NHL Rumor Mill – February 28, 2026

by | Feb 28, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – February 28, 2026

Predators forward Steven Stamkos denies he’ll waive his NMC, an update on Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers, several teams are interested in Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, and much more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

STEVEN STAMKOS DENIES REPORTS HE WOULD WAIVE HIS NO-MOVEMENT CLAUSE

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty reports Steven Stamkos is denying a report from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that the 36-year-old Nashville Predators forward might be willing to waive his no-movement clause to go to a contender.

Stamkos said he’s never talked to Predators general manager Barry Trotz about it, adding that there was “zero chance” he’d be willing to waive his NMC.

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

“Obviously, there’s stuff that gets reported,” Stamkos said. “But what I’ll say, with this group, we want to be together. I can only control what I control, but I love it here.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Stamkos’ remarks, it’s probably safe to assume that he’s not going anywhere.

In fairness, LeBrun didn’t report that Stamkos was willing to waive his clause to join a contender. He stated that the veteran forward was happy in Nashville and didn’t want to be traded.

LeBrun claimed that the Stamkos camp provided Predators management with a list of potential destinations as a preparatory move in case management approached him about a trade.

TYLER MYERS REMAINS WITH THE CANUCKS AS RUMORS SWIRL

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reported Tyler Myers was absent from the Vancouver Canucks’ practice on Friday, but the 36-year-old defenseman remains with the team amid reports of the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars expressing interest in him.

Myers has a year left on his contract with a full no-movement clause for this season. He was held out of Wednesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets for “roster management reasons”, which usually means a trade could be imminent. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported the Canucks had an offer on the table from the Red Wings, but Myers and his agent were still deliberating.

A trade to the Stars could be more appealing to Myers. His mother is from Texas, and he lived there until moving to Calgary at the age of 10 to play hockey. The Stars also placed forward Tyler Seguin on season-ending LTIR, freeing up $6 million in cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Be it Detroit, Dallas, or elsewhere, Myers could be playing with a new team by the March 6 trade deadline. It’ll be interesting to see how long this plays out.

WILD, AVALANCHE, AND PENGUINS COULD BE PURSUING VINCENT TROCHECK

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports speculation tying Vincent Trocheck to the Minnesota Wild. There’s also talk linking the 32-year-old New York Rangers center to the Colorado Avalanche, but Friedman reports his preference is to remain in the Eastern Conference.

Friedman also mentioned that there was some speculation that the Pittsburgh Penguins might pursue Trocheck, who is a Pittsburgh native. He also mentioned the Detroit Red Wings, who attempted to sign him in 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Minnesota is west, but maybe not so far west that Trocheck might say no. We’ll see.

As for Pittsburgh, acquiring the 32-year-old center would pretty much go against everything that GM Kyle Dubas has been doing for the past two years, which is acquiring players in their twenties who can be part of the club’s long-term plans. Trocheck has three years left on his contract, but his effectiveness will diminish as he ages.

THE LATEST ON THE BLUES’ PLANS FOR THE TRADE DEADLINE

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford recently reported on what he’s been hearing about Robert Thomas, Jordan Binnington, and other St. Louis Blues players ahead of next Friday’s trade deadline.

Thomas, Binnington, Jordan Kyrou, Colton Parayko, Pavel Buchnevich, Justin Faulk, Brayden Schenn, and Cam Fowler all have some form of no-trade protection. General manager Doug Armstrong recently met with them to discuss the club’s trade deadline plans. As of Thursday, none of them had been asked to waive that protection.

It’s believed the Blues are willing to trade their older players, specifically those over 25. Thomas is 26, and Kyrou is 27, while the rest are over thirty.

Rutherford reports Armstrong’s asking price for Thomas is “three first-half-of-the-first-round assets”. That could mean an established young player, a prospect, and a draft pick who were all selected or could be chosen within the top 15 picks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also believes the Blues are setting high prices for some of those players. He claimed the asking price for Faulk is comparable to what the Calgary Flames received in the Rasmus Andersson trade. The Flames got an established player, a prospect, and a pair of draft picks.

LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

TSN: Craig Button took note of the recent speculation over whether the Florida Panthers might trade UFA-eligible goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. The 37-year-old netminder has not yet signed a contract extension with the Panthers, resulting in trade conjecture.

Button believes a trade sending Bobrovsky to the Montreal Canadiens would make a lot of sense if the veteran netminder were open to it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky has a $10 million cap hit this season. The Canadiens have roughly $1.4 million in projected trade-deadline cap room. They’ll have to move out some salary to take on the remainder of his cap hit. He also has a 16-team no-trade list and might not want to go to Montreal.

Even if it were possible, it’s doubtful the Canadiens would do it, as it would go against what they’ve been trying to build with younger talent. While their goaltending has been questionable this season, they prefer to make trades for younger players who have term left on their contracts. They’ll likely stick with their current tandem for this season.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Montreal Canadiens have “poked around” about Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly, but he isn’t sure how feasible it is.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not feasible. The Predators are pushing for a playoff spot, and O’Reilly wants to stay put.

Friedman also believes the Canadiens have looked into the availability of Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports forward help remains a priority for the Canadiens, but they’re also looking at adding a depth defenseman. He indicated that the Canadiens made a brief call to the Flyers about Ristolainen to gauge their asking price, but there was no serious push.

D’Amico said the Canadiens are open to adding some toughness to their blueline, but only if the cost makes sense for where they are in their competitive window.

TVA SPORTS: The Canadiens have been trying to move Patrik Laine for some time. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported they allowed the winger’s agent to speak with other teams about a trade months ago.

MAPLE LEAFS PROJECTED TO BE SELLERS AT THE TRADE DEADLINE

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports the Toronto Maple Leafs’ flat performance coming out of the Olympic break has GM Brad Treliving listening to offers for his players who are on expiring contracts.

That includes Bobby McMann, who appears all but certain to be moved. Murphy claimed the Edmonton Oilers are among several clubs interested in the 29-year-old winger. McMann wants to stay in Toronto, but there’s no sign of progress in contract negotiations.

Murphy acknowledged the trade speculation about Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz. However, sources suggest Joseph Woll as the more realistic trade chip. They also have Dennis Hildeby under contract, and Treliving could attempt to clear the club’s logjam in goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Woll and Stolarz are both signed beyond this season. Injuries in his brief NHL career have frequently sidelined Woll. He’s also easier to move than Stolarz because he lacks no-trade protection (Stolarz has an eight-team no-trade list) and a slightly more affordable cap hit than Stolarz’s $3.75 million AAV on his new contract that begins in July.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples indicated that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Oilers have a “real interest” in Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Oilers are trying to move Andrew Mangiapane to free up salary-cap space, but haven’t found any takers yet for the struggling winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekman-Larsson has a 16-team no-trade list. Assuming the Oilers aren’t on it, his $3.5 million AAV through 2027-28 could be a good fit if they can shed Mangiapane’s $3.6 million AAV through next season, and if the Oilers can meet the Leafs’ asking price.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2026

by | Jan 22, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2026

Could Auston Matthews consider moving on if the Leafs miss the playoffs? Would Dougie Hamilton be a good fit in Toronto? Could the Penguins attempt to acquire Jason Robertson and re-sign Evgeni Malkin? Will the Blues trade Robert Thomas? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST MAPLE LEAFS SPECULATION

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos wonders what Auston Matthews will be thinking if the Maple Leafs miss the playoffs this season. The 28-year-old superstar center has two seasons left on his contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Kypreos believes Matthews will need assurances that the Maple Leafs are capable of building a contender. He pointed out that other elite NHL players, such as Matthew Tkachuk in 2022 and Quinn Hughes last month, forced a change of scenery, and wondered if Matthews might do the same at some point if the Leafs are no longer playoff contenders going forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews isn’t going anywhere this season, but it’s fair to raise the question about his future if the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs. Even if they squeak in but endure another early elimination, that will spark speculation about whether he’ll finish his contract in Toronto.

