Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 30, 2025

by | Nov 30, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 30, 2025

Check out the latest on the Canucks, Oilers, Maple Leafs, and Blackhawks in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

RUMORS FROM SPORTSNET’S SATURDAY NHL HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman felt there might be a quick trade involving Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old Vancouver Canucks forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Friedman noted he’s “a really good player,” carrying an affordable salary ($1.5 million). However, there’s nothing imminent, and it may not happen fast.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images).

Winger Conor Garland didn’t play in last night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. However, that is injury-related and not because he’s being held out of the lineup for trade purposes.

Friedman believes teams such as the Minnesota Wild, Boston Bruins, and Philadelphia Flyers could be interested in some of the Canucks’ veterans who are on expiring contracts. Nevertheless, the Canucks aren’t in a hurry and are willing to take their time and see what the trade market looks like.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports a NHL source close to the situation said the Boston Bruins had contacted the Canucks about Sherwood and Garland. They’re in the market for more scoring depth. Murphy also indicated that the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, and Detroit Red Wings have expressed an interest in Sherwood.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner wondered if Canucks blueliner Filip Hronek might be in play. The 28-year-old has five seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $7.25 million and a full no-movement clause.

Rosner believes Hronek could be a good fit alongside rookie star Matthew Schaefer, which in turn could help the Islanders become a Stanley Cup contender. He wondered if a package offer of the 2026 first-round pick that originally belonged to the Colorado Avalanche, a conditional third-round pick, and a depth player would be enough to get the job done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The current Canucks management has a reputation for making moves well ahead of the annual trade deadline. However, that doesn’t mean they’re going to pull the trigger in late November or early December, especially when teams aren’t as willing to meet their asking prices at this time of year.

The earliest they’ll make those moves will likely be January, which was when they shipped J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers last season.

As for Hronek, Friedman stated last week that he’s unlikely to be available. The Canucks are only looking to move pending UFAs or those with less than two years on their contracts, with superstar Quinn Hughes excluded from that list. Any club wanting Hronek must offer up more than draft picks and a depth player, assuming he’ll waive his no-movement clause.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports struggling goaltender Stuart Skinner has not sought a trade from the Edmonton Oilers. He also said the Oilers won’t make a trade just for the sake of doing so or to make a lateral move. They’d rather not make a move than a bad or a panic move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s because there are slim pickings for goalies in the trade market. Friedman indicated there are teams with spare goalies (Columbus, Pittsburgh, Buffalo) but the Oilers don’t consider what’s available to be an improvement over their current tandem of Skinner and Calvin Pickard.

Friedman indicated that the Toronto Maple Leafs have been looking around in the trade market. However, he doesn’t believe there are any major organizational changes on the horizon.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Laurent Brossoit is on a conditioning stint with the club’s AHL affiliate as he continues to work his way back from knee and hip surgeries that have sidelined him since last April.

The Blackhawks no longer have room for Brossoit. Friedman said they have permitted teams to speak with the 32-year-old netminder. He carries a $3.3 million cap hit, which not many clubs can currently afford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: David Staples of the Edmonton Journal pointed out that Friedman recently speculated about the Oilers being one of those teams. However, his comments on Saturday about their unwillingness to make a lateral move with their goaltending suggest Brossoit might not be of interest to them.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 29, 2025

