NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2026

by | Jan 20, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2026

Milestone performances by Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews is welcomed back to Chicago, Matthew Tkachuk returns to action, the Canucks trade Kiefer Sherwood to the Sharks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and collected an assist to reach 1,100 career NHL regular-season points in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Martin Necas and Victor Olofsson each had two points for the 34-5-8 Avalanche, who lead the league with 76 points. Ethen Frank had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (24-20-6), who’ve lost three straight games.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is the second player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to reach 1,100 points. Joe Sakic is the franchise leader with 1,641 points. Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin suffered minor injuries in a car accident while driving to the game. He was held out for precautionary reasons.

Speaking of the Capitals, they have reportedly opened contract discussions with John Carlsson. The long-time Capitals defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby played his 1,400th career NHL regular-season game as his club defeated the Seattle Kraken 6-3. Crosby, Anthony Mantha, and Blake Lizotte each had two assists while Connor Dewar tallied twice for the Penguins (23-14-11). Ben Meyers had a goal and an assist for the struggling Kraken (21-18-9) as they are 1-4-2 in their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is the 45th player in league history to reach 1,400 games. He remains the Penguins’ leader in that category.

The Chicago Blackhawks blanked the Winnipeg Jets 2-0. Spencer Knight earned the shutout with 32 saves while Jason Dickinson and Connor Bedard scored for the 19-22-7 Blackhawks. Jets center Jonathan Toews received a lengthy standing ovation from Chicago fans as he made his former team for the first time since staging his comeback this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews spent 15 seasons with the Blackhawks from 2007-08 to 2022-23, spending 14 of those seasons as captain. He was one of the greatest players in franchise history, leading them to three Stanley Cups. That standing ovation during the TV timeout lasted almost five minutes.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 35 shots in a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Michael Misa and Igor Chernyshov each collected two assists for the Sharks, who improved to 25-20-3. Eetu Luostarinen replied for the 25-20-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk was held scoreless in his season debut. He’d been sidelined by surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia on Aug. 22. Meanwhile, the Panthers placed defenseman Seth Jones (upper body) on long-term injury reserve.

Earlier in the day, the Sharks acquired Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks. Details and analysis of the trade are below in the Headlines section.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Buffalo Sabres 2-1. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and an assist, Sebastian Aho collected two assists, and Seth Jarvis scored the winning goal for the Hurricanes (31-15-4), as they hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 66 points. Rasmus Dahlin had the only goal for the 26-17-5 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Eric Robinson left this game in the first period with an apparent injury to his left shoulder.

Minnesota Wild winger Marcus Foligno tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist for the Wild (28-13-9). Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist for the 24-17-8 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Joshua Kloke of The Athletic reports the Maple Leafs have opened contract extension talks with winger Bobby McMann, who is UFA-eligible this summer.

The New York Islanders held off the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Anthony Duclair tallied two goals, Matthew Schaefer and Bo Horvat each had two assists, and Ilya Sorokin turned aside 29 shots for the Islanders (27-17-5). Kevin Lankinen stopped 28 shots for the Canucks (16-28-5), whose 11-game winless skid equals the franchise mark.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny tallied both of his club’s goals in a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, snapping a six-game winless skid (0-5-1). Samuel Ersson made 24 saves for the 23-17-8 Flyers. Tomas Hertl replied for the Golden Knights (24-12-12), who remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 60 points.

An overtime goal by Simon Nemec lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Calgary Flames 2-1. Dawson Mercer also scored for the Devils (25-22-2). Nazem Kadri scored for the 21-23-5 Flames.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored twice on his 22nd birthday in a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Lukas Dostal stopped 19 shots for the 25-21-3 Ducks, who picked up their fourth straight win. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to 10 games for the 21-23-6 Rangers.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson, Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi, and Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka are the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 18, 2026.

THE PROVINCE/SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Vancouver Canucks traded winger Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks on Monday in exchange for minor league defenseman Cole Clayton, a second-round pick in 2026, and a second-rounder in 2027.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sherwood was a frequent subject of trade speculation since November. The 30-year-old winger could reach a career-best 30 goals and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

It was rumored that the Canucks were seeking a first-round pick as part of the return for Sherwood. However, a pair of second-rounders isn’t bad for a physical middle-six forward whose production could decline after this season. The Canucks can use these picks to bolster their prospect pipeline or as trade chips to acquire more immediate roster help.