Kypreos also addressed whether Dougie Hamilton would be a good fit with the Maple Leafs. The 32-year-old New Jersey Devils defenseman has surfaced in the rumor mill after his agent recently indicated that the blueliner was willing to be flexible with his 10-team trade list.

“Aside from the high acquisition cost and a few warts in his game, the Devils defenseman does check many boxes the Leafs desperately need on their blueline for a playoff push.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Warts aside, the acquisition cost is the biggest stumbling block in the path of a trade here. Hamilton carries an average annual value of $9 million through 2027-28. It’ll likely take a sweetener to convince the Devils to retain any part of that cap hit.

The Leafs have limited cap room and trade capital. They could face difficulty trying to outbid other clubs.

Meanwhile, Kevin McGran noted the logjam in the Maple Leafs crease with Anthony Stolarz due to return soon from injury, joining Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby.

McGran believes Hildeby will likely return to their AHL affiliate because he’s waiver-exempt. If Stolarz regains last season’s solid form, the Leafs could be tempted to use one of those three goalies as a trade chip to shore up the defense.

COULD THE PENGUINS PURSUE JASON ROBERTSON AND RE-SIGN EVGENI MALKIN?

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe speculated recently that the Pittsburgh Penguins might go the trade route this summer to bring in a young NHL star forward.

He believes the Penguins love Jason Robertson. The 26-year-old Dallas Stars winger is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He will draw lots of attention if the Stars make him available in the trade market, suggesting the Penguins have the salary-cap space and the tradeable assets to make a solid pitch. He also doesn’t see them attempting to go the offer sheet route as the compensation required would be over the top.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas will probably be in touch with the Stars if they decide to trade Robertson this summer. And yes, it would be in the summer because the Stars are all-in this season to win the Stanley Cup, and that includes having Robertson in the lineup.

The Penguins would be well-situated to outbid most teams. The question is whether Robertson would be committed to joining them on a long-term deal. He could opt to go to arbitration, sign a one-year deal, and test the unrestricted free-agent market in 2027. That would crush his value in next season’s trade market, making him enticing only to Stanley Cup contenders seeking a postseason rental.

Yohe also reported that long-time Penguins star Evgeni Malkin is willing to sign a one-year contract and accept a pay cut to stay in Pittsburgh.

Malkin, 39, realizes this could be his final NHL season, but he’s not ready to retire yet. He’s not interested in playing for another team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas indicated last fall that he would meet with the Malkin camp during the upcoming Olympic break to discuss his future. Despite missing 15 games with an upper-body injury, he’s third among their scorers this season with 37 points in 34 games. It won’t be surprising if he ends up with that one-year deal at a reduced price.

COULD THE BLUES PEDDLE ROBERT THOMAS?

THE ATHLETIC: With St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas surfacing in recent trade speculation, Jeremy Rutherford and Shayna Goldman looked at his potential value in the trade market.

Thomas, 26, is in the third season of an eight-year contract with a AAV of $8.125 million. Rutherford and Goldman believe he’ll fetch more than the asking price of a comparable center on an expiring contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You’ll need a subscription to see their detailed breakdown of comparables, cost, and whether it would be worthwhile for the Blues to trade Thomas. In my opinion, he could fetch three assets containing at least a first-round pick and a top prospect or a promising young NHL player.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2025

by | Dec 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2025

Nathan MacKinnon ties the Avalanche goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, including the winner in overtime, as the Colorado Avalanche nipped the New York Rangers 3-2. Martin Necas collected three assists as the league-leading Avalanche (46 points) became the first team to reach the 20-win plateau (20-2-6). Igor Shesterkin kicked out 39 shots while Conor Sheary and Artemi Panarin replied for the 15-13-3 Rangers.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads the league with 24 goals and 48 points. He also reached 391 career NHL regular-season goals, tying Joe Sakic for the most goals in Avalanche history. Sakic remains the overall franchise leader (Avalanche and Quebec Nordiques) with 625.

