NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2025

by | Nov 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2025

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin reaches another scoring milestone, the Jets re-sign captain Adam Lowry, and injury updates on the Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy, the Senators’ Brady Tkachuk, and more.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 904th career regular-season goal, and rookie Ryan Leonard had his first NHL multi-goal game in a 7-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Leonard and Tom Wilson scored twice while John Carlson and Connor McMichael each collected three assists for the Capitals, who improved to 10-8-2. Darnell Nurse tallied twice for the struggling Oilers, who dropped to 9-9-4.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin also reached another scoring milestone by scoring his 480th goal at Capital One Arena (regular season and playoffs), tying Gordie Howe (480 at Detroit Olympia) for the most goals in a single venue in NHL history.

The Minnesota Wild blew a 3-1 lead but recovered to nip the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on a shootout goal by Matt Boldy. Jesper Wallstedt kicked out 42 shots, and Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist for the Wild (10-7-4) as they picked up their third straight win. Jackson Blake tallied twice for the 13-5-2 Hurricanes, who collected a point to move into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with 28 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Wild placed sidelined forward Ryan Hartman (lower body, week-to-week) on injured reserve.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Ian Moore snapped a 3-3 tie with 3:35 remaining in the third period to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3. Lukas Dostal stopped 36 shots and Mason McTavish picked up two assists as the Ducks (13-6-1) opened a three-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights atop the Pacific Division with 27 points. Morgan Geekie scored two goals for the 12-10-0 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Bruins announced that defenseman Charlie McAvoy underwent successful facial surgery. McAvoy was injured on Saturday when he was struck in the face by a puck. There is no timeline yet for his return.

The Calgary Flames score four unanswered goals in the third period in a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Joel Farabee tallied two goals, and Rasmus Andersson had a goal and two assists for the 6-13-3 Flames. Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson replied for the Sabres, who slipped to 7-9-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames will be loaning rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh to the Canadian team for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in December.

HEADLINES

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed captain Adam Lowry to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5 million. Lowry, 32, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lowry is in the final season of a five-year deal with an AAV of $3.25 million. The 6’5”, 210-pound center is the Jets’ top defensive forward and has spent his entire 12-season NHL career with the Jets, who also re-signed Kyle Connor, Gabriel Vilardi, Morgan Barron, and Dylan Samberg earlier this year.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is eyeing the US Thanksgiving (Nov. 27) as his return date. He’s been sidelined since Oct. 13 with an injured thumb.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers revealed that a freak cooking accident is the reason why forward Eetu Luostarinen has been sidelined. A malfunctioning gas grill resulted in Luostarinen suffering burns to the lower half of his body. He’s expected to miss a couple of weeks.

The Panthers also lost center Cole Schwindt during Monday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. He suffered a broken arm that might require surgery.

SNY: The New York Islanders placed defenseman Alexander Romanov (upper body) on injured reserve. He suffered the injury on Tuesday when he was driven into the end boards from behind by Stars forward Mikko Rantanen.

ESPN: Neck guards are expected to be mandatory for hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2025

by | Nov 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2025

The Penguins defeat the Predators in the second game of the 2025 Global Series, Quinn Hughes leads the Canucks to victory over the Lightning, the Kings re-sign Adrian Kempe, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Nashville Predators 4-0 in the second and final game of their 2025 Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. Sergei Murashov made 21 saves for his first NHL shutout while Parker Wotherspoon, Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Blake Lizotte were the goal scorers for the 10-5-4 Penguins. Juuse Saros stopped 18 of 21 shots for the Predators, who dropped to 6-10-4.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes collected four assists to lead his club over the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2. The Canucks (9-9-2) tallied six unanswered goals, with five of those in the third period. Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel tallied for the 7-2-1 Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks winger Conor Garland left this game following the second period with an undisclosed injury.

