NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2026

by | Jun 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2026

The Carolina Hurricanes are the 2025-26 Stanley Cup Champions. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

The Carolina Hurricanes blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final to win the series and hockey’s holy grail four games to two. It’s their first championship since 2006.

2026 Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes (NHL.com).

Taylor Hall opened the scoring with what proved to be the game-winning goal just 3:47 into the first period. Jackson Blake made it 2-0 in the second period, and Nikolaj Ehlers’ empty-netter with 1:08 remaining in the third period put the game out of reach. Goaltender Brandon Bussi turned in a 22-save shutout.

Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal was voted the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He had eight goals and four assists for 12 points in 19 games, with six of those goals coming in the first five games of the Cup Final, becoming the first player to score five goals to start a Cup Final since Jean Beliveau in 1956.

The 37-year-old Staal is the oldest player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. He also set a record for the longest time between Stanley Cup Championships (17 years). The first time he won the Cup was in 2009 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Speaking of Taylor Hall, he became the first player in NHL history to be selected first overall in the draft, win the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP, and win the Stanley Cup with three different teams. Hall was chosen first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2010, and won the Hart Trophy with the New Jersey Devils in 2017-18.

For Brandon Bussi, his Game 6 shutout capped a whirlwind season that began when he was claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers. He had a record of 31-6-2 in 39 regular-season games, but didn’t make his postseason debut until the third period of Game 3, when he relieved starter Frederik Andersen. Bussi subsequently started the remaining games of this series, winning all three.

As for Andersen, he was surprised to be the first player Staal handed the Stanley Cup to after receiving it from league commissioner Gary Bettman. Andersen started every game in this postseason until Bussi relieved him in Game 3. He revealed that he suffered a knee injury in Game 2 and struggled to play through it in the following game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen’s solid play was a big reason why the Hurricanes reached the Final. He finished with a record of 13-2 with a 1.89 goals-against average, a save percentage of .910, and three shutouts.

Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin became the second American to win the Stanley Cup in the same year that he won Olympic gold with Team USA. Ken Morrow was the first, winning a gold medal in the 1980 Olympics and the Stanley Cup later that year with the New York Islanders.

The additions of Hall, Bussi and Ehlers last year, along with the rise of Blake and Logan Stankoven, gave the Hurricanes the depth they previously lacked to march to the Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blake (20 points), Hall (19 points), Ehlers (18 points) and Stankoven (16 points) finished as the Hurricanes’ leading scorers in this postseason. The second line of Stankoven, Hall, and Blake was their most consistent throughout this postseason.

This is the second Stanley Cup championship for Rod Brind’Amour, and his first as head coach. He won his first Cup with Carolina as team captain in 2006.

As for the Vegas Golden Knights, their march to the Stanley Cup Final capped a roller-coaster season that saw them in danger of missing the playoffs until they replaced Bruce Cassidy as head coach with John Tortorella in late March.

Speaking of Tortorella, he’s unsure of his future with the Golden Knights. The club hired him for the remainder of this season. He thanked team owner Bill Foley, team president George McPhee, and general manager Kelly McCrimmon for giving him the chance to coach the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll likely be a few days before we learn of Tortorella’s fate. After the job he did in reversing the Golden Knights’ fortunes, it wouldn’t be shocking if they sign him to a contract extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 22, 2026

by | May 22, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 22, 2026

The Canadiens win the opening game of the Eastern Conference Final, injury updates for the Ducks and Sabres, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A four-goal first period powered the Montreal Canadiens to a 6-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky (NHL Images).

Alexandre Texier’s first-period goal was the game-winner. Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice and collected an assist, Nick Suzuki had three assists, and Jakub Dobes made 25 saves for the Canadiens.

Seth Jarvis and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen gave up five goals on 21 shots. Game 2 of this series is on Saturday, May 23, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens deserve credit for adjusting to the Hurricanes’ aggressive forecheck and smothering defense following their long second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres. They responded quickly to Jarvis’ game-opening goal 33 seconds into the first period with Cole Caufield’s game-tying snipe coming 27 seconds later.

The Habs set a franchise record for the fastest four goals (11:32) to start a playoff road game. The Hurricanes gave up more goals in this game than they did in the entirety of their previous series against the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers.

Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin shouldered the blame for this loss after being on the ice for three of the Canadiens’ first four goals. “Personally, I think I handed them the game,” Slavin said. “I’ve got to be better.”

Slavin didn’t have a good game, but he wasn’t the sole culprit for the Hurricanes’ loss. The entire team was rusty following a 12-day layoff between series.

That issue was apparent during the first period, resulting in odd-man rushes for Montreal. They played better in the second period, slowing the Canadiens’ movement through the neutral zone and mounting sustained pressure in the offensive zone. However, they failed to sufficiently break through the Habs’ solid defense and Dobes’ goaltending.