The Florida Panthers overcame 4-1 and 6-4 deficits to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-6 on an overtime goal by Sam Bennett, who also collected three assists. Brad Marchand also had a goal and three assists, and Carter Verhaeghe tallied twice and picked up an assist for the Panthers, who snapped a four-game losing skid and improved to 13-12-2. Dmitri Voronkov, Miles Wood, Cole Sillinger, and Isac Lundestrom each had a goal and an assist for the 13-9-6 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen returned to action after being sidelined since Nov. 15 from burns to his lower body suffered when his propane grill malfunctioned and exploded while he was cooking.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin turned in a 32-save shutout to blank the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0. Calum Ritchie and Casey Cizikas were the goal scorers for the 16-10-3 Islanders. Jonas Johansson stopped 17 of 18 shots for the Lightning (16-10-2), who have lost three straight but remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning captain Victor Hedman returned to action after missing the last 12 games with an undisclosed injury. Starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and winger Nikita Kucherov missed this game and are day-to-day with undisclosed injuries.

A shootout goal by Alexandre Texier lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cole Caufield scored to extend his points streak to 10 games for the Canadiens (15-9-3). Dennis Hildeby made 33 saves, and Scott Laughton scored for the 13-11-4 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Maple Leafs placed starting goalie Joseph Woll (lower body) on injured reserve.

St. Louis Blues netminder Joel Hofer turned aside 41 shots, and Jake Neighbours scored twice to beat the Ottawa Senators by a score of 2-1. Fabian Zetterlund replied for the Senators (13-11-4), who have dropped four of their last five games. The Blues now sit at 10-12-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues winger Jordan Kyrou left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, the Senators played without center Shane Pinto, who suffered a lower-body injury during Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers. Pinto will be sidelined for at least two weeks.

Vancouver Canucks center Aatu Raty had his first multipoint NHL game with two goals and an assist in a 4-2 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Rookie defenseman Tom Wallinder scored his first NHL goal, and goalie Nikita Tolopilo stopped 28 shots for the Canucks (11-15-3) as they ended a four-game losing skid. Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello each had a goal and an assist, and goalie Jesper Wallstedt suffered his first regulation loss of the season for the Wild (15-9-5), who’ve dropped three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks center Elias Pettersson left the warmup for this game with an upper-body injury.

The Calgary Flames blanked the Utah Mammoth 2-0. Dustin Wolf made 27 saves for the shutout while Yegor Sharangovich and Connor Zary scored for the 11-15-4 Flames, who are 6-2-1 in their last nine games. Vitek Vanecek stopped 21 of 22 shots for the 14-13-3 Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth center Logan Cooley was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Jackson Blake and Nikolaj Ehlers each had three points in a 6-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Goalie Brandon Bussi made 19 saves for his sixth straight win for the 17-8-2 Hurricanes. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who dropped to 10-14-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi returned to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie scored for the 10th time in nine games in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 29 shots as the Bruins improved to 17-13-0. Timo Meier replied for the Devils (16-12-1), who have lost five straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie sits second among NHL skaters this season with 22 goals.

A four-goal first period carried the Edmonton Oilers over the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 6-2. Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Connor McDavid each had two points for the 13-11-5 Oilers. Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Koepke replied for the Jets (14-13-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid has been rising in the points race lately, sitting second to the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon with 42 points.

A late goal by Patrick Kane gave the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. John Gibson made 24 saves for the win as the Red Wings improved to 15-11-3. Adam Larsson had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-6 Kraken, who have lost five straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is closing in on the 500-goal milestone with 497.

The Los Angeles Kings thumped the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0. Darcy Kuemper turned in a 23-save shutout, and Brandt Clarke scored two goals for the 13-8-7 Kings. Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight made 26 saves as his club dropped to 12-10-6.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars placed forward Tyler Seguin (ACL) on long-term injury reserve and put defenseman Lian Bichsel on injured reserve following surgery on his left leg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For now, the Stars will get just over $3.8 million in cap relief by placing Seguin on LTIR. If it’s determined that he’ll miss the rest of the season (including the playoffs), he’ll be moved to season-ending LTIR, enabling them to exceed the salary cap by the remainder of his $9.8 million cap hit.