The Colorado Avalanche extended their points streak to 10 games with a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Scott Wedgewood turned aside 28 shots, and Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist against his former club as the Avalanche (13-1-5) holds a four-point lead over the New Jersey Devils and Dallas Stars in the overall standings with 31 points. Emil Heineman replied for the 10-7-2 Islanders.

A power-play goal by Kirill Kaprizov with 10 seconds remaining in overtime lifted the Minnesota Wild over the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 3-2. Mats Zuccarello picked up two assists for the 9-7-4 Wild, who’ve won four of their last five games. Pavel Dorofeyev and Reilly Smith scored for the Golden Knights (8-4-6), who are 1-3-2 in their last six contests.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond scored late in the third period to give his club a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers. Raymond finished the game with two points, and Alex DeBrincat also scored for the 11-7-1 Red Wings. Jonathan Quick kicked out 40 shots, and Mika Zibanejad scored for the Rangers (10-8-2) as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quick started a bench-clearing scrum at the end of the game when he took offense to Wings forward Mason Appleton shooting the puck into the empty net after the final horn sounded.

Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan missed this game for personal reasons. He could also miss the start of the club’s upcoming three-game road trip.

HEADLINES

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Adrian Kempe has agreed to an eight-year contract extension with the Kings. The 29-year-old winger was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He will earn an average annual value of $10.625 million starting in 2026-27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Next summer’s UFA class is getting thinner. Kempe is the latest notable star to sign an extension. With Anze Kopitar retiring at the end of this season, the Kings couldn’t risk the departure of their top goal scorer. Since his breakout performance in 2021-22, Kempe has tallied a team-leading 145 goals.

Kempe is almost doubling his salary with this new deal. He will be turning 30 next September, which means his cap hit could become a burden for the Kings in the final half of his contract when his performance inevitably declines. Nevertheless, it was the price they felt was worthwhile to keep him in the fold.

NESN: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy travelled home from Montreal with his teammates after being struck in the jaw by a slapshot from Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson. He was reportedly cleared after undergoing a series of tests. Bruins coach Marco Sturm was relatively optimistic regarding those tests.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Kirby Dach has been sidelined for four to six weeks with a fractured foot suffered during Saturday’s game against the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dach missed considerable time over the last two seasons with a knee injury. He was off to a decent start to this season with seven points in 15 games.

CALGARY SUN: Flames forward Sam Honzek is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks placed veteran winger Jeff Skinner (lower body) on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 16, 2025

by | Nov 16, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 16, 2025

Multi-point games by the Stars’ Jason Robertson and Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl highlight a busy Saturday in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A natural hat trick by Jason Robertson powered the Dallas Stars to a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Roope Hintz collected three assists as the Stars (12-4-3) won their fifth straight game. Christian Dvorak scored for the 9-6-3 Flyers.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Thomas Harley missed this game as he’s out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored twice and collected an assist, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists (including the winning goal in overtime) to nip the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. Stuart Skinner made 33 saves as the Oilers improved to 9-7-4. Eric Robinson, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Jordan Staal scored for the 12-5-1 Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis returned to action after being clipped in the eye by a stick in Friday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. Teammate Jesperi Kotkaniemi remains sidelined with an ankle injury suffered in the same game. Oilers winger Zach Hyman collected an assist in his season debut after recovering from a dislocated wrist.

The Buffalo Sabres overcame a 4-1 deficit to beat the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 5-4, snapping a five-game losing skid. Tage Thompson and Josh Doan had a goal and an assist for the 6-8-4 Sabres. Alex DeBrincat tallied twice and Lucas Raymond picked up three assists for the Red Wings (10-7-1), who’ve dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin had two assists as he rejoined his teammates after returning from a leave of absence to spend time with his fiancee, who is recovering from a heart transplant during the summer. Sabres blueliner Michael Kesselring left this game at the end of the second period with a lower-body injury.

