a 2-2 in the second period for the 8-13-4 Blue Jackets. Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux for the Senators (8-10-0), who sit four points back of the Blue Jackets at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 16 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are a mess, winning just four of their last 10 games and dropping their last three contests. Management has stuck by embattled head coach D.J. Smith but the calls for his firing from unhappy Senators fans are growing.

They’ve played about five fewer games than most of their rivals in the Eastern Conference. Nevertheless, they’re nine points out of the final wild-card berth. If things don’t improve soon, they’ll be too far back to catch up.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes are the league’s three stars for November 2023.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is the league’s top rookie for November 2023.

THE SCORE: Speaking of Bedard, he condemned a baseless social media rumor regarding a member of his family and former Blackhawks teammate Corey Perry.

“It’s just a bunch of BS on the internet,” said Bedard. “It’s, of course, been an effect on myself and my family, and that’s not fair. But’s it out of our control. It’s all just fake, made-up stuff.”

Bedard also touched on Perry’s contract termination for what the Blackhawks deemed unacceptable conduct. “Obviously, what happened with Perry was serious. I think the first concern is that he’s okay, and his family are.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard handled those questions very well. He appears to have a maturity beyond his years, certainly more than those who started that disgusting rumor or those who spread it around like manure.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens yesterday signed goaltender Sam Montembeault to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.15 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An affordable move by the Canadiens to lock down their best goalie. The 27-year-old Montembeault could’ve opted to test the unrestricted free-agent market in July but he wanted to stay in Montreal and play for the Habs.

A short-term deal such as this should provide cost-effective stability between the pipes for the rebuilding Canadiens. While some have suggested this contract could boost Montembeault’s trade value, I think Jake Allen or Cayden Primeau are the more likely trade candidates.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they put Primeau on waivers with the intent of sending him to their AHL affiliate in Laval. While there’s a risk another club could claim him, they cannot continue carrying three goalies for much longer. If they’re not peddling Montembeault or Allen, they must trade Primeau or send him back to the farm.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin yesterday shared the news that he and his wife Kenzie, who were expecting their first child, have lost the baby. Larkin had been out of the lineup for the past two games to be with Kenzie during this time.

The Larkins were married in August. They were expecting a girl in April. Dylan is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to the Larkins.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz could be sidelined for six weeks with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Nashville Predators defenseman Alex Carrier is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

CALGARY SUN: Oliver Kylington skated with a handful of his Flames teammates on Friday. He remains on a personal leave of absence from the club since the start of last season dealing with mental health challenges. There is no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Kylington and here’s hoping he makes a full recovery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2022

by | Jan 7, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 7, 2022

Bryan Rust had his third straight multi-point game as the Penguins get their 10th straight win, Nathan MacKinnon has a five-point performance, Joe Thornton and Jakub Voracek reach milestones and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Bryan Rust had his third straight multi-point game (two goals, one assist) as his Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2 to pick up their 10th straight win. Jake Guentzel also tallied twice while Kris Letang collected three assists. With 45 points, the Penguins have a comfortable hold on the first wild-card berth in the very tight Eastern Conference playoff race. The Flyers (32 points) have lost three straight and sit four points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot.

Speaking of the Bruins, they failed to gain ground on the Penguins by dropping a 3-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild, who snapped a five-game losing skid. Matt Boldy scored what proved to be the game-winner in his NHL debut while teammate Kirill Kaprizov left the game in the second period following what Wild coach Dean Evason called a “predatory hit” by Bruins forward Trent Frederic. Minnesota (42 points) holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference but sits just five points out of first in the Conference. Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy missed the game with a lower-body injury.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

The Colorado Avalanche’s top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog combined for 12 points in a 7-1 drubbing of the Winnipeg Jets. MacKinnon had a goal and four assists, Landeskog tallied a hat trick and collected an assist while Rantanen has a goal and two helpers as the Avs (42 points) picked up their third straight win to move into third place in the Central Division.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov picked up two assists in his first game since Oct. 16 to help his club defeat the Calgary Flames 4-1. Tampa Bay forwards Corey Perry, Brayden Point, Ondrej Palat and Alex Killorn were the goal scorers as the Lightning sits atop the overall standings with 51 points. The Flames (40 points) are third in the Pacific Division.

The Vegas Golden Knights tallied four unanswered goals to down the New York Rangers 5-1, spoiling the return of Rangers coach Gerard Gallant and winger Ryan Reaves to Vegas. Jonathan Marchessault scored twice for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Western Conference with 47 points.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros kicked out 46 shots as his club doubled up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi each had two points on the night as the Predators sit one point behind the Golden Knights.

