NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2025

by | Dec 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 28, 2025

Recapping Saturday’s action and the most notable headlines during the holiday break in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists, and also scored the winning goal in the shootout, as the league-leading Colorado Avalanche nipped the Vegas Golden Knights 6-5. Martin Necas scored twice, and Sam Malinski collected three assists for the 28-2-7 Avalanche, who sit atop the overall standings with 63 points. Alexander Holtz and Noah Hanifin each had two points for the Golden Knights (17-8-11), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 45 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon continues to lead the league with 31 goals, but now sits second in points (64) to Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (68).

Speaking of McDavid, he scored to extend his points streak to 12 games, but his Edmonton Oilers fell 3-2 to the Calgary Flames. Dustin Wolf stopped 29 shots while Yegor Sharangovich, Ryan Lomberg, and Blake Coleman scored for the 16-18-4 Flames. Evan Bouchard also scored for the Oilers (19-14-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other Oilers news, they reached a mutual agreement with David Tomasek to terminate his contract to enable the 29-year-old forward to return to Europe. He had five points in 22 games this season.

Los Angeles Kings forward Alex Laferriere tallied his first career NHL hat trick to lead his club over the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 6-1. Anze Kopitar collected three assists for the Kings, who improved to 16-12-9. Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks (21-15-2), who have dropped six of their last eight games (2-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Ross Johnston was fined over $2,800.00 by the league’s department of player safety last week for roughing Seattle Kraken forward Tye Kartye

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to seven games in a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Rookie winger Igor Chernyshov scored his first NHL goal, and William Eklund also had a goal and an assist for the 18-17-3 Sharks, who snapped a three-game losing skid. Conor Garland and Filip Hronek each had two points, and Marco Rossi netted his first goal for the Canucks, who slipped to 15-19-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini’s goal was his 20th of the season. He’s well ahead of last season’s pace, when he finished with 25 in 70 games. The Sharks played without forward Will Smith, who is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Canucks center Elias Pettersson returned to action after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

The Tampa Bay Lightning doubled up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Nikita Kucherov scored two goals, and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 24 shots as the Lightning picked up their third straight win, improving their record to 21-13-3. Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand replied for the 20-15-5 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Lightning announced the signing of defenseman J.J. Moser to an eight-year, $54-million contract extension. The annual average value is $6.75 million, which is double his current AAV of $3.375 million. Moser has played well for the Lightning since joining them in a trade from Utah in the summer of 2024. He has 12 points in 34 games this season with a plus/minus of plus-24, logging over 21 minutes per game.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson had a goal and two assists as his club beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 to pick up their eighth straight win. Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn, and Peyton Krebs each had two points for the surging Sabres (19-14-4). David Pastrnak scored for the 20-18-1 Bruins, who have dropped five straight games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forward Tanner Jeannot missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

The Minnesota Wild downed the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 4-3. Matt Boldy scored two goals (including the winner in overtime), while Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes each picked up three points for the 23-10-6 Wild. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist for the struggling Jets (15-17-4), who are winless in their last five contests (0-2-3).

Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies each had three points in a 7-5 win over the Ottawa Senators. Max Domi collected three assists for the Maple Leafs (17-15-5). Claude Giroux, Jordan Spence, and Stephen Halliday each had two points for the 18-14-5 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux played in his 1,300th career NHL regular-season game. Meanwhile, Maple Leafs forward William Nylander left this game with a lower-body injury in the second period, but he will be traveling with the Leafs to Detroit for Sunday’s game against the Red Wings.

Last week was a busy one for the Maple Leafs. They fired Marc Savard as their power-play coach, replacing him with Steve Sullivan. The club has no plans to replace general manager Brad Treliving or head coach Craig Berube. They also welcomed back defenseman Chris Tanev, who’d been sidelined since Nov. 1 with an upper-body injury.

