NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 21, 2026

by | Feb 21, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 21, 2026

Canada and the United States advance to the Olympic Men’s gold-medal game, Finland and Slovakia to meet for the bronze medal, and the latest NHL news in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NEWS

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored with 35.2 seconds remaining in the third period to lift Canada over Finland by a score of 3-2.

Team Canada center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL.com)

Finland held a 2-0 lead early in the second period on goals by Mikko Rantanen and Erik Haula. However, they inexplicably went into a defensive shell for the rest of the game, allowing Canada to tie the game on goals by Sam Reinhart and Shea Theodore, setting the stage for MacKinnon’s game-winner.

Canada will face the United States in the gold-medal game on Sunday at 8 AM ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second straight comeback victory for Canada, and like their game against Czechia on Wednesday, it had its share of controversy.

Before Theodore’s goal, Canadian winger Brad Marchand collided with Finnish goaltender Juuse Saros after he appeared to be pushed by Haula. Both players quickly got to their feet, and Saros was back in position for Theodore’s shot, which deflected off his shoulder into the net.

Saros protested to the officials that it was goaltender interference, but there was no challenge from his coach. Some observers questioned that decision, but had that challenge failed (and it likely would’ve), the Finns would’ve been assessed a delay of game penalty with the score tied at two.

It should be noted that Saros was outstanding for Finland. With his teammates trying to sit on their two-goal lead, the Nashville Predators’ goaltender made 36 saves. If not for him, the Canadians lead would’ve been wider.

Finland challenged MacKinnon’s goal, claiming Canadian winger Macklin Celebrini was offside on a zone entry about a minute beforehand. However, the video review showed Celebrini was onside, albeit barely.

Canada got the win without team captain Sidney Crosby, who is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered against Czechia. Connor McDavid took over the captaincy for this game. Crosby could return to action in the gold-medal game on Sunday.

McDavid continues to be an offensive force for Canada. The Edmonton Oilers center set the Olympic men’s hockey single tournament points record with 13, breaking the previous mark of 11 points jointly held by Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Celebrini is also shining for Canada. The 19-year-old San Jose Sharks superstar sits second in points with 10 and leads all scorers in this tournament with five goals. He logged a team-leading 25:53 of ice time against Finland and also led Canada in shots and scoring chances.

The United States punched its ticket to the gold-medal game with a 6-2 victory over Slovakia.

Jack Hughes scored twice, Zach Werenski collected three assists, and Jack Eichel, Brady Tkachuk, and Tage Thompson each had a goal and an assist. Juraj Slafkovsky and Pavol Regenda replied for Slovakia, who will face Finland on Saturday in the bronze-medal game at 2:30 PM ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slovakia exceeded expectations in this tournament by getting this far, but this underdog club was no match for the powerful Americans, who held a 5-0 lead after two periods.

Thompson left this game after the second period with an undisclosed injury for precautionary reasons. An update on his status could be announced on Saturday.

The stage is now set for the rematch of the 4 Nations Face-Off final that everyone knew was coming. If Canada wins, they’ll become the first nation to win 10 gold medals in Olympic Men’s hockey. If the United States takes gold, it’ll be their third, and the first since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.

The Americans are looking forward to that game. Like Canada, they’re undefeated in this tournament. They feel they’re peaking as a team at the right time, but they’re not taking their Canadian opponents lightly.

NHL NEWS

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil is sidelined indefinitely with a facial fracture after a puck struck him during practice on Wednesday.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Matt Rempe will undergo a second procedure on his left thumb and will be placed on injured reserve. No timeline was given for his return.