The rebuilding Sharks have been sellers in recent years. Led by young superstar Macklin Celebrini, they’ve exceeded expectations this season, jockeying for a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. Adding a rental player such as Sherwood indicates that management wants to help them clinch a berth. If he fits well within their roster, they could sign him to an extension.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 13, 2025

by | Nov 13, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 13, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, the Sabres are reportedly getting calls from teams interested in acquiring Tage Thompson, plus the latest on the Penguins and Senators.

SABRES GETTING CALLS ABOUT TAGE THOMPSON

RG. ORG: Marco D’Amico reports teams are calling the Buffalo Sabres about Tage Thompson. However, general manager Kevyn Adams insisted that the star forward isn’t available.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson (NHL Images).

The Sabres are once again struggling in the standings. That has prompted some teams in the market for depth at center, such as the Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens, to inquire about Thompson’s availability.

Part of the reason for the Sabres’ struggles is that several key players are sidelined by injuries (Josh Norris, Jiri Kulich, Zach Benson) or illness (Jason Zucker). Meanwhile, defenseman and team captain Rasmus Dahlin is on a leave of absence for personal reasons.

However, the organization is holding off on making major roster changes, turning instead to younger players in the hope of sparking a turnaround.

TVA SPORTS: Renaud Lavoie claimed the Canadiens never contacted the Sabres to see if Thompson was available. He considers Thompson and Dahlin as the club’s foundation players, “the cream of the crop”, adding that they weren’t going anywhere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adams is under pressure to end the Sabres’ 14-year playoff drought. However, he’s not going to rush into things and make a panic deal. Besides, there are few sellers currently in the trade market, so there’s not much available that could help the Sabres at this time.

Thompson has a five-team no-trade list, giving Adams a lot of leeway in the trade market if he wanted to move the high-scoring forward. Nevertheless, the Sabres GM won’t move Thompson unless he wants out, or a rival club makes a substantial offer that would significantly improve his club.

THE LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe recently wondered if the Pittsburgh Penguins’ surprisingly solid start to this season has affected their trade plans for Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell.

As long as the Penguins are playing well, those veterans won’t be moved. It’s unlikely that general manager Kyle Dubas would spoil an opportunity for Sidney Crosby to participate in the postseason again.

Yohe also doesn’t see the Penguins being big buyers at the March 6 trade deadline if they’re in playoff contention by that point. Dubas doesn’t want to lose sight of his ultimate goal of turning the Penguins into a championship contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas stated earlier this season that the goal was to continue retooling the roster with younger talent, but also to remain competitive. If the Penguins are in playoff contention by March, Karlsson, Rust, and Rakell will be staying put.

UPDATE ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Bruce Garrioch recently reported Senators GM Steve Staios continues working the phones in search of an impact player, but that’s easier said than done at this early stage of the season.

The Senators are also trying to trade the rights of winger Alex Formenton, who was among the five players on the 2018 World Junior Team that were found not guilty of sexual assault in July in London, Ontario.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2025

by | Oct 18, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2025

Check out the latest on the Sabres, Maple Leafs, and Flames in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST SABRES SPECULATION

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco examined who stays or goes if the Buffalo Sabres end up rebuilding their roster, should they extend their league-record playoff drought, currently at 14 seasons.

Among their forwards, Di Marco believes there isn’t much outside of Tage Thompson and winger Alex Tuch that would fetch a major return. Young forwards Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich, and Jack Quinn have potential, but they aren’t proven commodities.

Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin (NHL Images)

The defense is a different story, where Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Bowen Byram would garner plenty of interest in the trade market. Of the three, Dahlin would fetch a king’s ransom given his status among the league’s elite blueliners.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Zach Berman suggested the Devils target Thompson, citing speculation that the 27-year-old forward could be leaning toward asking out of Buffalo.

If Thompson becomes available, Berman believes Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald should go all-in to land him. He suggested that no one, other than the Hughes brothers, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier, should be considered untouchable.

SPORTSNET: Player agent Brian Bartlett said his client, Alex Tuch, has paused contract negotiations with the Sabres. Bartlett indicated they weren’t able to get a deal done during the offseason, and that things are on the back burner for now.

Tuch, 29, is among the notable forwards eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next summer. Bartlett indicated that there had been good, consistent communication with Sabres management, adding that his client informed them that he was happy to stay in Buffalo.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres’ 1-3-0 start has already made them a hot topic for trade conjecture. If they don’t snap out of this early-season funk, it would lead to significant changes in the front office and behind the bench, subsequently leading to roster changes if things don’t improve.