by | Nov 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 29, 2025

The Wild ended the Avalanche’s long win streak, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reached another scoring milestone, the Canadiens re-signed Mike Matheson, the Flames re-signed general manager Craig Conroy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild extended their win streak to seven games with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Colorado Avalanche, ending the latter’s win streak at 10 games. Jesper Wallstedt kicked out 39 shots, Kirill Kaprizov tallied twice (including his 200th career goal), and Matt Boldy scored the winning goal for the 14-7-4 Wild. Nathan MacKinnon scored his league-leading 19th goal for the Avalanche (17-1-6), who picked up a point and sit atop the overall standings with 40 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Wild placed forward Marcus Foligno on injured reserve.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Sidney Crosby scored two goals and Kris Letang tallied in overtime to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. With the win, the Penguins improved to 12-6-5. Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-5 Blue Jackets, who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby scored his 640th career regular-season NHL goal, moving past Dave Andreychuk into 15th on the overall goal list. He also moved past Jarome Iginla into 20th place for the most multi-goal games with 109.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and three assists in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Mika Zibanejad scored two goals, and Adam Fox picked up three assists for the Rangers (13-11-2), who picked up their third straight win. Casey Mittelstadt and Morgan Geekie replied for the 14-12-0 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha missed this game due to injuries and are listed as day-to-day. Forward Matej Blumel was placed on long-term injury reserve.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 30-save performance from Sam Montembeault to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1. Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Zach Bolduc each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (13-7-3), who picked up their third straight win. Mark Stone scored for the slumping Golden Knights (10-6-8), who are winless in their last four contests (0-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canadiens signed defenseman Mike Matheson to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $6 million. The 31-year-old Montreal native has been a reliable veteran presence on the Canadiens’ blueline. His cap hit is a bit pricey, but he likely would have received over $7 million annually on a longer term in next summer’s free-agent market. It’s a good move by the Habs, ensuring their top-four defensemen are all under long-term contracts.

Calgary Flames goalie Devin Cooley stopped 37 shots as his club overcame an early 2-0 deficit for a 5-3 upset of the Florida Panthers. Nazem Kadri had a goal and two assists for the 9-14-3 Flames, who’ve won four of their last five contests. Evan Rodrigues and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers, who’ve dropped three of their last four and dropped to 12-11-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Flames announced the signing of general manager Craig Conroy and fellow front-office executives Don Maloney, Dave Nonis, and Brad Pascall to two-year contract extensions. It’s a vote of confidence from Flames’ ownership despite the club’s low placement in the standings thus far.

New Jersey Devils netminder Jake Allen turned in a 42-save shutout to blank the Buffalo Sabres 5-0. Arseny Gritsyuk had two goals for the Devils (16-7-1) as they picked up their third straight victory. Alex Lyon allowed five goals on 18 shots for the Sabres, who slipped to 9-11-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Devils hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 33 points.

The Tampa Bay Lightning downed the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 6-3. Yanni Gourde tallied twice, and Nikita Kucherov collected two assists to extend his points streak to eight games for the 15-7-2 Lightning, who picked up their sixth straight win. J.T. Compher and Michael Rasmussen each had a goal and an assist for the 13-11-1 Red Wings, who’ve lost four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning sit atop the Atlantic Division with 32 points, three ahead of the second-place Canadiens.

Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston snapped a 3-3 tie to give his club a 4-3 win over the Utah Mammoth. Mikko Rantanen and Miro Heiskanen each had two assists as the 16-5-4 Stars collected their third straight win. Logan Cooley, Kevin Rooney, and Jack McBain scored for the Mammoth (12-10-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth winger Clayton Keller played in the game despite the sudden death of his father the previous day. As a tribute, he was named the game’s first star. My sincere condolences to Keller and his family.

The Philadelphia Flyers blew a 3-0 lead to the New York Islanders but picked up a 4-3 win on a shootout goal by Travis Konecny. Tyson Foerster, Sean Couturier, and Trevor Zegras scored in regulation for the 13-7-3 Flyers, who’ve won four of their last five games. Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (13-9-3), who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders winger Kyle Palmieri left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. While on his way to the bench, he stole the puck from Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae and passed to Anders Lee, who set up Emil Heineman for the Isles’ first goal.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson scored the tying goal and had two assists as his club nipped the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 on a shootout goal by Mason McTavish. The win gave the Ducks (15-8-1) a two-point lead over the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division with 31 points. Defensemen Brandt Clarke and Brian Dumoulin each had two assists for the Kings (11-6-7), who have one win in their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Ducks announced that goaltender Lukas Dostal would be sidelined for two to three weeks with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Kings winger Warren Foegele missed this contest with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored to extend his goal streak to five games as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2. Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (14-9-3) as they’ve won six of their last seven contests. Morgan Rielly and Matthew Knies scored for the struggling Maple Leafs (10-11-3), who are 2-6-2 in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander missed this game due to an illness, and forward Max Domi was a healthy scratch.