TSN: Gavin McKenna collected eight points to lead Penn State to an 11-4 rout of Ohio State, breaking the school’s previous single-game record of five points. McKenna is the projected top prospect in this year’s NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna was recently charged with misdemeanor simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment following an alleged altercation in January. A felony charge of aggravated assault was subsequently dropped. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 11.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2026

by | Feb 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 5, 2026

A big game for the Blue Jackets, a hat-trick performance by the Wild’s Matt Boldy, the Blues and Devils make a trade, top prospect Gavin McKenna charged with assault, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets won their seventh straight game by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Jet Greaves stopped 21 shots as the Jackets won their second straight game via shutout. Zach Werenski scored his 20th goal of the season, and Charlie Coyle collected two assists for the 29-20-7 Blue Jackets. Spencer Knight stopped 16 of 19 shots for the Blackhawks, who slipped to 22-26-9.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski leads all NHL defensemen in goals this season and sits second to Edmonton Oilers blueliner Evan Bouchard with 62 points. Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko missed his second straight game due to illness. Meanwhile, Blackhawks forwards Wyatt Kaiser and Colton Dach left this game with injuries.

Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy cracked the 30-goal plateau with a hat trick, and Jared Spurgeon scored in overtime for a 6-5 victory over the Nashville Predators. Boldy also collected an assist for a four-point game, and Quinn Hughes had two assists for the 34-14-10 as they extended their win streak to five games. Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly each had three points for the Predators (26-24-3).

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn scored his second goal of the game with 23 seconds remaining in the third period to defeat the St. Louis Blues 5-4. Benn also had an assist while Jason Robertson tallied his 200th career NHL regular-season goal for the 34-14-9 Stars as they picked up their sixth consecutive victory. Jimmy Snuggerud and Jordan Kyrou each had a goal and an assist for the 20-28-9 Blues, who’ve dropped eight of their last nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin returned to action after missing four games with a lower-body injury. Teammate Lian Bichsel is expected to return to the lineup following the Olympic break. He’s been out of action since Nov. 30 with a lower-body injury.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has two assists, including his 700th career NHL regular-season assist, as his club doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Artturi Lehkonen tallied twice, and Valeri Nichushkin picked up three assists for the 37-9-9 Avalanche, who lead the league with 83 points. Timothy Liljegren and Philipp Kurashev replied for the Sharks (27-24-4), who are 0-3-1 in their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks are 4-6-1 in their last 11. Before that slide, they were sitting third in the Pacific Division. They’ve since slipped to sixth, sitting five points out of a wildcard berth in the Western Conference.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-1. Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson each had a goal and two assists, and goaltender Sam Montembeault kicked out 36 shots for the 32-17-8 Canadiens, extending their points streak to five games (4-0-1). Kyle Connor replied for the Jets, who dropped to 22-26-8.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Big win for Montembeault, who bailed out his teammates during their sluggish first period. Following the game, he revealed that he had gone through an emotional time recently, with his grandmother passing away on Jan. 27 and the Canadiens firing goalie coach Eric Raymond, who had coached Montembeault since 2021.

Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists in a 5-4 shootout victory over the Boston Bruins. Matthew Tkachuk and Uvis Balinskis each had a goal and an assist, and Brad Marchand tallied the winning goal in the shootout for the 29-24-3 Panthers, snapping a four-game losing skid. Michael Eyssimont tallied twice for the Bruins (32-21-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy was fortunate to avoid a serious injury after receiving an illegal hit to the head by Panthers forward Sandis Vilmanis midway through the first period. McAvoy left the game but returned in the second period. Vilamanis received a two-minute minor penalty but left the game with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley stopped 36 shots, and Ryan Lomberg snapped a 3-3 tie in a 4-3 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Matvei Gridin had a goal and an assist for the 23-27-6 Flames. Leon Draisaitl scored twice, and Evan Bouchard had three assists for the Oilers (28-22-8), who have lost three straight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl was not impressed with his club’s recent performance. Following the game, he blasted everyone (himself included), from the coaches to his teammates. His remarks fueled comments on social media suggesting head coach Kris Knoblauch is in danger of losing his job.

It was a sour end to what had been a good day for Draisaitl, as he learned he was named one of the flagbearers for his native Germany in the opening ceremony for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Utah Mammoth got a goal and an assist each from Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz to lead their club over the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Karel Vejmelka stopped 29 shots for the 30-23-4 Mammoth. Dylan Larkin scored for the Wings (33-19-6).

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Mark Stone picked up two assists for the Golden Knights (26-16-14), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 66 points. Teddy Blueger collected two assists for the 18-33-6 Canucks.

Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright scored twice in a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Joey Daccord stopped 25 shots for the Kraken (27-20-9). Andrei Kuzmenko scored both goals for the Kings (23-18-14).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings will be looking forward to Artemi Panarin’s production. They acquired the playmaking superstar yesterday in a trade with the New York Rangers.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The St. Louis Blues traded center Nick Bjugstad on Wednesday to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Thomas Bordeleau and a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The sell-off begins in St. Louis as this move could lead to more deals involving more notable Blues players before the March 6 trade deadline. Goaltender Jordan Binnington, defenseman Justin Faulk, and forwards Brayden Schenn, Robert Thomas, and Jordan Kyrou have been mentioned as trade candidates.

The Devils were seeking experienced depth at center. Bjugstad could skate on the third or fourth line.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Devils, there’s no certainty that sidelined center Jack Hughes will be in their lineup for Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders. He remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury, but he is expected to play for Team USA in the upcoming Winter Olympics.

DAILY FACEOFF: Top NHL prospect and Penn State forward Gavin McKenna faces a felony assault charge stemming from an alleged altercation on Saturday. He was also charged with misdemeanor simple assault and two offenses for disorderly conduct and harassment.

A conviction of a first-degree felony carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred in a downtown bar in State College, Pennsylvania, following Penn State’s 5-4 loss to Michigan State in the outdoor game at Beaver Stadium. The unidentified victim suffered a broken jaw.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It is important to remember that McKenna is innocent until proven guilty. Nevertheless, this incident casts a cloud of uncertainty over his future.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins defenseman Caleb Jones has been suspended 20 games without pay for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program.

In a statement, Jones indicated he was receiving exosome therapy for a documented injury from an outside provider. He believes his positive test result was related to a contaminated substance associated with the treatment, adding that he didn’t intentionally use the prohibited substance. Nevertheless, he apologized for his actions.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2026

by | Jan 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2026

Mika Zibanejad had a record-setting performance at the 2026 Winter Classic. The Winter Olympics men’s hockey rosters for the United States, Sweden, and Finland were also announced, along with other notable developments, in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad had a hat trick and collected two assists in a 5-1 victory over the host Florida Panthers at the 2026 NHL Winter Classic before a sellout crowd of 36,153 fans at loanDepot Park in Miami.

New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad (NHL Images).

Artemi Panarin tallied twice and had an assist, Alexis Lafreniere picked up three assists, and Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves for the Rangers (20-18-5), who ended a three-game winless skid. Sam Reinhart replied for the 21-16-3 Panthers, who have one win in their last four games (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a record-setting game for Zibanejad. He netted the first hat trick and the most points (five) in an outdoor NHL game. He also tied the Rangers’ record for the most power-play goals with 116.

Panarin is in a four-way tie for the most points (seven) in outdoor NHL games. The Rangers are 6-0-0 in outdoor NHL games, and 3-0-0 in the Winter Classic.

Panthers defenseman Seth Jones left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn snapped a 3-3 tie late in the third period to lift his club over the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 4-3. Alexey Toropchenko and Oskar Sundqvist each had a goal and an assist as the Blues held a 3-1 lead before the Golden Knights rallied on goals by Mark Stone and Pavel Dorofeyev. The Blues improved to 16-18-8 while the 17-11-4 Golden Knights have one win in their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel returned to action after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. However, teammate Brayden McNabb is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes tied his career high of four assists as his club rolled to a 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Danila Yurov scored two goals for the 25-10-7 Wild, who extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2). Beckett Sennecke and Troy Terry scored for the Ducks (21-17-3), who have dropped five straight games and have two wins in their last 11 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On Dec. 9, the Ducks led the Pacific Division (19-10-1, 39 points) and had the third-best record in the Pacific Division. They had avoided the struggles that plagued other rising young clubs such as the Montreal Canadiens, Utah Mammoth, and Chicago Blackhawks through the opening two months of this season. However, it appears they were not as immune to growing pains after all.

A shootout goal by Matty Beniers lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Jake DeBrusk had a goal and two assists for the Canucks, who are 16-20-4. The Kraken improved to 18-4-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canucks placed center Marco Rossi (lower body) on injured reserve, and signed forward Linus Karlsson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $2.25 million.