The New York Islanders got a 27-save shutout from David Rittich to blank the New York Rangers 2-0. Anders Lee and Simon Holmstrom were the goal scorers as the Islanders improved to 21-13-4 on the season. Igor Shesterkin stopped 24 of 25 shots for the 19-17-4 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rittich got the call as Islanders starter Ilya Sorokin is on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Isles center Bo Horvat returned to action after missing five games. Meanwhile, Rangers captain J.T. Miller missed this game as he was placed on IR last week.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The Hurricanes ended a three-game winless skid (0-2-1) and improved to 23-11-3, leading the Eastern Conference with 49 points. Michael Rasmussen and Andrew Copp scored for the 22-14-3 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes played without forward Seth Jarvis and defenseman Jaccob Slavin. Both are listed as week-to-week with upper-body injuries.

An overtime goal by Jakob Chychrun gave the Washington Capitals a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Aliaksei Protas had a goal and two assists, and Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (20-13-5) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Jesper Bratt tallied twice for the 20-16-2 Devils, who are winless in their last three (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals forward Ryan Leonard was activated off IR on Dec. 23.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi tallied twice, and Nick Lardis scored the shootout winner in a 4-3 upset of the Dallas Stars. Arvid Soderblom made 28 saves for the 14-17-6 Blackhawks, who ended a six-game losing streak. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists for the Stars (25-7-7) as their points streak extended to six games (4-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was fined over $2,600.00 last week for cross-checking Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle.

The St. Louis Blues beat the Nashville Predators 3-2, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Pavel Buchnevich scored two goals, and Robert Thomas collected two assists for the 15-16-8 Blues. Tyson Jose and Fedor Svechkov replied for the Predators (16-17-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Dec. 23, Predators forward Steven Stamkos played in his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game.

IN OTHER NEWS…

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Jake Evans will be sidelined for four to six weeks with an injured left knee. Goaltender Sam Montembeault has been recalled from his conditioning stint in Laval. Rookie netminder Jacob Fowler gets the start on Sunday against the Lightning.

TSN: Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour underwent hand surgery last week and is out for four weeks.

TSN: The ECHL has a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Hockey Players Association (PHPA) to end a two-day-old strike by the players.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2025

by | Dec 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 12, 2025

A four-goal performance by Predators forward Steven Stamkos, Canadiens rookie goalie Jacob Fowler wins his NHL debut, four-point performances by the Bruins’ David Pastrnak and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov, and more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Steven Stamkos had his second career four-goal NHL game as the Nashville Predators thumped the St. Louis Blues 7-2. Luke Evangelista collected three assists as the 12-14-4 Predators have won six of their last eight games. Winger Hugh McGing scored his first NHL goal as the Blues fell to 11-14-7.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is now six goals away from reaching 600 regular-season goals in his NHL career.

Montreal Canadiens rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler stopped 36 shots to win his first NHL game in a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Cole Caufield netted his 17th goal of the season while Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky each had two assists for the Canadiens (16-11-3). Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson replied for the 14-8-7 Penguins, who are 0-1-2 in their last three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler became the first Florida-born goaltender in NHL history. He’s also the fourth goaltender in Canadiens history to make his NHL debut against the Penguins, joining Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, and Carey Price.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied twice and collected two assists to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 6-3. Morgan Geekie had three assists for the Bruins, who extended their win streak to four games and improved to 19-13-0. Morgan Barron, Alex Iafallo, and Gabriel Vilardi scored for the struggling Jets (14-15-1) as they’ve lost three straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy collected an assist as he returned to action after missing 11 games due to a facial fracture.

The Tampa Bay Lightning pounded the New Jersey Devils 8-4. Nikita Kucherov had four assists while Jake Guentzel and Oliver Bjorkstrand each had three points for the Lightning (18-11-2), who reclaimed first place in the Atlantic Division with 38 points. Goalie Jacob Markstrom was replaced by Jake Allen after giving up three goals on seven shots as the Devils (17-13-1) have lost six of their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning captain Victor Hedman was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Dave Randorf reports it’s the same injury that sidelined him for 12 games earlier this season. He will see a specialist for a second opinion, and it will be a couple of days before they know how long he’ll be sidelined.