A hat trick by Seth Jarvis powered the Carolina Hurricanes to a 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Andrei Svechnikov and Shayne Gostisbehere each had two assists for the 15-7-2 Hurricanes. Mark Scheifele replied for the slumping Jets (12-11-0) as they lost their fourth straight game.

The St. Louis Blues squeaked past the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on a goal by Matthew Kessel. Jordan Binnington stopped 25 shots for the 8-10-7 Blues. Brady Tkachuk collected an assist in his return to action with the 12-8-4 Senators.

San Jose Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov stopped 32 shots, and Macklin Celebrini picked up two assists to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Adam Gaudette netted the winning goal for the 12-10-3 Sharks. Forwards Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson replied for the Canucks (10-13-2), who have lost four of their last five games.

The Nashville Predators held off the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Ryan O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos, and Luke Evangelista each had a goal and an assist for the 8-12-4 Predators. Ryan Donato, Ryan Greene, and Teuvo Teravainen replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost four straight and dropped to 10-9-5.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2025

by | Nov 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2025

Avalanche extends their win streak to 10 games, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scores after a pregame ceremony honoring two career milestones, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki reaches 400 career regular-season points, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The league-leading Colorado Avalanche (17-1-5, 39 points) extended their win streak to 10 games by blanking the San Jose Sharks 6-0. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood turned in a 26-save shutout against his former club, Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, and Cale Makar collected an assist to lead all NHL defensemen with 30 points. San Jose goalie Yaroslav Askarov was pulled early in the second period after giving up four goals on 19 shots. The Sharks slipped to 11-10-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all NHL scorers with 18 goals and 39 points.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 908th career regular-season goal in a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored to extend his goal streak to four games as the Capitals (13-9-2) have won five of their last six games. Gabriel Vilardi tallied twice for the Jets, who’ve lost three in a row and dropped to 12-10-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals honored Ovechkin for reaching 900 career goals and 1,500 regular-season games in a pregame ceremony.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki reached the 400-point regular-season milestone with two goals and an assist to nip the Utah Mammoth 4-3. Jakub Dobes stopped 31 shots, Zach Bolduc had a goal and two assists, and Ivan Demidov tallied the winning goal as the Canadiens blew a 2-0 lead but rallied to improve their record to 12-7-3. Barrett Hayton, Kailer Yamamoto, and Michael Carcone replied for the Mammoth (12-9-3), who are 2-2-3 in their last seven games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game saw the debut of Canadiens defenseman Adam Engstrom. Meanwhile, Mammoth blueliner Sean Durzi returned to the lineup after missing 21 games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Simon Nemec lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists for the 15-7-1 Devils, who moved into first place in the Eastern Conference. Cam Fowler had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who dropped to 7-10-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Evgenii Dadonov is expected to be out for a period of time after suffering an undisclosed injury during Monday’s game with the Detroit Red Wings.

Two goals in the opening 90 seconds by Brandon Hagel and Charle-Edouard D’Astous powered the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Hagel and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 31 shots as the Lightning (14-7-2) picked up their fifth straight win to sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 30 points. Joel Farabee scored for the 8-14-3 Flames, whose three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are reportedly poised to extend the contract of general manager Craig Conroy.

Boston Bruins forward Alex Steeves scored twice for his first NHL multi-goal game in a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 44 shots as the Bruins improved to 14-11-0. Mathew Barzal scored for the 13-9-2 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders announced that they would not loan rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer to Canada’s World Junior Team. That’s understandable, given Schaefer’s value to the Islanders. Meanwhile, the Isles announced Jean-Gabriel Pageau is expected to return from an upper-body injury before Christmas.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry made 29 saves in his return to action to double up the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 4-2. Matt Dumba and Kevin Hayes tallied their first goals of the season for the Penguins (11-6-5), who picked up their third win in their last 10 games. Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who slipped to 9-10-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Penguins returned goaltender Sergei Murashov to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Given his solid performance during his call-up, he might not be down on the farm for long.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin stopped 36 shots in a 4-2 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. The win improved the Rangers to 12-11-2. Sebastian Aho and Shayne Gostisbehere each had two points for the Hurricanes (14-7-2), who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller picked up an assist as he returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by William Nylander lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1. Easton Cowan scored to tie the game for the Maple Leafs (10-10-3), who got their second win in their last nine games. Zach Werenski scored for the 11-9-3 Blue Jackets, who are winless in their last three (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Auston Matthews and Matthews Knies returned to the Maple Leafs lineup after missing several games with injuries. The Leafs also placed forward Sammy Blais on waivers.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson had a goal and two assists as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on a shootout goal by Shane Pinto. Linus Ullmark made 32 saves for the Senators, who improved to 12-7-4. Brett Howden, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone scored as the Golden Knights (10-5-8) overcame a 3-1 deficit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stone returned to the Golden Knights’ lineup after being sidelined since Oct.18 with an injured wrist. Meanwhile, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk confirmed he will return to action on Friday against the St. Louis Blues. He’s been out with an injured thumb since Oct. 13.