HEADLINES

The United States, Sweden, and Finland officially unveiled their men’s rosters for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina in February.

TEAM USA

Forwards

Matt Boldy (Minnesota Wild)
Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets)
Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights)
Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils)
Clayton Keller (Utah Mammoth)
Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings)
Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)
J.T. Miller (New York Rangers)
Brock Nelson (Colorado Avalanche)
Tage Thompson (Buffalo Sabres)
Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators)
Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers)
Vincent Trocheck (New York Rangers)

Defensemen

Brock Faber (Minnesota Wild)
Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights)
Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild)
Seth Jones (Florida Panthers)
Charlie McAvoy (Boston Bruins)
Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators)
Jaccob Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes)
Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Goaltenders

Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets)
Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars)
Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Four notable players who weren’t chosen were Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield, New York Rangers defenseman Alex Fox, and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies.

By the way, I’ve noticed that the players who weren’t selected are considered “snubbed”. The dictionary defines a snub as an act of showing disdain or a lack of cordiality by rebuffing or ignoring someone or something.

That’s not what happened here. There were only so many roster spots, and the management and coaching staffs made difficult choices after careful consideration. It’s fine to disagree with their decisions or try to make the case why the players who didn’t make the cut should be there, but they weren’t snubbed.

TEAM SWEDEN

Forwards

Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils)

Leo Carlsson (Anaheim Ducks)

Joel Eriksson Ek (Minnesota Wild)

Filip Forsberg (Nashville Predators)

Pontus Holmberg (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Adrian Kempe (Los Angeles Kings)

Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche)

Elias Lindholm (Boston Bruins)

William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks)

Rickard Rakell (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings)

Alexander Wennberg (San Jose Sharks)

Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers)

Defensemen

Rasmus Andersson (Calgary Flames)

Philip Broberg (St. Louis Blues)

Jonas Brodin (Minnesota Wild)

Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres)

Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Gustav Forsling (Florida Panthers)

Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Goaltenders

Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota Wild)

Jacob Markström (New Jersey Devils)

Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota Wild)

TEAM FINLAND

Forwards

Joel Armia (Los Angeles Kings)
Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes)
Mikael Granlund (Anaheim Ducks)
Erik Haula (Nashville Predators)
Roope Hintz (Dallas Stars)
Kaapo Kakko (Seattle Kraken)
Oliver Kapanen (Montreal Canadiens)
Joel Kiviranta (Colorado Avalanche)
Artturi Lehkonen (Colorado Avalanche)
Anton Lundell (Florida Panthers)
Eetu Luostarinen (Florida Panthers)
Mikko Rantanen (Dallas Stars)
Teuvo Teravainen (Chicago Blackhawks)
Eeli Tolvanen (Seattle Kraken)

Defensemen

Miro Heiskanen (Dallas Stars)
Henri Jokiharju (Boston Bruins)
Mikko Lehtonen (ZSC Lions, Switzerland)
Esa Lindell (Dallas Stars)
Olli Maatta (Utah Mammoth)
Nikolas Matinpalo (Ottawa Senators)
Niko Mikkola (Florida Panthers)
Rasmus Ristolainen (Philadelphia Flyers)

Goaltenders

Kevin Lankinen (Vancouver Canucks)
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo Sabres)
Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators)

SPORTSNET: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat is out for at least a week with a lower-body injury.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche placed goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood on injured reserve.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets activated defenseman Zach Werenski from injured reserve.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks blueliner John Klingberg is doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 21, 2025

by | Dec 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 21, 2025

Recapping Saturday’s games, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler turned in a 31-save performance for his first NHL shutout to blank the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0. Josh Anderson scored two goals, Lane Hutson collected his 100th regular-season point, and rookie center Owen Beck tallied his first NHL goal as the Canadiens improved to 19-12-4. The Penguins are winless in their last eight games (0-4-4) and dropped to 14-11-9.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson returned to action after missing two games with an injury. Jayden Struble was a healthy scratch to make way for Matheson. The Canadiens placed defenseman Kaiden Guhle and center Kirby Dach on long-term injury reserve to free up salary-cap space for recently acquired center Phillip Danault, who will join the team for Tuesday’s game in Boston against the Bruins. Canadiens center Jake Evans won’t be traveling with the team on their road trip after leaving Saturday’s game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