Meanwhile, Bichsel is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

ESPN.COM: Former Stars owner Tom Hicks died on Saturday at age 79. He owned the club from 1995 to 2011, during which they won the Stanley Cup in 1999 and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2000.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hicks’ family and the Stars organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

by | Dec 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2025

Four-point performances for Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Drasaitl, the Islanders snap the Avalanche’s 17-game point streak, Rangers winger Artemi Panarin reaches a scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each collected four points as the Edmonton Oilers thumped the Seattle Kraken 9-4. McDavid had a hat trick and collected an assist, while Draisaitl had a goal and three assists as the Oilers improved to 12-11-5. Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko picked up two assists as his club dropped its fourth straight game, slipping to 11-8-6.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Mason Marchment missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day.

The New York Islanders ended the league-leading Colorado Avalanche’s 17-game points streak with a 6-3 victory. Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 35 shots for the 15-10-3 Islanders. Martin Necas netted a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (19-2-6), who suffered their first regulation loss since Oct. 25, when they fell 5-1 to the Boston Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders honored Avalanche center Brock Nelson with a tribute video in his first game back as a visitor. He spent 12 seasons with the Isles from 2013-14 to 2024-25, scoring 310 goals and 294 assists for 604 points in 901 games before being traded to the Avs last March. Nelson collected an assist in this game.

Meanwhile, Islanders winger Jonathan Drouin was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist to reach 900 career NHL regular-season points as his club doubled up the Ottawa Senators by a score of 4-2. J.T. Miller had three assists, and Mika Zibanejad scored to extend his points streak to five games as the Rangers improved to 15-12-2. Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson each had two points for the 13-10-4 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators center Shane Pinto left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and will be reevaluated on Friday. Before the game, the Senators indicated that defenseman Thomas Chabot will be out for another 10 days with an upper-body injury, while blueliner Artem Zub (lower body) and forward Lars Eller (undisclosed) are day-to-day.

Evgeni Malkin scored two goals (including the game-winner) and picked up an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Rookie winger Ville Koivunen tallied his first career NHL goal for the Penguins (14-7-5). Brandon Hagel potted two goals for the 16-9-2 Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He is expected to return to action on Saturday against the Islanders.

Before the game, the Lightning announced the signing of Ryan McDonagh to a three-year contract extension. Beginning in 2026-27, the 36-year-old defenseman will earn an average annual value of $4.1 million.

Meanwhile, Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports a source has dismissed rumors that the sale of the Penguins by Fenway Sports Group to the Hoffman Family of Companies had fallen through. According to Kingerski’s source, the transaction remains in process, but has been held up due to “complications” on external details.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McCann scored twice in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who picked up their third straight win and improved to 13-11-3. Seth Jarvis tallied for the Hurricanes (16-8-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll left this game after the second period with a lower-body injury. The severity of the injury remains unclear.

The Nashville Predators got an overtime goal from Steven Stamkos in a 2-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Ryan O’Reilly tied the game in the third period for the 10-13-4 Predators, who’ve won four of their last five games. Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers, as the struggling Stanley Cup champions have lost four straight, falling to 12-13-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos scored with the Panthers’ net knocked off its moorings. However, the goal was allowed based on rule 63.7, which states that a goal can be awarded on a dislodged net if there’s an imminent scoring chance for the attacking team.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored for the third straight game as his club held off the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 2-1. Wyatt Kaiser’s first of the season held up as the game winner for the Blackhawks (12-9-6). Trevor Moore replied for the 12-8-7 Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty returned to action for the first time since being sidelined with an injured left foot in mid-November.

The Columbus Blue Jackets clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-5 on a shootout goal by Kirill Marchenko. Adam Fantilli scored two goals (including the tying goal late in the third period), while Sean Monahan and Zach Werenski each had three assists for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 13-9-5. Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane each had a goal and an assist for the 14-12-2 Red Wings, who’ve lost five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchenko returned to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha had two goals in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Morgan Geekie and Elias Lindholm each had three points, and Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the 16-13-0 Bruins. Pavel Buchnevich and Pius Suter replied for the Blues, who dropped to 9-12-7.