Minnesota Wild rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt kicked out 28 shots for his second straight shutout in a 2-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who improved to 8-7-4. Petr Mrazek made 28 saves for the Ducks (11-6-1), who’ve lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild winger Vladimir Tarasenko missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings blanked the Ottawa Senators 1-0, picking up their fourth straight victory. Anton Forsberg made 17 saves for the shutout, and Alex Laferriere tallied the only goal as the 10-5-4 Kings picked up their fourth straight win and vaulted over the Ducks into first place in the Pacific Division with 24 points. Linus Ullmark turned aside 17 shots for the 9-6-4 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty left this game in the second period with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had two assists, and goalie Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves to hold off the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Viktor Arvidsson scored what proved to be the game-winning goal as the Bruins (12-8-0) moved into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with 24 points. Cole Caufield netted his 13th goal of the season as the 10-6-2 Canadiens dropped their third straight game, slipping into second place behind the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boston went seven-for-seven on the penalty kill, including two 5-on-3 situations. Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy left the game in the second period after being struck in the jaw by a shot from Montreal defenseman Noah Dobson.

Tampa Bay Lightning rookie Jack Finlay’s first NHL goal was the game-winner in a 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 shots for the Lightning (9-6-2), who’ve won eight of their last 10 games. Brad Marchand scored to extend his points streak to 10 games for the 9-8-1 Panthers.

A shootout goal by Simon Nemec lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Washington Capitals 3-2. Luke Hughes had a goal and an assist for the 13-4-1 Devils, who hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 27 points. Alex Ovechkin and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist as the Capitals (8-8-2) overcame a 2-0 deficit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Devils announced that center Jack Hughes will miss the next eight weeks following successful finger surgery. Hughes slipped and fell and cut himself on some glass during a recent team dinner. The Devils also announced that forward Cody Glass is week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin stopped 24 shots, and J.T. Miller scored in a shootout to squeak past the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1. Mika Zibanejad scored in regulation for the Rangers, who have won four of their last five and improved to 10-7-2. Jet Greaves made 31 saves and Kirill Marchenko collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games for the Blue Jackets (9-7-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Will Borgen missed this game with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Blue Jackets placed sidelined captain Boone Jenner (upper body) on injured reserve.

Third-period goals by Teuvo Teravainen and Colton Dach lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Spencer Knight kicked out 31 shots for the Blackhawks (9-5-4), who’ve won four of their last five contests. Joseph Woll made 29 saves in his season debut with the Maple Leafs, who slipped to 8-9-2 and are winless in their last five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno left this game in the second period after injuring his hand blocking a shot. He’s expected to be sidelined for four weeks. Earlier in the day, the Maple Leafs claimed defenseman Troy Stecher off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers and placed goaltender Anthony Stolarz (upper body) on injured reserve. Meanwhile, center David Kampf signed a one-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks, one day after his contract with the Maple Leafs was terminated.

The Vegas Golden Knights downed the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Rookie Braeden Bowman’s first NHL goal was the game-winner while Pavel Dorofeyev and Reilly Smith each collected two assists for the 8-4-5 Golden Knights, snapping a four-game winless skid. Philip Broberg replied for the Blues, who’ve dropped three of their last four games and slipped to 6-9-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have assigned goaltender Carter Hart to their AHL affiliate in Henderson, Nevada, for a conditioning stint.

A shootout goal by Gabriel Vilardi gave the Winnipeg Jets a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 31 shots while Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey each collected two assists for the 11-7-0 Jets. Matt Coronato had a goal and an assist for the 5-12-3 Flames.