The Canadiens should expect a better effort from the Hurricanes for Game 2.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres provided end-of-season injury updates for several players.

Defenseman Owen Power suffered a Grade 3 ankle sprain in Game 5 of their series with the Canadiens. Center Tage Thompson was dealing with “some lower-back stuff” for most of the postseason.

Defenseman Logan Stanley dealt with an undisclosed injury and was scratched from the final four games of the second round. Forward Sam Carrick returned too early from a left-arm injury that sidelined him for the final 15 games of the regular season. He played briefly in Game 3 against the Canadiens and sat out the final four games.

Forward Justin Danforth was close to returning from a broken kneecap suffered during the fourth game of the regular season. Forward Noah Ostlund suffered a lower-body injury during Game 5 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins. He would’ve been ready to play later in the Eastern Conference Final had the Sabres advanced.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These players are expected to be ready for training camp in September.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry will undergo surgery for a chronic hip impingement during the offseason, and it’s questionable if he’ll be ready to start next season.

Winger Cutter Gauthier suffered a transverse process fracture late in the regular season.

Center Ryan Poehling suffered a concussion after a hit from Brayden McNabb in Game 5 of their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights. He’s since been cleared of symptoms.

Defenseman Pavel Mintyukov suffered an MCL sprain late in the season. He is expected to be ready for the start of next season.

Blueliner Radko Gudas was dealing with a sprained ankle.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Boston Bruins have parted ways with assistant coach Jay Leach.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals hired Ray Bennett as an assistant coach, replacing Kirk Muller. Bennett previously served as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders.

RATINGS.ORG: Marco D’Amico profiled Vancouver Giants center Mathis Preston, who struggled with adversity this season, including health issues and a trade from the Spokane Chiefs. However, a solid performance in the U-18 World Championship could boost his stock in the 2026 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Preston was projected to be a top-10 pick, but his struggles sent his stock tumbling. Nevertheless, he could be a good pickup later in the first round or early in the second.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2026

by | Jan 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2026

Oilers captain Connor McDavid extends his points streak, the Lightning set a franchise record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists to extend his points streak to 20 games, but his club dropped a 4-3 decision to the Nashville Predators on an overtime goal by Roman Josi, who finished the game with two goals. Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots for the 22-20-4 Predators. Zach Hyman tallied twice, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two points for the Oilers (23-16-8).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry made 23 saves and defenseman Jake Walman logged over 17 minutes as both returned from lengthy absences due to injuries. Meanwhile, Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault missed his 13th straight game with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

The Tampa Bay Lightning won a franchise-record 11th straight game by nipping the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on a shootout goal by Nikita Kucherov. J.J. Moser scored in regulation, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots for the Lightning (29-13-3), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 61 points. Evgeni Malkin replied for the Penguins (21-14-10), who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both clubs were missing a key player in this contest. Lightning center Brayden Point is week-to-week with an injured knee. It is not considered season-ending, but his participation in next month’s Winter Olympics for Canada’s men’s hockey team is in question. Meanwhile, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson missed this game with an undisclosed ailment that has landed him on injured reserve. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman turned aside 24 shots as his club picked up its fourth consecutive win, and the second straight by shutout, as they blanked the Detroit Red Wings 3-0. Pavel Zacha, Fraser Minten, and Mark Kastelic were the goal scorers for the 26-19-2 Bruins. Cam Talbot stopped 38 of 40 shots for the Red Wings (28-16-4) as their four-game win streak ended.

The Columbus Blue Jackets picked up their first win under new head coach Rick Bowness by defeating the Calgary Flames 5-3. Boone Jenner snapped a 3-3 tie while Zach Werenski and Charlie Coyle each had a goal and two assists for the 20-19-7 Blue Jackets. Morgan Frost and Mikael Backlund each had a goal and an assist as the Flames dropped to 19-23-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Blake Coleman missed this game with an undisclosed injury and was placed on IR. The Flames sent forward Martin Pospisil to their AHL affiliate in Calgary for a conditioning stint as he works his way back into the lineup from an undisclosed injury that has sidelined him from this season. Blue Jackets defensemen Denton Mateychuk (upper-body injury) and Damon Severson (illness) missed this game.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer collected his fourth shutout of the season with a 33-save performance to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0. Nick Bjugstad, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Jimmy Snuggerud scored for the Blues (18-21-8) as they snapped a three-game losing skid. Brandon Bussi turned aside 28 shots for the 28-15-4 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues announced the signing of defenseman Logan Mailloux to a one-year, $850,000 contract extension. Hurricanes blueliner Jaccob Slavin missed this game due to injury rehab protocol, meaning they want him to avoid playing back-to-back after returning from a lengthy injury on Monday.