Shootout goals by Joe Pavelski and Jason Robertson lifted the Dallas Stars to a 6-5 win over the Florida Panthers. It was the Stars’ first game in 16 days. Aleksander Barkov scored twice for the Panthers while Joe Thornton played in his 1,700th NHL game. The Panthers (49 points) sit second in the Eastern Conference while the Stars (34 points) are four points out of a wild-card spot in the West.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes extended his career-high points streak to five games with a goal and two assists in a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. MacKenzie Blackwood made 31 saves for the win. Blue Jackets winger Jakub Voracek played in his 1,000th NHL game. With the win, the Devils (33 points) are just three points out of a wild-card spot in the East.

The San Jose Sharks (37 points) moved within one point of a Western Conference wild-card spot by holding off the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist while goalie Adin Hill turned aside 37 shots.

A hat trick by Johan Larsson carried the Arizona Coyotes to a 6-4 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Travis Boyd collected a goal and two assists for the Coyotes. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes announced forward Jay Beagle is out “long-term” with a lower-body injury and claimed forward Riley Nash off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko and New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin were among the latest players placed on the COVID protocol list.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens have extended their break from all activities until Saturday due to COVID-19. Twenty-two of their players are currently on the COVID protocol list.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Tuukka Rask signed a professional tryout contract with the Bruins AHL affiliate in Providence in the latest step toward his eventual return with the club. The 34-year-old goaltender is working his way back from offseason hip surgery and is expected to be back with the Bruins by sometime next week.

TSN: Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz is out four to six weeks with a hand injury.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs placed winger Nick Ritchie on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas’ gamble on Ritchie failed to pay off. However, his other affordable offseason additions (Michael Bunting, Ondrej Kase and David Kampf) are working out rather well for the Leafs.

CTV SASKATOON: The Winnipeg Jets are looking into the possibility of playing some of their home games in Saskatoon due to strict COVID-19 capacity restrictions in Manitoba.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2021

by | Aug 24, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2021

The preseason schedule is released plus the latest on  Jaden Schwartz, David Krejci, Henrik Lundqvist and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The 2021-22 preseason schedule was released on Monday. It begins on Saturday, Sept. 25 as the Montreal Canadiens travel to Toronto to meet the Maple Leafs for an afternoon contest. The Minnesota Wild will face off against the St. Louis Blues in an evening contest.

Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz (NHL Images).

The following day features the Seattle Kraken hosting the Vancouver Canucks at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. The schedule concludes with 11 games on Saturday, Oct. 9.

THE ATHLETIC: Jaden Schwartz revealed he almost didn’t play with the St. Louis Blues last season following the sudden death of his father. It was the relationships within the organization and the memory of his dad that convinced him to play. Now signed with the Seattle Kraken, he’s looking forward to a new chapter in his life and career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schwartz was hampered by an oblique injury last season but the loss of his father also affected his performance. He’ll be expected to play a leadership role with the Kraken in their upcoming inaugural campaign.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins center David Krejci was formally introduced yesterday as the latest member of the Czech Republic club HC Olomouc. While the Bruins have left the door open for Krejci to return later this season, the 35-year-old center appears intent on playing back home.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Krejci plays one game in the Czech Republic he’d have to clear waivers to return to the Bruins or any other NHL club this season.

NEW YORK POST: Henrik Lundqvist is looking forward to having his No. 30 raised to the rafters of Madison Square Garden by the New York Rangers at some point in the coming season. He played 15 seasons with the Blueshirts, winning a franchise-record 459 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This report came out before Sunday’s news of the passing of Rangers legend Rob Gilbert. Lundqvist tweeted out his condolences on Monday.

TSN: Former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes died Monday at age 31. The older brother of Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes, Jimmy spent seven seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils from 2011-12 to 2017-18, totaling 54 goals and 109 points in 334 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hayes’ family, friends and former teammates.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and his wife Aleksandra recently welcomed son Knox Matiss Merzlikins into their family. His middle name honors the memory of Merzlkins’ friend and teammate Matiss Kivlenieks, who died last month during a fireworks incident.










Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 28, 2021

by | Jul 28, 2021

Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 28, 2021

Be sure to check in regularly throughout the day for today’s notable free-agent signings and trades.

SIGNINGS (Updated: 6 pm ET.

New Jersey Devils sign defenseman Dougie Hamilton to a seven-year, $63 million contract ($9 million AAV).