The Calgary Flames tallied three unanswered third-period goals to upset the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Dustin Wolf made 26 saves, while Matt Coronato and Rasmus Andersson each had a goal and an assist for the 10-15-4 Flames. Yakov Trenin replied for the 15-8-5 Wild.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE GAZETTE: The Winnipeg Jets will host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 NHL Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.

DAILY FACEOFF: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

San Jose Sharks winger Jeff Skinner returns to action on Friday against the Dallas Stars. He’s been sidelined for 10 games with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said rookie winger Justin Sourdif will miss “a little bit of time” with a lower-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: The criminal case against former NHL player Ryan Kesler is headed to trial in Michigan. Kesler is charged with two misdemeanour counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree. He has pleaded not guilty.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2025

by | Nov 25, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2025

A look at the goalie market, the Canucks could become sellers, and an update on Jets center Brad Lambert in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHICH GOALIES COULD BECOME TRADE OPTIONS?

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon looked at some goaltending options for clubs (like the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens) that could look to level up their goaltending.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

The St. Louis Blues’ early-season struggles have led to Jordan Binnington resurfacing in the rumor mill. However, his stats are among the league’s worst.

Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators has also been suggested as a trade target, but his full no-movement clause makes him unlikely to be moved.

Jonathan Quick could be an option if the New York Rangers are out of playoff contention by the March 6 trade deadline. He’s having a strong final chapter to his NHL career as Igor Shesterkin’s backup.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could become sellers if their current woes persist. With Anthony Stolarz under contract for four more years and the Leafs entering a possible transitional phase, Dixon suggested that Joseph Woll could be moved for the right return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dixon cautioned that adding any of those goalies is no guarantee that they’re going to turn into Scott Wedgewood, whose career was rejuvenated after being acquired last season by the Colorado Avalanche.

Binnington carries a 14-team no-trade list. His $6 million annual cap hit could also be a deal-breaker unless the Blues retain part of it.

It’s doubtful that Saros will be going anywhere after the Predators re-signed him to a lucrative long-term contract, especially after they traded away promising Yaroslav Askarov to the San Jose Sharks in August 2024.

Quick might be a quick fix for a playoff contender, and seems the most likely on the list to get traded. Still, he’s turning 40 and is now best in a supporting role. As for Woll, if the Leafs trade him, they’re just making their situation worse. If they’re in transition, it would make sense to keep that tandem of Woll and Stolarz together to maintain some semblance of stability between the pipes.

Meanwhile, Dixon’s colleague Elliotte Friedman proposed two goalies that might be of interest to the Montreal Canadiens. He indicated that some people wondered if the Detroit Red Wings might move Cam Talbot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are in the thick of the playoff race in the Atlantic Division. Talbot’s their best goaltender. They’re not trading him to a divisional rival, and have no intention of moving him unless they’re out of playoff contention by the March deadline.

Friedman suggested Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could be an interesting name to watch. He thinks the Canadiens are among the teams “doing their research” on the Buffalo Sabres netminder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Luukkonen came up because he was sidelined by an early-season injury and struggled a bit during his return. Meanwhile, backup Alex Lyon and call-up Colten Ellis were playing well, prompting some observers to wonder if the Sabres might peddle their starter.

However, it’s doubtful the Sabres will move Luukkonen. They don’t know for certain what they’ve got in Ellis, who isn’t waiver-exempt. For now, they appear content to stick with three goalies.

ARE THE CANUCKS ABOUT TO BECOME SELLERS?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman cited several sources indicating that the Vancouver Canucks have let it be known that they’re willing to entertain trade offers for veteran players.

Friedman stated that the list of veterans they’re willing to listen on doesn’t include defenseman and team captain Quinn Hughes. It’s also unlikely that blueliner Filip Hronek is available.