The Washington Capitals overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Ethan Frank tallied twice to tie the game in regulation before Connor McMichael won it in overtime for the 24-17-6 Capitals. Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadiens (26-14-7), who are 4-1-1 in their last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens scratched Kaiden Guhle from this game. Like Slavin, they wanted him to avoid playing in back-to-back games so soon after returning from a long absence due to an injury.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Adam Lowry and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist as their club held off the New York Islanders 5-4. Mark Scheifele collected two assists for the 18-22-5 Jets as they picked up their third straight victory. Emil Heineman had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (25-16-5).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders got a scare when rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer was injured twice during this game, including taking a Luke Schenn slapshot off his right knee in the second period. He’d also been taken off the ice by a concussion spotter in the first period, but was cleared to return. Schaefer missed the post-game interview because he was having his knee evaluated by team doctors.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 10-game points streak ended with a 6-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth. Dylan Guenther tallied two goals and an assist, and Jake McBain had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth, who improved to 23-20-4. Calle Jarnkrok replied for the 23-16-7 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal made 24 saves as his club snapped a nine-game winless skid (0-8-1) by downing the Dallas Stars 3-1. Chris Kreider, Beckett Sennecke, and Jacob Trouba scored for the 22-21-3 Ducks. Roope Hintz tallied for the Stars (27-11-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks were already short on forwards as Frank Vatrano and Tory Terry were sidelined with upper-body injuries. Center Leo Carlsson (upper-body injury) and winger Cutter Gauthier (illness) also missed this game. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen was absent due to a personal family matter.

First-period goals scored 15 seconds apart by Artem Zub and Jordan Spence lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks, snapping a four-game losing streak and improving their record to 21-19-5. Elias Pettersson replied for the Canucks (16-25-8), who are 0-6-2 in their last eight games.










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.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 12, 2025

by | Oct 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 12, 2025

A hat trick performance by the Blue Jackets’ Kirill Marchenko, Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer netted his first goal, the Ducks downed the Sharks in a wild, high-scoring contest, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko’s hat trick powered his club to a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 48 shots, and Zach Werenski and Boone Jenner each had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice and collected an assist, and Zeev Buium tallied his first NHL goal and picked up an assist for the Wild.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jenner’s goal was the 200th of his NHL career, joining Rick Nash and Cam Atkinson as the only players in franchise history to reach that milestone.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer scored his first NHL goal, but his club dropped a 4-2 decision to the Washington Capitals. Aliaksei Protas scored two goals and added an assist for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer was the first-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He collected his first NHL assist in his first game on Thursday.

An overtime goal by Leo Carlsson lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the San Jose Sharks 7-6. The Ducks erased a 6-4 deficit in the third period. Carlsson also had two assists, Mason McTavish had three assists, and Chris Kreider and Cutter Gauthier each scored twice for the Ducks. Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith each picked up three assists, but Celebrini’s turnover led to Carlsson’s winning goal.

A shootout goal by Mikko Rantanen gave the Dallas Stars a 5-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Jake Oettinger made 35 saves, and Thomas Harley had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas each had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Avalanche announced that defenseman Samuel Girard would miss this game and is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele tallied two goals as his club rallied from a 2-1 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for the Jets. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury left this game in the second period after blocking a shot by Kempe.

Three straight power-play goals by Aaron Ekblad, Anton Lundell, and Mackie Samoskevich powered the Florida Panthers to a 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. Ekblad, Lundell, and Brad Marchand each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, extending their season-opening win streak to three games. Senators center Shane Pinto scored twice for the second straight game.

The Boston Bruins extended their season-opening win streak to three games with a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Mark Kastelic had a goal and an assist for the Bruins. Jason Zucker replied for the Sabres, who have only one goal in their first two games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters that sidelined center Josh Norris is expected to miss a significant amount of time with an upper-body injury. Norris is still undergoing evaluation, and it’s uncertain how long he’ll be out of action.

Detroit Red Wings forwards Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat each had three points as their club overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3. Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond scored twice, including his 100th career NHL goal. Morgan Rielly and Nicolas Roy each had two points for the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz exited this game in the first period with a suspected head injury. The Leafs appeared to have difficulty at times adjusting to the Red Wings‘ speed in this game.

The New York Rangers thumped the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-1, giving head coach Mike Sullivan his first victory against his former team. Adam Fox scored two goals and picked up an assist. Penguins rookie Ben Kindel tallied his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Rangers announced center Vincent Trocheck is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy exited in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang left in the third period with an undisclosed injury and is undergoing evaluation. The Penguins activated forward Bryan Rust off injured reserve and sent forward Ville Koivunen to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

New Jersey Devils forward Connor Brown potted two goals, and Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Luke Hughes also had two assists for the Devils. Max Crozier picked up two assists for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Devils announced that forward Evgenii Dadonov has been sidelined with a fractured hand. A timeline for his return has yet to be determined.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 on an overtime goal by Seth Jarvis. Bobby Brink had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who got a 35-save performance by Samuel Ersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brink appeared to have scored the winning goal in overtime, but it was overturned for goalie interference by teammate Travis Sanheim. Flyers winger Matvei Michkov saw limited ice time and was benched during overtime by head coach Rick Tocchet. “I just wanted the guys who I thought were skating,” Tocchet said.