Boston Bruins sign goaltender Linus Ullmark to a four-year, $20 million contract ($5 million AAV).

Montreal Canadiens sign winger Mike Hoffman to a three-year, $13.5 million contract ($4.5 million AAV).

Anaheim Ducks sign center Ryan Getzlaf to a one-year, $4.5 million contract.

Detroit Red Wings sign center Pius Suter to a two-year, $6.5 million contract ($3.25 million AAV).

Boston Bruins sign winger Nick Foligno to a two-year contract. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

Ottawa Senator sign defenseman Michael Del Zotto to a two-year, $4 million deal ($2 million AAV).

SIGNINGS: (Updated: 4 pm ET)

Tampa Bay Lightning re-sign center Brayden Point to an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million AAV).

Vegas Golden Knights sign forward Mattias Janmark to a one-year, $2 million contract.

SIGNINGS (Updated: 2:45 pm ET):

Seattle Kraken sign goaltender Philipp Grubauer to a six-year, $35.4 million contract ($5.9 million AAV).

Seattle Kraken sign winger Jaden Schwartz to a five-year, $27.5 million contract ($5.5 million AAV).

Los Angeles Kings sign center Phillip Danault to a six-year, $33 million contract ($5.5 million AAV).

Los Angeles Kings sign defenseman Alex Edler to a one-year, $3.5 million contract.

Boston Bruins sign forward Erik Haula to a two-year, $4.75 million contract ($2.375 million AAV).

Carolina Hurricanes sign defenseman Ian Cole to a one-year, $2.9 million contract.

San Jose Sharks sign center Nick Bonino to a two-year, $4.1 million contract ($2.05 million AAV).

SIGNINGS (UPDATED 1:30 PM ET)

Nashville Predators re-sign forward Mikael Granlund to a four-year, $20 million contract ($5 million AAV).

Minnesota Wild sign defenseman Alex Goligoski to a one-year, $5 million contract.

Calgary Flames sign forward Blake Coleman to a six-year, $29.4 million contract ($4.9 million AAV).

Carolina Hurricanes sign goalie Frederik Andersen to a two-year deal worth $4.5 million AAV.

Columbus Blue Jackets re-sign Boone Jenner to a four-year $15 million contract ($3.75 million).

New Jersey Devils sign goaltender Jonathan Bernier to a two-year, $8.25 million contract ($4.125 million AAV).

Montreal Canadiens sign David Savard to a four-year, $14 million contract ($3.5 million AAV).

Edmonton Oilers sign defenseman Cody Ceci to a four-year, $13 million contract ($3.25 million AAV).

Vancouver Canucks sign defenseman Travis Hamonic to a two-year, $6 million contract ($3 million AAV).

Columbus Blue Jackets sign forward Sean Kuraly to a four-year, $10 million contract ($2.5 million cap hit)

Vancouver Canucks sign defenseman Tucker Poolman to a four-year, $10 million contract ($2.5 million AAV)

Philadelphia Flyers sign goalie Martin Jones to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Dallas Stars sign Braden Holtby to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Philadelphia Flyers sign defenseman Keith Yandle to a one-year, $950K contract.

SIGNINGS AND TRADES PRIOR TO NOON ET. 

Edmonton Oilers sign Zach Hyman to a seven-year, $38.5 million contract ($5.5 million annual average value).

Edmonton Oilers re-sign defenseman Tyson Barrie to a three-year contract worth $4.5 million per season.

Vegas Golden Knights re-sign defenseman Alec Martinez to a three-year deal worth $5.25 million annually.

Seattle Kraken sign forward Alexander Wennberg to a three-yeae contract worth $4.5 million annually.

Toronto Maple Leafs sign goaltender Petr Mrazek to a three-year contract worth $3.8 million.

Dallas Stars sign defenseman Ryan Suter to a four-year contract worth $3.65 million AAV.

Carolina Hurricanes sign goaltender Antti Raanta to a two-year deal worth $2 million annually.

Vancouver Canucks sign goaltender Jaroslav Halak to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million in base salary.

Carolina Hurricanes sign defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a one-year, $1 million contract.

TRADES

Edmonton Oilers trade defenseman Ethan Bear to the Carolina Hurricanes for winger Warren Foegele.

Ottawa Senators trade winger Evgeni Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Nick Holden and a third-round draft pick in 2022.

Chicago Blackhawks trade defenseman Nikita Zadorov to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a third-round pick in 2022. The pick originally belonged to Toronto.