The Vancouver Canucks got a 37-save performance by call-up goalie Nikita Tolopilo in his season debut to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. Max Sasson, Filip Hronek, and Tom Willander each collected two points for the Canucks (10-12-2), who snapped a three-game losing skid. Jackson LaCombe had a goal and two assists for the 14-8-1 Ducks, who remain in first place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks starting netminder Lukas Dostal missed this contest with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Dallas Stars defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok snapped a 2-2 tie to lift his club over the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell also scored for the Stars (15-5-4) as they extended their road points streak to 10 games. Brandon Montour and Vince Dunn tallied for the 11-6-6 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jared McCann collected an assist as he returned to the Kraken lineup after being sidelined since Oct. 18 with a lower-body injury.

The Nashville Predators ended a three-game losing skid with a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the 7-12-4 Predators. Alex DeBrincat, James van Riemsdyk, and Ben Chiarot scored for the Red Wings (13-10-1), who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

Four unanswered goals by Emil Andrae, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, and Sean Couturier rallied the Philadelphia Flyers from a 2-0 deficit to upset the Florida Panthers 4-2. The win improved the Flyers’ record to 12-7-3. Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers (12-10-1).

The Minnesota Wild collected their sixth straight win by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Kirill Kaprizov. Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists, and Filip Gustavsson turned aside 34 shots for the 13-7-4 Wild. Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (10-8-5), who are winless in their last five contests (0-3-1).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2025

by | Nov 24, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2025

Recaps of Sunday’s action, the Sabres will terminate goalie Alexandar Georgiev’s contract, the Canadiens sign Alexandre Texier, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche picked up their ninth straight win by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 1-0. Scott Wedgewood turned in a 22-save shutout, and Cale Makar tallied the only goal for the 16-1-5 Avalanche, who sit atop the overall standings with 37 points. Spencer Knight stopped 25 shots for the Blackhawks (10-8-4), who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering an injured shoulder on Oct. 30.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (NHL Images).

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt picked up his third shutout in his last four games by blanking the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 3-0. Danila Yurov, Brock Faber, and Kirill Kaprizov were the goal scorers as the Wild collected their fifth straight win and improved to 12-7-4. Jets goalie Eric Comrie turned aside 27 of 30 shots as the Jets fell to 12-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Neal Pionk left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

The New York Islanders got a 19-save shutout from David Rittich in a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Kyle Palmieri tallied the winning goal in the shootout for the 13-8-2 Islanders. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord kicked out 34 shots in regulation and overtime for the Kraken (11-5-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders announced that defenseman Alexander Romanov suffered a shoulder injury after being boarded by Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen last week. He will undergo surgery and will be sidelined for five to six months.

Speaking of Rantanen, he received a one-game suspension for his second game misconduct in three games for boarding Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato.

Meanwhile, the Islanders announced Sunday that center Jean-Gabriel Pageau is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 29 saves to upset the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to six games, and Ryan McLeod collected two assists for the Sabres, who improved to 9-9-4. Shayne Gostisbehere replied for the 14-6-2 Hurricanes, who remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 30 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sabres placed goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. He’s expected to sign with KHL team HC Spartak Moscow.