The New York Rangers overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 on shootout goals by Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Panarin tallied twice in regulation, and Mika Zibanejad had a goal and an assist for the 18-15-4 Rangers. Rookie Denver Barkey collected two assists for their first two NHL points for the Flyers (17-10-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Rangers as team captain J.T. Miller left the game in the third period with an upper-body injury following a hit from Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler. Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar and center Christian Dvorak missed this contest with injuries and are listed as day-to-day.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel scored two third-period goals as his club overcame 3-0 and 4-3 deficits to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-4. Ryan McDonagh had a goal and an assist as the Lightning (19-13-3) snapped a three-game losing skid. Hurricanes rookie Bradly Nadeau scored his second career NHL goal for the Hurricanes (22-10-3), who blew a three-goal lead for the second straight game. They remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nadeau was called up as Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least a week. Meanwhile, Lightning winger Brandon Hagel (upper body) was placed on IR.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 5-2. Moritz Seider had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 20-13-3 (43 points). Aliaksei Protas and Martin Fehervary replied for the Capitals (19-12-4), who’ve lost four of their last five contests.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle scored a shorthanded goal and picked up two assists in a 6-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Brady Tkachuk and David Perron each scored twice as the Senators have won three straight and improved to 17-13-4. Ilya Mikheyev tallied two goals for the Blackhawks (13-16-6), who dropped their fourth straight game and slipped into last place in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The news got worse for the Blackhawks as center Frank Nazar left the game in the first period after taking a puck to the face. After the game, head coach Jeff Blashill said Nazar will be sidelined for four weeks, joining superstar Connor Bedard on the sidelines.

Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with an oblique muscle injury. However, they lost blueliner Tyler Kleven day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy scored twice as the Minnesota Wild won their seventh straight game by downing the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 5-2. Mats Zuccarello and Vladimir Tarasenko each had two points for the surging Wild (22-9-5). Leon Draisaitl had two assists for the Oilers (17-13-6).

A shootout goal by Josh Norris lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders. Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to six games as the Sabres collected their fifth straight victory and improved to 16-14-4. Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (19-13-4), who’ve dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Sabres announced they’ve parted company with assistant general manager Jason Karmanos. They also recalled forward Isak Rosen from their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas scored twice and set up another goal in a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers, snapping the latter’s win streak at four games. Jake Neighbours tallied two goals, and Jonatan Berggren had a goal and two assists for the Blues (14-15-8). A.J. Greer and Sam Reinhart replied for the 19-14-2 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Mackie Samoskevich missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Vancouver Canucks got a shootout goal from Liam Ohgren to upset the Boston Bruins 5-4. Linus Karlsson led the way for the Canucks with two goals and an assist as they picked up their fourth straight win and improved to 15-17-3. Morgan Geekie scored his 25th goal of the season and picked up an assist for the 20-15-1 Bruins.

Nashville Predators winger Luke Evangelista snapped a 3-3 tie as his club defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3, handing the latter their fourth loss in their last five games. Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist for the 14-16-4 Predators. Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson each picked up two points for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 15-14-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Max Domi was a healthy scratch for this game. He’s mired in a 22-game goal drought and has a team-worst plus/minus of minus-13.

The Calgary Flames upset the Vegas Golden Knights 6-3. Mikael Backlund scored twice and had an assist while MacKenzie Weegar and Connor Zary each collected three assists for the 15-17-4 Flames. Mark Stone had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (16-7-10).