It was a costly win for the Hurricanes as top defenseman Jaccob Slavin left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. His status for the remainder of their road trip remains unclear. Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes announced that goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is out for at least a week with a lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle scored with 15 seconds remaining in the third period to give his club a 3-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Cole Caufield scored his first goal of the season, and Zach Bolduc tallied his third straight goal for the Canadiens. Sam Rinzel and Connor Bedard replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal captain Nick Suzuki collected three assists while Caufield and Bolduc finished with two points each. The Canadiens had 10 power-play opportunities but only scored on two of them.

Edmonton Oilers forward Noah Philp scored his first NHL goal, and Leon Draisaitl scored a shorthanded empty-netter in a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Quinn Hughes collected an assist on a goal by Brock Boeser, becoming the Canucks’ all-time franchise points leader for defensemen with 410.

The Utah Mammoth got an overtime goal by Dylan Guenther to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-2. Logan Cooley and Jack McBain also scored for the Mammoth. Filip Forsberg and Erik Haula replied for the Predators.

Third-period goals by Jake Neighbours and Pius Suter enabled the St. Louis Blues to double up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Neighbours finished with two goals, and Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist. Matt Coronato scored both goals for the Flames.

Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann scored with four seconds remaining in overtime to upset the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1. Matty Beniers also scored for the Kraken. Pavel Dorofeyev tallied his league-leading fifth goal of the season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2025

by | Sep 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 22, 2025

Hall of Famer Bernie Parent passes away; the Predators and Luke Evangelista remain apart in contract talks; Islanders fans serenade prospect defenseman Matthew Schaefer in his first preseason game, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Hall of Famer goaltender Bernie Parent passed away Sunday at age 80.

Hall of Fame goaltender Bernie Parent

Parent backstopped the Philadelphia Flyers to Stanley Cup championships in 1973-74 and 1974-75, becoming the first player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in consecutive seasons. He also won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender during those seasons.

In 13 NHL seasons (1965-66 to 1978-79) with the Flyers, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs, Parent had a record of 271 wins, 198 losses, and 119 ties in 608 regular-season games, with a 2.55 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage, and 54 shutouts. He also had a record of 38-33 in 71 playoff games with a 2.44 GAA, a .916 SP, and six shutouts.

Parent suffered a career-ending eye injury during a game against the New York Rangers in 1979. The Flyers retired his No.1 in October 1979, and he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. He spent several years with the Flyers as a goalie coach and was later employed by the team as a hockey ambassador.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Parent’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Flyers’ organization.

The Flyers’ image as the Broad Street Bullies in the 1970s garnered a lot of headlines, but the play of stars like Parent, Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Reggie Leach, and Rick MacLeish made them winners.

Of those stars, Parent shone the brightest during their championship years. Few goaltenders dominated a game the way he did at that time. He was one of the greatest goalies I ever saw.

TSN: The Nashville Predators and winger Luke Evangelista remain far apart in contract talks. Discussions are ongoing, but money is the sticking point on a two-year term. While the talks proceed, the 23-year-old winger has returned to Canada to continue training.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Evangelista popped up last week in trade rumors, but Predators general manager Barry Trotz reportedly has no intention of trading the young winger.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders fans chanted Matthew Schaefer’s name during his first NHL preseason game on Sunday. Chosen first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, the 18-year-old defenseman played over 24 minutes and collected an assist in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Flyers.

“Definitely got shivers,” Schaefer said. “We thought it was for (Scott Mayfield), but I guess it was for me. Obviously, you get chills.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer has an opportunity to earn a roster spot with the Islanders this season. The youngster is facing high expectations, but seems to be handling it well so far.

THE ATHLETIC’s Michael Russo reports Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello has a doctor’s appointment out of town to determine if he’ll require surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zuccarello is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM’s Walt Ruff reports Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Jalen Chatfield might not play any preseason games for precautionary reasons. The duo is nursing minor injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slavin and Chatfield are expected to be in the lineup when the regular season begins next month.

CBS SPORTS: Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven left Sunday’s preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update regarding his status.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Kaedan Korczak is getting a long-awaited opportunity as a regular defenseman with the Golden Knights. With Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injury reserve and Nic Hague traded to Nashville this summer, the 23-year-old Korczak is expected to see more playing time.