Seattle Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer stopped 19 shots in relief of an injured Matt Murray to beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1. Jaden Schwartz tallied two goals and Chandler Stephenson had three assists for the 9-4-5 Kraken. Alexander Wennberg replied for the 8-8-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murray left the game toward the end of the first period with a lower-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Kraken placed winger Kaapo Kakko (lower body) on injured reserve and activated forward Frederick Gaudreau.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 10, 2025

by | Nov 10, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 10, 2025

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard jockey for the scoring race lead, the rising Ducks extend their win streak to seven games, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and collected three assists to take over the lead in the NHL scoring race (29 points) in a 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Gavin Brindley scored in overtime and Artturi Lehkonen tallied twice in regulation as the Avalanche (10-1-5) holds first place in the overall standings with 25 points. Linus Karlsson scored his first of the season, and Kiefer Sherwood netted his 10th goal for the 8-8-1 Canucks.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored and picked up two assists, and Arvid Soderblom kicked out a career-high 45 shots to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. The Blackhawks have won three straight games, improving to 8-5-3. Dylan Larkin replied for the Red Wings (9-7-0), as they’ve dropped four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard briefly led all NHL scorers with 25 points until MacKinnon had his five-point game.

The Anaheim Ducks extended their win streak to seven games with a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Leo Carlsson scored two power-play goals to extend his points streak to 10 games, and Beckett Sennecke also tallied twice for the 11-3-1 Ducks, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 23 points. Kyle Connor scored for the 9-6-0 Jets, who have dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Something special could be brewing in Anaheim. After years of rebuilding, the Ducks’ mix of rising young stars such as Carlsson, Sennecke, Cutter Gauthier, and Mason McTavish, along with veterans like Chris Kreider, Troy Terry, and Jacob Trouba, is turning this team into a potential powerhouse in the Western Conference.

The Ducks activated forward Ryan Strome off injured reserve and placed defenseman Radko Gudas on IR with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Jets forward Cole Perfetti made his season debut after suffering a sprained ankle during a preseason game against the Calgary Flames.

Three unanswered goals by the Carolina Hurricanes lifted them to a 5-4 comeback win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Logan Stankoven, Nikolaj Ehlers, and K’Andre Miller each had two points for the 11-4-0 Hurricanes, who have won four straight to take over first place in the Metropolitan Division with 22 points. William Nylander scored two goals and Dennis Hildeby made 42 saves for the 8-7-1 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube wasn’t pleased with his club blowing a 4-2 lead, blasting their poor defensive play. “It’s a mindset,” Berube said. “If you want to be a good defensive team, you gotta check, you gotta have good sticks, you gotta be hard, you gotta win battles, and you’ve gotta have good structure. We don’t have any of that right now.”

The Los Angeles Kings nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Kevin Fiala scored the game-winning goal and collected an assist, while Corey Perry also had a goal and an assist for the 7-5-4 Kings. Penguins rookie Sergei Murashov made 24 saves in his NHL debut as his club slipped to 9-5-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins are cooling off from their hot start to the season. After going 6-2-0 in their first eight games, they’re 3-3-3 in their last nine, with one win in their last five contests. Meanwhile, the 40-year-old Perry is off to a hot start with the Kings, tallying seven goals and 11 points in 10 games after his return from offseason knee surgery.

A 36-save shutout performance by Jesper Wallstedt carried the Minnesota Wild over the Calgary Flames by a score of 2-0. Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov scored, and Marcus Johansson collected an assist in his 1,000th regular-season NHL game as the Wild improved to 7-7-3. Devin Cooley turned aside 17 shots for the 4-11-2 Flames.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen made 29 saves as his club doubled up the Utah Mammoth 4-2. Jordan Spence and Ridly Greig each had a goal and an assist as the 8-5-3 Senators extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2). Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz replied for the slumping Mammoth (9-7-0), who have lost five of their last six contests.

The Dallas Stars beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1. Casey DeSmith made 20 saves while Wyatt Johnston and Tyler Seguin scored for the 9-4-3 Stars. Jaden Schwartz scored for the 7-4-4 Kraken.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Washington Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois is expected to miss three to four months after undergoing surgery to address issues with his abdominal and adductor muscles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That leaves a big gap at center for the Capitals during that period. They’ve been using Connor McMichael in Dubois’ spot on the second line. They could attempt to find a short-term replacement in the trade market, but the pickings are slim, and there are several other clubs also believed to be seeking a reliable second-line center.