Georgiev, 29, was a promising netminder earlier in his career with the New York Rangers, but he had no chance of landing the starter’s job with Igor Shesterkin in the lineup. He got that opportunity with the Colorado Avalanche, winning 40 games in 2022-23. However, his performance quickly declined as he struggled with the pressure of the job. A trade to the San Jose Sharks last season did little to improve his performance. He signed a one-year, $825K contract with the Sabres but was relegated to their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

In 303 NHL games, Georgiev has a record of 151 wins, 108 losses, and 26 overtime losses, with a 2.99 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage, and 15 shutouts.

The San Jose Sharks surprised the Boston Bruins with a 3-1 victory. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 34 shots while Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to five games for the 11-9-3 Sharks. Morgan Geekie scored his fifth goal in his last three games for the Bruins (13-11-0), who’ve lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins activated center Elias Lindholm off injured reserve for this game, and placed defenseman Charlie McAvoy (facial injury) on IR.

The Calgary Flames overcame a 1-0 deficit to pick up a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Rasmus Andersson collected three assists, Blake Coleman had a goal and an assist, and Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the 8-13-3 Flames, who have won three straight games. Filip Hronek and Quinn Hughes scored for the Canucks, who’ve lost three straight and dropped to 9-12-2.

IN OTHER NEWS..

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens signed former St. Louis Blues forward Alexandre Texier to a one-year contract with a prorated salary of $1 million. Texier, 26, agreed with the Blues to terminate his contract on Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Texier is an affordable depth signing for the Canadiens, whose ranks have been depleted by injuries in recent weeks. He’s expected to see checking-line duty with the Habs.

RG.ORG: Brandt Clarke is eyeing a long-term contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings. The 22-year-old defenseman is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He will be eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

Clarke sees himself being a King for the long term. He believes his improved play has boosted his value to the club’s defense corps.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2025

by | Nov 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s action, Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck sidelined, Predators GM Barry Trotz stands by his coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres crushed the Chicago Blackhawks 9-3. Alex Tuch collected four assists, Josh Doan scored twice, and Jason Zucker had a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who’ve won three of their last four games and improved to 8-9-4. Tyler Bertuzzi tallied two goals for the 10-7-4 Blackhawks.

Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal tallied twice as his club extended its points streak to five games by downing the Winnipeg Jets 4-3. Nikolaj Ehlers collected an assist in his first game back in Winnipeg to face his former club. With the win, the 14-5-2 Hurricanes (30 points)opened a three-point lead over the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Eastern Conference. Gabriel Vilardi tallied twice for the 12-8-0 Jets.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Jets announced that goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will undergo knee surgery on Saturday and is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. His absence will be a significant test for the Jets. Hellebuyck was last season’s winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP and the Vezina Trophy as the top goalie.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson turned in a 19-save shutout in a 5-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Boldy scored two goals and picked up an assist for the Wild (11-7-4), who’ve won four straight and eight of their last 10 games. Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs gave up four goals on 10 shots and was replaced in the second period by Sergei Murashov, who stopped 10 of 11 shots for the 10-6-4 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Vinnie Hinostroza left the game with an undisclosed injury in the second period. He is flying back to Minnesota for a reevaluation. Meanwhile, the Wild activated Zach Bogosian and Nico Sturm off injured reserve, and placed winger Vladimir Tarasenko on IR.

An overtime goal by Morgan Geekie lifted the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Geekie netted both goals for the 13-10-0 Bruins, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 26 points. Joel Armia scored for the Kings (10-6-6), who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz praised Head Coach Andrew Brunette and his staff despite the club’s 6-10-4 record.

“I believe our coaches have done a really good job,” Trotz said. “Our record may not show it, but they are coaching their butts off.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz also defended Brunette and his staff through last season’s disappointing performance. His recent comments might quell the speculation about Brunette’s future for now, but if the Predators’ struggles continue, the pressure will grow to shake things up behind the bench and on the ice.

SPORTSNET: Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen was fined $5,000.00 for embellishment by the NHL department of player safety. The incident occurred during a Nov. 11 game against the Ottawa Senators.