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov scored the tie-breaking goal with 3:29 remaining in the third period to lift his club to a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with a record of 21-13-2. Zach Werenski had two points, and Mason Marchment scored in his first game with the Blue Jackets, who dropped to 14-15-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski left the game with a leg injury late in the game. There was no postgame update on his status. Earlier in the day, the NHL’s department of player safety fined Ducks forward Frank Vatrano $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Dallas Stars on Friday.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord stopped 35 shots as his club doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Chandler Stephenson scored to extend his goal streak to four games and his points streak to eight as the Kraken (13-14-6) snapped a four-game losing skid. Adam Gaudette and Collin Graf scored for the Sharks (17-16-3) as they’ve dropped two straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren missed this game with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2025

by | Nov 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2025

Hat trick performances by the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard, the Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini, and the Lightning’s Jake Guentzel, a milestone game for the Jets’ Mark Scheifele, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard tallied his second career hat trick (and his second of the season) in a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Rookie forward Oliver Moore had a goal and an assist as the Blackhawks (10-5-4) are 5-0-1 in their last six games. Rasmus Andersson had a goal and an assist for the 5-13-2 Flames, who’ve lost five of their last six.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is on a roll, with 11 goals in as many games. His 13 goals tied him with six other players for second among NHL scorers, and is tied for second in points with San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini.

Before this game, the Flames claimed center John Beecher off waivers from the Boston Bruins.

Speaking of Macklin Celebrini, his overtime goal completed a hat trick to nip the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Will Smith collected two assists, and Yaroslav Askarov made 24 saves as the Sharks improved to 9-8-3 on the season. JJ Peterka scored both goals for the Mammoth (10-7-3), leaving them with a record of 2-5-3 in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was also Celebrini’s second hat trick of the season, making it the second time in NHL history that multiple hat tricks were scored by two players age 20 or younger. The last time was on Feb. 19, 1944, by Jack Hamilton and Bud Poile of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a hat trick from Jake Guentzel in a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists while Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 31 shots for the 10-7-2 Lightning. Nico Hischier replied for the Devils (13-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele collected three assists and became the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (898) in a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, and Neal Pionk each had a goal and an assist as the Jets improved to 12-7-0. Zach Werenski scored to become the first defenseman in Blue Jackets history to reach 400 career points. His club’s record slipped to 10-8-2 as its five-game points streak (3-0-2) ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko’s points streak ended at 12 games.

Detroit Red Wings rookie Nate Danielson had a goal and an assist for his first two NHL points to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Lucas Raymond also had a goal and an assist,and team captain Dylan Larkin scored for his 600th career NHL regular-season point as the Red Wings moved into first place in the Atlantic Division. Jordan Eberle and Ryker Evans tallied for the Kraken, who dropped to 9-5-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord returned to action after being sidelined by a lower-body injury since Nov. 5.

The New York Islanders got their fifth win in six games by holding off the Dallas Stars 3-2. Kyle Palmieri got the game-winning goal and picked up an assist for the 11-7-2 Islanders. Jason Robertson scored both goals for the Stars (12-5-3) as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for hitting Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov from behind late in the third period. Romanov had to be helped off the ice, but did not require off-site treatment. Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom missed this game due to illness.

William Nylander’s overtime goal lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the St. Louis Blues 3-2, snapping a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Jake McCabe and Steven Lorentz also scored, and Joseph Woll made 28 saves for the 9-9-2 Maple Leafs. Nathan Walker and Dalibor Dvorsky replied for the Blues, who have dropped three straight and fallen to 6-9-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the New York Rangers 3-2, ending the latter’s six-game road win streak. Tomas Hertl collected two assists, and Shea Theodore tallied the winning goal as the Golden Knights improved to 9-4-6. Vincent Trocheck and Jonny Brodzinski replied for the 10-9-2 Rangers.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Penn State University forward Gavin McKenna has struggled thus far in his first season in the NCAA.

Ranked as the early top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft, the 17-year-old left wing has four goals and 15 points in 14 games, but his performance hasn’t been as dominant as expected. He’s struggled at even strength and with the physical style of the NCAA game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna wanted to test himself against NCAA competition, and he’s finding that it’s more challenging than he expected. How he responds and adjusts over the rest of this season could determine whether he remains the top prospect in next year’s draft.

DAILY FACEOFF/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ville Koivunen is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, the club placed winger Philip Tomasino on waivers.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring is expected to be sidelined for an extended period with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins $2,000.00 for embellishment during a Nov. 9 game against the Utah Mammoth.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2025

by | Jun 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2025

Check out the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekblad and Zach Werenski, the Kraken trade Andre Burakovsky to the Blackhawks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said he will decide over the next several weeks if he’ll require surgery to repair the injuries that sidelined him for the final 25 games of the regular season.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Following the Stanley Cup Final, Tkachuk admitted he suffered a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia. Surgery could sideline him for the entire training camp period in September and the start of the regular season in October.