THE ATHLETIC: The New York Rangers called up top prospect Gabe Perreault from their AHL affiliate in Hartford. Perreault, 20, is known for his offensive abilities and has 10 points with Hartford this season. This move is intended to spark the Rangers’ struggling offense.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2025

by | Nov 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 8, 2025

The Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini and the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard jockey for the scoring lead, Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin takes a leave of absence for family reasons, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES.

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist in a 2-1 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. With 23 points, the 19-year-old Celebrini took over sole possession of first place in the NHL scoring race. Will Smith snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period as the Sharks improved to 6-6-3, picking up five wins in their last six games. Josh Morrissey scored for the 9-5-0 Jets.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have recovered from their stumbling start to this season. After going 0-4-2 in their first six games, they’re 6-2-1 in their last nine.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard had a goal and three assists while goaltender Spencer Knight made 33 saves to shut out the Calgary Flames 4-0. Tyler Bertuzzi tallied twice for the 7-5-3 Blackhawks. Dustin Wolf turned aside 23 shots for the Flames, who dropped to 4-10-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 20-year-old Bedard sits one point behind Celebrini in the scoring race. Meanwhile, Blackhawks center Frank Nazar left this game in the first period after an awkward fall. He is listed as day-to-day. Flames rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh left the game with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss some time as a result.

The New York Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists, and Jonathan Quick stopped 32 shots for the 7-6-2 Rangers, who made history by becoming the first NHL team to pick up their first seven wins of the season on the road (7-1-1). J.T. Compher replied for the 9-6-0 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane was held scoreless in his return to action after missing nine games with an upper-body injury.

The Minnesota Wild got a goal and an assist from Kirill Kaprizov in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Minnesota winger Mats Zuccarello collected an assist in his season debut after returning from a lower-body injury. The Wild improved to 6-7-3. Emil Heineman and Jean-Gabriel Pageau replied for the 6-6-2 Islanders.

HEADLINES

TSN: Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin has taken a temporary leave of absence to deal with a personal matter in Sweden. He is spending time with his fiancee as she continues her recovery from heart surgery during the summer. Everything is ok with her for now, but there is no timetable for Dahlin’s return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping things continue to go well on her path to a full recovery.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins rookie winger Filip Hallander was diagnosed with a blood clot and will be sidelined for three months.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The blood clot isn’t considered life-threatening, and Hallander is expected to make a full recovery. It’s a disappointing setback for the 25-year-old forward, who was off to a promising start to this season.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko skipped practice on Friday for a maintenance day. They recalled goalie Jiri Patera on an emergency basis. Whether he’ll be ready for this weekend’s games remains to be seen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Demko’s injury history, the Canucks are giving him whatever extra time he needs to recover from a busy stretch of the schedule.

CBS SPORTS: The Carolina Hurricanes placed defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (abdomen) on injured reserve.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs have sent goaltender Joseph Woll to their AHL affiliate for conditioning. Woll, 27, missed training camp and the opening month of the season for personal reasons.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 6, 2025

by | Nov 6, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 6, 2025

Check out the latest on Predators forward Steven Stamkos, Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON STEVEN STAMKOS

DAILY FACEOFF: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman appeared on the “Morning Cuppa Hockey” podcast on Wednesday, where one of the topics discussed was Steven Stamkos’s slow start with the Nashville Predators, and the possibility that the two sides might consider a trade.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

Friedman was asked if the Predators might be willing to retain part of Stamkos’ $8 million average annual value through 2027-28 to facilitate a trade. He believes if they can get an offer that makes sense, it will be considered.