It appears the Canucks are willing to listen to offers for pending unrestricted free agents or players with a year or two remaining on their contracts. However, they don’t wish to engage in a full roster rebuild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those pending UFAs include forwards Evander Kane, Teddy Blueger, Kiefer Sherwood, and David Kampf, and defensemen Derek Forbort. Those with one or two years remaining on their contracts include forwards Filip Chytil and Drew O’Connor, and defenseman Tyler Myers.

Of those, Sherwood could be the most enticing. He carries an affordable $1.5 million cap hit, had a career-best 40-point performance in 2024-25, and has 12 goals and 16 points in 23 games this season.

THE LATEST ON BRAD LAMBERT

THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates reports the Winnipeg Jets have no interest in trading Brad Lambert to acquiesce to his trade request. They hold plenty of leverage, with the 21-year-old forward waiver-exempt until next season.

Ates believes GM Kevin Cheveldayoff won’t move Lambert unless it benefits the Jets. He speculates that the youngster could be bundled with draft capital at the trade deadline to acquire an impact player. If no sensible offers come their way, they’re content to retain Lambert until he’s NHL-ready.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James observed that NHL insider Frank Seravalli included the Flyers among his list of four clubs that could be a good fit for Lambert. The others were the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, and Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Based on Ates’ comments, the Flames or Canucks could be the more likely trade partners as they are likely to be among the sellers at the trade deadline, if not sooner. The Canadiens and Flyers aren’t parting with an impact player for a prospect and a draft pick.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2025

by | Nov 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2025

The Predators beat the Penguins in the first games of their Global Series, Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer makes history with an overtime goal, and the latest injury updates in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Steven Stamkos lifted the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first game of their two-game Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. The Predators (6-9-4) overcame a 1-0 deficit as Filip Forsberg scored late in the third period to send the game to overtime. Evgeni Malkin scored for the 9-5-4 Penguins.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images).

New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer became the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal (18 years, 70 days) to nip the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Emil Heineman and Jonathan Drouin also scored for the Islanders (10-6-2), who picked up their fourth straight win. JJ Peterka and Dylan Guenther scored for the 10-7-1 Mammoth, who have dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer sits atop this season’s rookie scoring race with 15 points in 18 games.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on an overtime goal by Sebastian Aho. Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and collected an assist, and Shayne Gostisbehere picked up three assists as the Hurricanes improved to 12-5-0. Center Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (8-9-2), who are winless in their last three contests (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forwards Seth Jarvis and Jesperi Kotkaniemi left this game with injuries. Jarvis was accidentally clipped in the eye by Svechnikov’s stick in the first period, but he’s not expected to miss much time. Kotkaniemi left after the first period with a lower-body injury.

Earlier in the day, the Canucks placed goaltender Thatcher Demko (lower body) on injured reserve.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras had two goals and an assist in regulation and tallied the only goal in the shootout in a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Blues. Owen Tippett had a goal and three assists, and Christian Dvorak also had two goals and an assist for the 9-5-3 Flyers. Richard Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Jimmy Snuggerud each had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who dropped to 6-8-4.

INJURY UPDATES

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Joseph Woll from his AHL conditioning stint, and placed captain Auston Matthews (lower body) on injured reserve.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW/CBS SPORTS: Devils center Jack Hughes suffered a hand injury during a team dinner on Thursday when he slipped and cut his hand in a fluke accident. He’s not expected to play against the Washington Capitals on Saturday and will continue to be evaluated.

Meanwhile, the Devils placed forward Connor Brown (upper body) on injured reserve.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens winger Alex Newhook underwent surgery on Friday to repair a fractured ankle. He is expected to be sidelined for four months. The Canadiens also announced that defenseman Kaiden Guhle will be out for 8 to 10 weeks with a partially torn adductor muscle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will test the depth of the young Canadiens roster. Newhook was off to a terrific start before this injury with 12 points in 17 games. Guhle’s been out since Oct. 16.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings goaltender John Gibson returned to practice on Friday after leaving Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks with an upper-body injury. He revealed he’d left due to a headache after being struck by two shots off his facemask.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed defenseman Troy Stecher on waivers and demoted winger Isaac Howard to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. The moves were made to create room for winger Zach Hyman and blueliner Alec Regula, who are both returning from injuries.