Thompson, Tuch, Dahlin, Power, and Byram will definitely draw the most attention if the Sabres decide to tear down the roster and rebuild again.

Tuch’s UFA status for next summer makes him the most obvious trade candidate, which is why he’s already surfaced in media trade chatter. However, he could be joined by one or more of the other core players if any of them finally reach the limit of their patience with the club’s current direction.

UPDATE ON LEAFS WINGER NICK ROBERTSON

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel and Chris Johnston noted the recent trade speculation swirling around Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson.

Siegel and Johnston believe the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets as potential trade destinations.

The Penguins are rebuilding and targeting players in Robertson’s age group, plus there’s his connection with Penguins general manager (and former Leafs GM) Kyle Dubas. Columbus doesn’t have the same apparent need for a scoring winger, but they believe the Blue Jackets should still call.

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan also noted Robertson’s return to the rumor mill. However, he believes the Leafs are better off hanging onto him, citing his goal-scoring potential despite his early-season drought. Trading him for a draft pick would free up his $1.85 million salary for this season, but Koshan feels that money is better spent on keeping him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs likely see Robertson as a depth forward worth retaining in case injuries strike the lineup. Unless they go into a tailspin and drop out of playoff contention, which is unlikely, trading him for a draft pick doesn’t improve their roster.

The Blue Jackets aren’t a suitable destination for Robertson unless injuries deplete the ranks of their wingers this season. Seigel and Johnston noted that Yegor Chinakhov can’t crack the Jackets roster, so it’s unlikely Robertson would fare better.

FLAMES SEEK BLUELINE HELP

DAILY FACEOFF‘s Anthony Di Marco stated that the Calgary Flames are looking for “a young, left-shot defenseman with size.” He pointed out that they have “too many bodies on 1-way deals and want to move some out.”

Di Marco heard that the Flames would like to move Jake Bean and Daniil Miromanov. He’s heard they like Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula, who played his junior hockey in Calgary.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2025

by | Feb 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2025

A milestone game for Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is the first player to reach 80 points this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick made 34 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming the first US-born netminder to reach the 400-win milestone. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and two assists and J.T. Miller collected two assists for the Rangers (54 points), who sit five points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jack Eichel scored both goals for the Golden Knights (68 points), who are 1-2-2 in their last five games and remain in second place in the Pacific Division.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller is wasting little time making a positive impact on the Rangers. He has four points in his first two games since the Blueshirts reacquired him from the Canucks on Friday. It may have helped the struggling Zibanejad regain his scoring touch after being shifted to right wing on the Rangers’ top line alongside Miller and Zibanejad.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored to become the first player to reach 80 points this season as his club blanked the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 24 shots for the shutout as the Avalanche picked up their second straight win and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 64 points. The Flyers have dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds a three-point lead over Edmonton’s Leon Draisailt in the points race. He also leads all players with 60 assists.

Dallas Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov tallied twice in the third period in a 5-3 win over the Blue Jackets. Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley each collected two assists as the Stars collected their fifth straight win and sit second in the Central Division with 69 points. Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro and forward Kirill Marchenko left the game due to injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets weren’t pleased with the officiating in this game, questioning two of the Stars’ goals and Stars forward Mason Marchment going unpunished for elbowing Fabbro in the face. Marchenko was sidelined after taking a puck to the chin while sitting on the bench. Stars forward Mavrik Bourque also left this game in the third period when he was struck in the face by the puck.

Blue Jackets winger James van Riemsdyk played in this game despite losing four teeth during Friday’s game against Utah when he was crosschecked by Ian Cole. He returned to action after receiving 30 stitches, then underwent surgery following the game when an x-ray revealed one of his missing teeth was lodged in his bottom lip.

The Florida Panthers got a hat trick from Carter Verhaeghe to beat the New York Islanders 6-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov picked up three assists as his club has won three straight and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 67 points. The Islanders sit four points behind the Blue Jackets with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders played without forward Mathew Barzal and defenseman Scott Mayfield. They were sidelined by injuries during Saturday’s win over Tampa Bay.