Devils forward Timo Meier missed this game as he took a personal leave to attend to a family health matter.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi turned aside 22 shots to win his eighth straight start in a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Seth Jarvis scored the winning goal in the shootout, while Nikolaj Ehlers and Logan Stankoven each had a goal and an assist for the 19-9-2 Hurricanes, who moved past the Capitals into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 40 points. Connor McMichael and Rasmus Sandin each had two points for the Capitals (18-9-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bussi became the first goaltender in NHL history to win 10 of the first 11 games of his career. Meanwhile, the Capitals announced that sidelined rookie forward Ryan Leonard will miss three to four weeks with a shoulder injury.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist in a 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers. The league-leading Avalanche (22-2-7, 51 points) picked up its 10th straight home win. Noah Gregor and Mackie Samoskevich replied for the 15-13-2 Panthers as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all scorers with 25 goals and 53 points. Avalanche rookie forward Gavin Brindley had a goal and an assist as he returned from a 10-game absence due to a lower-body injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights got an overtime goal from captain Mark Stone to nip the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Stone finished with two goals while linemate Jack Eichel had two assists for the 15-6-9 Golden Knights, who took over first place in the Pacific Division with 39 points. Trevor Zegras and Noah Juulsen scored for the Flyers (16-9-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights opted not to play Carter Hart against this former club, pointing out that he was coming off back-to-back starts.

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee had two goals and two assists to lead his club over the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 5-2. Simon Holmstrom had a goal and two assists for the Islanders, who have won five of their last six games and improved to 18-11-3. Troy Terry had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (19-11-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Bo Horvat is listed as day-to-day after leaving this game in the second period with an injured left leg.

The Minnesota Wild defeated the Dallas Stars 5-2, snapping the latter’s 11-game points streak. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists, and Marcus Johansson tallied two goals for the 17-9-5 Wild. Miro Heiskanen had a goal and an assist for the Stars (21-6-5).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz left this game late in the third period with an injured foot. Earlier in the day, the Wild placed winger Mats Zuccarello and defenseman Jake Middleton on injured reserve.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman tallied a hat trick in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Connor McDavid picked up four assists for the 14-11-6 Oilers. Simon Edvidsson replied for the Red Wings (17-12-3) as their six-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Oilers placed forwards Jack Roslovic and Connor Clattenburg on injured reserve, and moved defenseman Jake Walman on long-term injury reserve.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle scored two goals in a 6-3 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Drake Batherson, Michael Amadio, and Dylan Cozens each had three points for the Senators (14-12-4) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Jet Greaves replaced Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins after giving up three goals on five shots as his club slipped to 13-12-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Lars Eller left this game with a lower-body injury. This was his second game back from an undisclosed injury.

An overtime goal by Alexander Wennberg lifted the San Jose Sharks over the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2. Wennberg finished with three points, and John Klingberg tied the game late in the third for the Sharks, who improved to 15-14-3. William Nylander had two assists for the Maple Leafs (14-11-5).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson left this game in the third period after injuring his left leg. He will be reevaluated on Friday. Before the game, the Leafs announced that sidelined blueliner Brandon Carlo (lower-body injury) underwent surgery and will be out for a month.

The Buffalo Sabres held off the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-2. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (13-14-4) as they picked up their first regulation road win since Apr. 1. Kiefer Sherwood and Max Sasson scored for the 11-17-3 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sabres placed goaltender Colten Ellis on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley is expected to miss at least eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a significant blow for the struggling Mammoth. He leads them with 14 goals and is fourth in points with 23.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 7, 2025

by | Dec 7, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 7, 2025

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: the Devils reportedly spoke to the Canucks about Quinn Hughes, and the Oilers could be interested in Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New Jersey Devils are looking around to see what’s in the trade market.

Friedman believes they had a conversation with the Vancouver Canucks about Quinn Hughes soon after the Canucks informed the rest of the league that they’re open for business. He doesn’t believe that anything is imminent or how far those discussions went, but thinks that there was a conversation about where things stand and where they might be going.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hughes’ contract expires at the end of next season. The 26-year-old defenseman has been the subject of conjecture suggesting he could be reunited with his brothers, Jack and Luke, who both play for the Devils.