Stamkos’ scoring has declined since leaving the Tampa Bay Lightning to head to Nashville in July 2024. Friedman believes that may be due in part to the Predators lacking a set-up man comparable to the one Stamkos had in Tampa Bay with Nikita Kucherov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos has had a career worthy of the Hockey Hall of Fame, but his performance has declined noticeably since leaving the Lightning. The 35-year-old forward’s age is also a contributing factor.

A rival club could take a chance on Stamkos if they believe they have a suitable passer who can set him up in the offensive zone. However, the Predators could end up having to retain up to half of his remaining cap hit to make it happen. If such a trade were to occur, it would be during the offseason.

AN UPDATE ON ARTEMI PANARIN

BLEACHER REPORT: Frank Seravalli weighed in on recent speculation over Artemi Panarin’s future with the New York Rangers.

The 34-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July, and there is no sign of progress in contract extension talks between the two sides. That’s prompted rumors suggesting he could be traded.

Seravalli pointed out that there is still a lot of time between now and the March 6 trade deadline. He believes Rangers management is still determining what kind of team they have before making any drastic decisions, such as trading Panarin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Rangers are in playoff contention and Panarin remains their offensive sparkplug by March, they’ll hang onto him for the rest of the season and hope to reach some common ground contract-wise before July. If not, then they could be open to trading him if he seems intent on testing the market or unwilling to accept a shorter, less-expensive contract.

KINGS GETTING OFFERS FOR BRANDT CLARKE

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports there are teams interested in Brandt Clarke, but the Los Angeles Kings aren’t interested in moving the 22-year-old defenseman.

Clarke is a right-shot defenseman with top-four upside who has seven points in 14 games thus far in this season. He’s due to become a restricted free agent next summer. The fact that he hasn’t signed an extension yet has prompted some speculation about his future.

Murphy believes the Kings’ focus on re-signing UFA-eligible winger Adrian Kempe has delayed contract extensions for other players, such as Clarke. Once the Kempe issue is resolved, management’s focus will shift toward re-signing Clarke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings would be foolish to part ways with Clarke. He’s coming out of his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights, so they hold all the leverage in contract discussions. Regardless, he’s a promising part of their defense corps. It wouldn’t make any sense to move him unless they’re getting someone better to take his place, and that doesn’t seem likely.

TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman doesn’t know if there’s anything going on trade-wise with Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei. However, he believes other teams may be calling after the talented youngster was benched for four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lohrei’s had his difficulties defensively this season, but it’s unlikely the Bruins will part with the 24-year-old unless someone makes an eye-popping trade pitch. He’s also in the first season of an affordable two-year contract. The Bruins will continue to work with him to improve his overall game.

The Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues were the most active in the trade market last week. Friedman believes they wanted to ensure that they weren’t missing out on any trade possibilities.

Friedman pointed out that the Seattle Kraken are still having trouble offensively. They have five first-round picks and four second-rounders in the next three drafts to draw on for trade bait if they want to add an impactful player.

The Edmonton Oilers could send players to the minors and through waivers to make room for players returning from injuries. Friedman said they’re trying to get Troy Stecher “a new opportunity”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, they’re trying to find a trade partner for Stecher.

The Carolina Hurricanes are carrying three goaltenders as Brandon Bussi has played his way into the rotation. Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov aren’t waiver exempt. Friedman said they were looking for defensemen, but some of their injured blueliners are close to returning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes have little choice right now but to hang onto all three goaltenders, given veteran Frederik Andersen’s injury history.

The Buffalo Sabres are trying to find a new home for Alexandar Georgiev. They’re hanging onto Colten Ellis. Friedman would be surprised if they traded Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, as he’s still their best goalie when healthy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devon Levi recently surfaced in the rumor mill, but Friedman pointed out that the 23-year-old netminder is getting the bulk of the starts with their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

Friedman claims the word on Adin Hill is that the Vegas Golden Knights netminder will be sidelined for a few months.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would also explain why the Golden Knights moved so quickly to sign Carter Hart.