An overtime goal by Alex DeBrincat lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Vancouver Canucks 3-2, giving the red-hot Wings their sixth straight win. DeBrincat also scored in regulation to finish the night with two goals, vaulting over the Blue Jackets into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 59 points. Filip Chytil scored in his first game with the Canucks since being acquired from the Rangers on Friday. The Canucks (57 points) sit two points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings activated Patrick Kane off injured reserve and placed forward J.T. Compher on IR. Wings defenseman Jeff Petry underwent surgery and will be sidelined for six to eight weeks. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 2.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was a late scratch from this game with an undisclosed injury. Teammate Kyle Sherwood returned to action after missing four games due to injury.

Speaking of the Flames, they nipped the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 20th goal of the season while Morgan Frost scored his first goal with the Flames since being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Kaapo Kakko and Brandon Tanev scored for the Kraken, who’ve lost three of their last four games.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Thompson left the game in the third period following a blindside hit by Devils forward Stefan Noesen, who was ejected as a result. Paul Cotter scored two goals for the Devils as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff told reporters after the game that Thompson passed each test in the NHL’s concussion protocol. He’ll be held out of Monday’s practice as a precaution.

The Anaheim Ducks overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Alex Killorn snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Ducks picked up their fourth win in their last five games. The Canadiens (53 points) are winless in their last five games (0-4-1) and six points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are plummeting back to earth following a five-week streak where they were among the hottest teams in the league, winning 13 of 17 games from Dec. 17 to Jan. 21.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou snapped a 1-1 tie to give his club a 2-1 win over the Utah Hockey Club. Jordan Binnington stopped 24 shots to snap a four-game losing skid. Utah has lost five straight.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported last week that the skyrocketing salary cap has raised concern that it could create a new era of have-and-have-not teams, in which bigger markets gain a financial advantage to outspend smaller markets unable to spend toward the cap. It could invite renewed discussion of enhanced revenue sharing in the next round of collective bargaining slated to begin this month.

TVA SPORTS: Canadiens winger Patrik Laine confirmed he became addicted to video games as a refuge during a dark period following the sudden death of his father. He found they briefly eased his anxiety before he hit rock bottom, forcing him to seek help from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Laine is doing better in Montreal, regaining his love of hockey and finding solace in religion with his fiancee Jordan Leigh.

He also believes his critical comments about the Columbus Blue Jackets prompted his former teammates to target him during his first game against them in December. He regrets those remarks, and won’t say anything negative about another organization again.

OTTAWA SUN: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will receive an in-person hearing with the league’s department of player safety for his attempt to injure Senators center Tim Stutzle on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Senators, they’ve returned goalie Leevi Merilainen to their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Starter Linus Ullmark is expected to return to action after being sidelined by a back injury since Dec. 22.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2024

by | Nov 27, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2024

Recaps of Tuesday’s games plus the latest on Auston Matthews, Tage Thompson, Timo Meier, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks got a 32-save shutout from Kevin Lankinen to blank the Boston Bruins 2-0. Jake DeBrusk tallied the winning goal in his first game against his former club since signing with the Canucks this summer. Connor Garland had a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Jeremy Swayman made 13 saves for the Bruins as they suffered their first loss under interim coach Joe Sacco.

Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have tightened up defensively in their three games under Sacco (2-1-0) but they’ve managed only three goals during that stretch. Meanwhile, Canucks winger Brock Boeser was held scoreless in his return to action after missing seven games with a concussion.

An overtime goal by Mikhail Sergachev lifted the Utah Hockey Club to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Dylan Guenther and Jack McBain scored in regulation for Utah while Jayden Struble and Alex Newhook tallied for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. The Habs also announced Patrik Laine will accompany them on their upcoming three-game road trip as he works his way back from a sprained knee.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was a full-practice participant on Tuesday. He’s been sidelined since Nov. 3 with an upper-body injury.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Sabres center Tage Thompson is expected to be in the lineup when his club faces off against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. He missed the last five games with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier received a one-game suspension for cross-checking Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux on Monday.

SPORTSNET: The Ottawa Senators placed defenseman Artem Zub (fractured foot) on long-term injury reserve and called up defenseman Donovan Sebrango from their AHL affiliate in Belleville.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move enables the Senators to exceed the $88 million salary cap by over $3.7 million. They could use that space to pursue a replacement for Zub via the trade market, but if he returns to the lineup before the end of this season, they would have to be cap-compliant.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is listed as day-to-day with a concussion. He won’t play in Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers but could return during the weekend.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina netminder Frederik Andersen is sidelined for eight to 12 weeks recovering from knee surgery. There’s speculation the Hurricanes are shopping around for goaltending depth. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger will miss Wednesday’s game against the Canadiens with an upper-body injury.