Hughes was asked about the report following the Canucks’ win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. He said that he wasn’t part of a call involving Canucks president Jim Rutherford and Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald, but stated that he was aware that things like that might happen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils may have been conducting due diligence regarding Hughes, such as asking the Canucks to keep them in mind if they decide to trade the superstar blueliner. He’s reportedly not among the players the Canucks are willing to move before the March 6 trade deadline, focusing more on those who are eligible to become unrestricted free agents next July.

Nevertheless, this is only going to stoke speculation that Hughes will be traded if he remains noncommittal about signing a contract extension next summer. He lacks no-trade protection, giving the Canucks a broad field of potential trade partners.

The move could take place during the summer, when teams have more cap space and a willingness to make blockbuster deals. However, as we saw with Mikko Rantanen last season, we can’t dismiss the possibility of a major move occurring before the March trade deadline.

Two of their trade targets also include Nashville Predators forwards Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly. Stamkos, 35, has a full no-movement clause. The 34-year-old O’Reilly lacks no-trade protection, but Friedman said the veteran center has been promised verbally by Predators management that he will have a say.

The Devils are pressed against the salary cap. Friedman believes any move they make will have to be a dollar-in, dollar-out situation, meaning they must move salary in any deal they make. He also has nothing from the New Jersey side about what it would take to get Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes is a superstar, and that means parting with multiple assets. The Canucks will likely want a multiplayer return, including promising blueliner Simon Nemec, at least one of their top prospects, and a couple of draft picks (including a first-rounder).

They won’t have to part with as much for aging stars like Stamkos or O’Reilly. Nevertheless, it will mean moving a salaried player as part of the return. And no, that doesn’t mean Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, or Luke Hughes would be moved. Dougie Hamilton surfaced during the summer in the rumor mill, but he has a 10-team trade list and insists he wants to stay in New Jersey.

Friedman believes there is legitimate interest by the Edmonton Oilers in Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. However, it would be extremely complicated and might not be possible.

Jarry is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $5.375 million. However, the Penguins will not retain salary, and the Oilers are cap-strapped and would have to shed salary. It would not be a Jarry for Stuart Skinner situation, as they’d prefer to pair Jarry with Skinner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That sounds like a move that might have to happen during the offseason, when the Oilers will have more cap room to work with. However, by that point, the situation could change. Jarry could struggle again, or a better goalie might become available.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 6, 2025

by | Dec 6, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 6, 2025

Could the Devils attempt to acquire Predators winger Steven Stamkos? Were the Canucks scouting Canadiens forward Zach Bolduc? What’s the latest on Alex Formenton? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols weighed in on a recent rumor suggesting the Devils may be interested in Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos.

Nichols noted that the Devils were among the few suitors for Stamkos when he went to free agency in July 2024. While his production has declined with the Predators, it could improve playing with the Devils, where he’d have playmakers such as Jesper Bratt and a healthy Jack Hughes to set him up.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

Nevertheless, a Stamkos trade would be a risky move. He’s 35, with two years remaining on his contract, which carries an average annual value of $8 million. A potential trade would require the Predators to retain some salary, which means increasing the compensation going to Nashville.

Nichols wondered if a prospect such as Seamus Casey and two second-round draft picks would be enough to land Stamkos.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils have been struggling to score lately, partly because Hughes is sidelined with an injured hand. Once he returns, they could still seek a reliable scorer.

Stamkos probably isn’t the only one they’re considering, assuming he’s willing to waive his no-movement clause to go to New Jersey. Management will likely remain patient and see what other options emerge in the trade market as more teams fall by the wayside in the playoff chase.

TVA SPORTS: CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal claimed the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild are two teams with an interest in Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old Vancouver Canucks winger is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July, and the two sides aren’t any closer to a contract extension.