CALGARY SUN: Flames rookie forward Samuel Honzek underwent season-ending surgery for an upper-body injury. He’s expected to be sidelined for six months.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens recalled center Florian Xhekaj from their AHL affiliate in Laval. He’s the younger brother of Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj. The move comes after center Jake Evans was injured during Thursday’s 8-4 loss to the Washington Capitals.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 20, 2025

by | Nov 20, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 20, 2025

Check out the latest on the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin, the Flames’ Rasmus Andersson, the Blues’ Brayden Schenn, the Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON ARTEMI PANARIN AND RASMUS ANDERSSON

SPORTSNET: New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson top Luke Fox’s list of next summer’s top unrestricted free agents.

Panarin, 34, is in the final season of a seven-year contract with an annual cap hit of $11.6 million.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

Fox indicated that Panarin wasn’t willing to accept a pay cut to remain with the Rangers despite his age (34) and declining production. Meanwhile, the Blueshirts aren’t interested in maintaining the status quo with his paychecks into his late thirties.

Fox believes the Rangers could hang onto Panarin for the rest of this season if they’re holding a playoff berth by the March 6 trade deadline. If not, they could ask him to waive his no-movement clause to join a playoff contender.

According to Fox’s colleague, Nick Kypreos, the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild may be interested in acquiring Panarin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes might be interested in Panarin as a rental, given they’re in “win-now” mode. They acquired Mikko Rantanen last season, only to trade him weeks later when he wouldn’t sign an extension. They also attempted to acquire Mitch Marner before last year’s trade deadline.

However, their actions with Rantanen suggest they’d prefer adding a star in his prime who can be part of their lineup beyond this season. Panarin might not fit that profile.

Panarin could skate on the Wild’s second line at left wing, but they could prefer bolstering their depth at center. They could also favor a player who’d be more than a rental.

Andersson is a “talented, minute-munching, edgy right-shot defenseman with leadership skills.” That’s why his value in the trade market is high, and could be even higher if he’s willing to sign a contract extension.

Fox believes that “all signs point to the Vegas Golden Knights” as a trade destination, but he acknowledged they have limited cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights could find a way to make the cap dollars fit, but the real issue is their limited trade assets. They lack a first-round pick in the 2026 draft, and The Athletic ranked their prospect pool among the shallowest in the league, sitting 30th overall. Other clubs could outbid the Golden Knights for Andersson’s services.

TIDBITS FROM THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman took note of the trade rumors starting to swirl about the St. Louis Blues. Regarding captain Brayden Schenn, he reports that teams that have spoken to the Blues over the past two years claim the price is very high for the 34-year-old center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn is signed through 2027-28 with a 15-team no-trade list. If he becomes available, it’ll likely be during the lead-up to the March 6 trade deadline.

Speaking of the Blues, Friedman said there are rumors that Alexandre Texier is considering terminating his contract. The 26-year-old winger is in the second year of a two-year contract with a cap hit of $2.1 million, but has only appeared in one game since Oct. 28. Friedman wondered if he’d be a fit with the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens seek depth at center, but their recent injuries reportedly make them open to adding a winger. Whether Texier would interest them remains to be seen.

Friedman claimed that Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov would like to be traded if he’s not going to play. The 21-year-old blueliner was a healthy scratch for their last two games. He was the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, so Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek won’t be rushed into anything.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman considers this situation something worth monitoring. Mintyukov projects to be a talented puck-moving defenseman, so he’s bound to draw interest if he becomes available. The Ducks could seek a good young player in return.

FEW SELLERS IN THE TRADE MARKET THUS FAR

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico indicates the tightly packed standings leave few true sellers in the trade market. Clubs seeking help, especially those looking for centers, would be forced to overpay.

The Calgary Flames are mired at the bottom of the standings. They have several players, such as Andersson and forwards Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman, who have drawn interest in the trade market. However, they’re facing no urgency to move those players unless they get a significant offer.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators are listening to offers. No-trade clauses are an issue for the Predators, and the Blues prefer making “hockey trades” rather than selling off talent for draft picks and prospects.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: D’Amico also considered the San Jose Sharks as a wild card, but they might not be sellers if they’re in the playoff race leading up to the trade deadline. This rebuilding team still has room for improvement (especially defensively), but they’re an increasingly competitive club this season.