“It’s going to take a few weeks to determine if I need it or not,” said Tkachuk. “It’s probably 50-50 right now. I don’t know if I’ll have a normal summer or not. I hope so. I’m not just going to jump into surgery without talking to everybody and going through everything. I have a few weeks here when I can figure it out.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers would miss Tkachuk’s offense and agitating style if he’s sidelined to start next season. They were 13-11-1 during his absence down the stretch in 2024-25.

TSN: Speaking of the Panthers, Aaron Ekblad said contract extension talks with the club have begun. “Conversations have been had,” he said. “Obviously, nothing material yet, but they’ll be working on it. Things seem to come down to the last minute here.”

The 29-year-old defenseman is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1. He has spent his entire 11-season NHL career with the Panthers. “It’s home and I expect it to be home,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad is coming off an eight-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.5 million. His performance has declined over the past couple of seasons.

The Panthers have $19 million in cap space, with Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett, winger Brad Marchand, and blueliner Nate Schmidt also UFA-eligible on July 1. Ekblad might have to accept a pay cut on a shorter-term deal to stay in Florida.

THE ATHLETIC: Coming off a career-best performance, Zach Werenski is hoping to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to bigger and better things.

The 29-year-old joined the league’s elite defensemen this season with an 82-point performance. He was runner-up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy and named to this season’s Second All-Star Team.

Werenski’s efforts helped the Blue Jackets overcome the tragic death of winger Johnny Gaudreau. They exceeded expectations this season, narrowly missing the playoffs. He wants to be part of a winning culture in Columbus and is optimistic about their future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have a core of rising young forwards like Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Dmitry Voronkov, and Kent Johnson. They also have up-and-coming defenseman Denton Mateychuk and a promising goaltender in Jet Greaves. With Werenski now at an elite level, his skills and leadership will be invaluable in helping this club take the next step.

The Jackets also have over $40 million in salary-cap space for 2025-26. Management has the room to make a couple of significant additions that could pay long-term dividends.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW/THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Chicago Blackhawks acquired winger Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for center Joe Veleno.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a salary dump by the Kraken, exchanging Burakovsky’s $5.5 million AAV through 2026-27 for Veleno’s $2.75 million for 2025-26. They have $18.6 million of cap space for 2025-26 with 17 active roster players under contract.

The rebuilding Blackhawks continue to add experienced short-term depth to take pressure off their promising young players.

Injuries hampered Burakovsky during his first two seasons with the Kraken. He played in 79 games this season but managed 39 points, which was a far cry from the career-best 61 points he had with the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22, which earned him his current contract.

The Kraken now have sufficient room to re-sign restricted free agents (RFAs) Kaapo Kakko and Tye Kartye. They acquired winger Mason Marchment last week from the Dallas Stars and should still have enough cap space to make another substantial addition to their roster.

This is the second time this season that Veleno’s been traded. The Blackhawks acquired him from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline. He could provide the Kraken with short-term depth at center for the coming season.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: The Blackhawks placed defenseman TJ Brodie on unconditional waivers to buy out his contract.

They signed the 35-year-old defenseman last summer to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.75 million. However, Brodie’s performance noticeably declined and he was a healthy scratch during the final 22 games of the regular season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks won’t get much cap relief for 2025-26. This buyout counts as $3.233 million against their cap next season, dropping to $258,333 for the 2026-27 season.

THE ATHLETIC’s Michael Russo reports the Minnesota Wild are closing in on hiring former Anaheim Ducks head coach Greg Cronin as the new bench boss of their AHL affiliate in Iowa.

RDS: Jesse Puljujarvi scored the overtime winner for the Charlotte Checkers to defeat the Abbotsford Canucks 4-3 in Game 5 of the AHL’s Calder Cup Final. This was the third game in this series that required overtime. Abbotsford holds a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.