The Canucks recently scouted the Canadiens during their game against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. They’re interested in getting a young player in exchange for Sherwood, and Dhaliwal wondered if they might target someone like Canadiens winger Zack Bolduc.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are interested in adding to their forward line, preferably a second-line center. However, giving up the 22-year-old Bolduc (who was acquired from the St. Louis Blues last summer) for the 30-year-old Sherwood goes against the Habs’ habit of bringing in players in their twenties with term remaining on their contracts.

The Canadiens probably prefer to offer up a draft pick or prospect for Sherwood. If the asking price is Bolduc, they might look elsewhere for help at forward.

TSN: Darren Dreger believes Alex Formenton could become an offer-sheet candidate next summer.

The 26-year-old Ottawa Senators forward is a restricted free agent who is now ineligible to play in the NHL this season because he wasn’t signed by the Dec. 1 deadline for an RFA contract.

In September, Senators general manager Steve Staios said Formenton would not be returning to the club, as both sides believed it was best for him to have a fresh start elsewhere. Staios attempted to trade Formenton this fall, but couldn’t find any takers.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 5, 2025

by | Dec 5, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – December 5, 2025

Are the Devils interested in Predators forward Steven Stamkos? Could the Stars pursue Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood or Flames forward Blake Coleman? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

STEVEN STAMKOS LINKED TO THE DEVILS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the New Jersey Devils are believed to have internally discussed Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos, among several other trade targets.

Stamkos, 35, is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $8 million and a full no-movement clause. LeBrun doubts that he’s going anywhere this season, but indicated that the Predators “would definitely listen to calls on him.”

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

The Devils were among the suitors for Stamkos when he was an unrestricted free agent in 2024. LeBrun suggests this is something to keep an eye on as we get closer to the March 6 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Stamkos’ production since 2023-24 likely means the Devils won’t have to put together a significant offer to pry him away from the Predators, assuming he’ll waive his NMC.

Cap space will be a sticking point. The Devils have a projected $3.6 million in trade deadline cap room. Even if they convince the Predators to retain salary (which will raise their asking price), they still must free up more cap space to acquire Stamkos.

HOW WILL THE STARS REPLACE TYLER SEGUIN?

TSN: Chris Johnston believes the recent injury to Tyler Seguin could turn the Dallas Stars into more aggressive buyers by the trade deadline.

Seguin suffered what could be a season-ending knee injury earlier this week. The Stars currently have just over $3 million in cap space, but that’s with sidelined forwards Matt Duchene and Adam Erne and defenseman Nils Lundkvist on long-term injury reserve (LTIR)

If Seguin is out for the season (including the playoffs), he’ll go on season-ending long-term injury reserve (SELTIR). That would enable the Stars to spend up to the entirety of his $9.85 million cap hit to exceed the cap to another player.

On the other hand, if Seguin is expected to return later in the regular season or during the playoffs, the LTIR benefit is limited to last season’s average league salary, which was just over $3.8 million.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos goes into greater detail regarding the changes to the LTIR policy and how it would affect the Stars’ efforts to replace Seguin.

If Seguin’s gone for the season, she speculates the Stars could trade for a forward with an expensive cap hit to replace him on the roster. If he is to return later this season, the Stars will have to be more conservative in their efforts to add to their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston noted that the Stars were reportedly among the clubs interested in Vancouver Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood. His $1.5 million cap hit would make him a very affordable trade option.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports the Stars and the Toronto Maple Leafs are showing a strong interest in Blake Coleman. The 32-year-old Calgary Flames winger is signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $4.9 million and a 10-team no-trade list.

Murphy claimed the Utah Mammoth, Minnesota Wild, and Carolina Hurricanes have also been linked to Coleman. He believes the Flames winger could be a cost-effective option who could move earlier than more expensive teammates such as Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Seguin goes on SELTIR, the Stars will be in a better position to pursue Coleman than the cap-strapped Leafs. The Mammoth, Hurricanes, and Wild would be in an even better cap position and could have more tradeable assets to work with.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2025