THE SCORE: The San Jose Sharks assigned goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to their AHL affiliate as veteran netminder Vitek Vanecek returns from an upper-body injury.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed winger Valtteri Puustinen on waivers. He was a healthy scratch in 13 of the Penguins’ 23 games this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2024

by | Nov 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2024

Big multipoint games for the Stars’ Mason Marchment and the Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki, the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2024 are formally inducted, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment had a five-point performance (one goal, four assists) as his club thumped the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-1. Four of those points came in the first period as the Stars took a 6-0 lead. Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists while Miro Heiskanen scored two goals for the Stars. Penguins goalie Joel Blomqvist got the hook after giving up three goals on eight shots.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins set a franchise record for the most goals given up in the opening period of a home game.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored twice and collected two assists in a wild back-and-forth contest to lead his club to a 7-5 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield tallied two goals and teammate Juraj Slafkovsky picked up three assists as their club snapped a six-game losing skid (0-5-1). Rasmus Dahlin and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Tage Thompson and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson left this game with lower-body injuries.

Following the game, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen suffered an ailment during practice on Sunday that may have affected his performance. Luukkonen was pulled from this game after giving up four goals on 18 shots. Canadiens netminder Cayden Primeau didn’t fare any better, getting the hook in the third period after allowing five goals on 14 shots.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2, handing the latter their first home loss of the season. Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 30 shots for his seventh straight win while Jordan Staal, Eric Robinson and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each had a goal and an assist. Golden Knights netminder Adin Hill allowed four goals on 21 shots and was replaced by Akira Schmid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina forward Martin Necas picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games. Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

An overtime goal by Samuel Girard lifted the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Girard finished the game with two points while Alexandar Georgiev turned aside 29 shots for the win. Predators netminder Juuse Saros also stopped 29 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The struggling Predators have one win in their last five games (1-3-1).

Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf kicked out 28 shots as his club downed the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. The Flames got goals from Mikael Backlund and Jonathan Huberdeau 38 seconds apart in the second period. Trevor Moore scored for the Kings before the Flames’ Kevin Rooney put the game out of reach with an empty-net goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames announced earlier in the day that winger Anthony Mantha will undergo season-ending knee surgery.

A shootout goal by Travis Konecny gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Flyers winger Matvei Michkov had a goal and an assist and also tallied in the shootout rounds. Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers placed defenseman Jamie Drysdale (upper body) on injured reserve and activated Ryan Poehling from IR for this game.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Former NHL stars Pavel Datsyuk, Jeremy Roenick and Shea Weber were among the Class of 2024 formally inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the players’ category on Monday. Former Nashville Predators general manager David Poile and NHL executive Colin Campbell were inducted into the builders category. US women’s hockey stars Krissy Wendell-Pohl and Natalie Darwitz were also inducted into the players’ category.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Class of 2024.

Datsyuk is the 10th player from the Red Wings’ 2002 Stanley Cup team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Weber and Poile are the first members of the Predators to go into the Hall.

Roenick thanked his former Phoenix Coyotes teammate Keith Tkachuk, expressing the hope that Tkachuk would one day join him in the Hall. He also got emotional while thanking former San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson for reaching out during a low point near the end of Roenick’s career, giving him a chance to reach the 500-goal plateau with the Sharks.

CALGARY SUN: Hockey Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald offered a heartfelt tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau in a somber moment during the induction ceremony. The Gaudreaus were killed in August by an alleged drunk driver.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen were the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 10, 2024.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (upper-body injury) remains day-to-day and is unlikely to face the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. The Leafs also placed winger Max Pacioretty (lower-body injury) on IR.

OTTAWA SUN: Speaking of the Senators, center Shane Pinto will return to the lineup against the Leafs. He’s been sidelined by an undisclosed injury since playing his last game on Oct. 22.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins winger David Pastrnak revealed he was sidelined for two-to-three weeks after playing for Czechia in the 2024 World Championship in May. He admitted he didn’t feel right entering Bruins training camp in September but insists he’s felt much better over the last couple of games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would account for Pastrnak’s goal-scoring difficulties this season. He has 14 points in 16 games but only six goals.

Speaking of the Bruins, they returned center Matthew Poitras to their AHL affiliate in Providence.

DAILY FACEOFF: Chicago Blackhawks forward Andreas Athanasiou, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Matt Benning, and Colorado Avalanche goalie Kaapo Kahkonen were placed on waivers on Monday.