by | Dec 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2025

Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt collects his fourth shutout in six starts, Steven Stamkos, Jamie Benn, and David Perron reach notable career milestones, the three stars and the rookie of the month for November are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves for his fourth shutout in his last six games to blank the Edmonton Oilers 1-0. Jonas Brodin scored the only goal as the Wild improved to 15-7-5. Stuart Skinner made 23 saves for the Oilers, who slipped to 11-11-5.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wallstedt became the second-fastest goaltender in NHL history to record five career shutouts, doing so in 15 games. Frankie Brimsek holds the record with nine games.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos scored to reach his 1,200th career NHL regular-season point in a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Juuse Saros stopped 27 shots, and Michael Bunting had a goal and an assist for the Predators (9-13-4). Morgan Frost replied for the 9-15-4 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is the sixth active player to reach the 1,200-point milestone, joining Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrik Kane, and Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar.

Predators forward Ozzy Wiesblatt scored his first NHL goal. He pointed skyward to honor his late brother Orca Wiesblatt, who died in a car accident in September.

An overtime goal by Vladislav Gavrikov lifted the New York Rangers over the Dallas Stars 3-2. Artemi Panarin had two assists for the Rangers (14-12-2), who have three wins in their last four games. Kyle Capobianco and Mikko Rantanen scored for the 17-5-5 Stars as their four-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dallas captain Jamie Benn played his 1,200th career NHL regular-season game. Meanwhile, Stars winger Tyler Seguin left the game early in the first period after injuring his right leg following a collision with Gavrikov. Earlier in the day, the Stars announced defenseman Lian Bichsel will miss multiple weeks with a lower-body injury suffered in Sunday’s win over the Ottawa Senators.

The Ottawa Senators improved to 13-9-4 with a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Brady Tkachuk and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each had two points for the 13-9-3 Canadiens, who have lost two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators forward David Perron collected an assist in his 1,200th career regular-season NHL game. Tkachuk’s goal was his first of the season after missing 20 games with an injured thumb.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied twice to lead his club over the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-1. The league-leading Avalanche (19-1-6, 44 points) extended its point streak to 17 games. Linus Karlsson scored for the 10-14-3 Canucks, who have two wins in their last 11 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league with 22 goals and 46 points. Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood left this game in the second period for precautionary reasons with tightness in his back. Meanwhile, teammate Valeri Nichushkin returned to action after missing eight games with a lower-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Boston Bruins 5-4, snapping a four-game losing skid. Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist for the 14-11-2 Red Wings. Hampus Lindholm had three assists, and Alex Steeves tallied two goals for the Bruins (15-13-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins winger David Pastrnak missed his third straight game with an undisclosed injury and is expected to be sidelined for the rest of this week. Meanwhile, winger Viktor Arvidsson returned to action after being out since Nov. 15 with a lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got their third win in their last four games by downing the Florida Panthers 4-1. Troy Stecher and Dakota Joshua each had a goal and an assist, and Joseph Woll turned aside 26 shots for the 12-11-3 Maple Leafs. Sam Reinhart got the only goal for the Panthers (12-12-1), who’ve dropped three straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo will be sidelined longer than expected with a lower-body injury. He’s been out since Nov. 13 and recently suffered a setback in his recovery.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 27 shots to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Bo Horvat and Anthony Duclair scored for the Islanders (14-10-3) as they ended a three-game losing skid. Dominic James scored for the 16-8-2 Lightning, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 34 points.

A shootout goal by Shea Theodore gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Carter Hart made 27 saves in his season debut with the Golden Knights (12-6-8). Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-6 Blackhawks, who have one win in their last seven games.

The Washington Capitals picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. Alex Ovechkin collected two assists for the Capitals (16-9-2). Adrian Kempe scored for the 12-7-7 Kings.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, and Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard are the league’s three stars for November 2025. Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt is the Rookie of the Month for November.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers forward Tyson Foerster will be sidelined for two to three months with an upper-body injury.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Mathieu Olivier (upper body) was placed on injured reserve

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The NHL is sending a memo to its 32 teams reminding them about its rule requiring players to wear helmets during warmups. This comes after the Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils violated that rule in recent games. Neither club is expected to be punished beyond a warning.