NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2026

by | Mar 10, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2026

Recapping Tuesday night’s action, the three stars of the week, Lightning forward Brandon Hagel fined, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime, in a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Brian Dumoulin had a goal and two assists, while Artemi Panarin and Scott Laughton each had a goal and an assist for the 26-23-14 Kings (66 points), who are one point behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Conor Garland tallied twice for the Blues Jackets (32-21-10, 74 points), who are two points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators got a 16-save shutout from James Reimer to blank the Vancouver Canucks 2-0. Ridly Grieg and Brady Tkachuk scored, and Tim Stutzle extended his assist streak to 13 games. The Senators improved to 32-22-9, sitting three points back of the Bruins. Kevin Lankinen stopped 22 of 23 shots for the 19-37-8 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have won three straight and seven of their last 10 games. They got this victory without top defenseman Jake Sanderson, who is week-to-week after injuring his right shoulder during Saturday’s game against the Kraken.

An overtime goal by Frank Nazar lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 win over the Utah Mammoth. Andrew Mangiapane and Andre Burakovsky scored for the 24-29-11 Blackhawks. Dylan Guenther tallied his 30th goal of the season for the 34-25-5 Mammoth, who hold the first Western wild-card berth with 73 points.

Washington Capitals forward Connor McMichael tallied two goals in a 7-3 drubbing of the Calgary Flames. Justin Sourdif had a goal and two assists for the 32-26-7 Capitals (71 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern wild card. Matvei Gridin, Blake Coleman, and Yegor Sharangovich replied for the 25-31-7 Flames.

The New York Rangers downed the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2. Mika Zibanejad scored two goals and picked up an assist while Vincent Trocheck had three assists for the 25-30-8 Rangers. Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier replied for the 29-23-11 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forward Taylor Raddysh missed this game and will miss his club’s next game as he attends the funeral of his father, Dwayne, who passed away last Tuesday from pancreatic cancer. My condolences to the Raddysh family for their loss.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas, and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 8, 2026.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was fined $5,000 for being the aggressor in an altercation with Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin on Sunday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. He was accidentally struck in the face by the skate of Senators forward Nick Cousins during Saturday’s game between the two clubs.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman reported there was “a lot of talk” about Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry clashing with some of his teammates during a practice last week.

Friedman didn’t elaborate further, but went on to say it was symptomatic of a frustrating season for the club, pointing to comments made by former Oilers Troy Stecher and Andrew Mangiapane.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers hold third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points, but they have only four wins in their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks are only four points behind them in the playoff race.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2026

by | Mar 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2026

The Sabres take over first place in the Atlantic Division, Anthony Mantha leads the Penguins to a comeback victory, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in a wild 8-7 victory, leapfrogging the latter for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson (NHL Images).

Josh Doan snapped a 7-7 tie with his second goal of the game, Jason Zucker and Alex Tuch tallied twice, Tage Thompson had four assists, while Rasmus Dahlin and Bo Byram had three points each for the 39-19-6 Sabres (84 points). The Sabres are red-hot as they’ve won seven straight games.

Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and an assist, J.J. Moser had a goal and two assists, and Darren Raddysh picked up three assists for the Lightning (39-19-4), who sit second in the Atlantic with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a fight-filled contest with 102 penalty minutes, capped by Lightning winger Brandon Hagel jumping Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin early in the second period.

The last time the Sabres held first place in their division at this stage of the season or later was Apr. 11, 2010.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha scored two game-tying goals, setting the stage for Tommy Novak’s overtime winner in a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins. Erik Karlsson collected two assists for the Penguins, who improved to 32-17-14 to sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Pavel Zacha had a hat trick for the 35-22-6 Bruins, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forward Justin Brazeau missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He is listed as day-to-day.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche nipped the Minnesota Wild by a score of 3-2. Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring and tallied the game-winner in a shootout for the Avalanche (43-10-9, 95 points). Kirill Kaprizov and Nico Sturm replied for the Wild (37-16-11) as they sit third in the Central Division with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nazem Kadri collected his first point in his return to the Avalanche, setting up MacKinnon’s regulation goal. The Avalanche reacquired the 35-year-old center from the Calgary Flames before Friday’s trade deadline.

Before this game, the Avalanche announced that team captain Gabriel Landeskog is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

An overtime goal by Miro Heiskanen lifted the Dallas Stars to a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Mavrik Bourque had a goal and an assist for the 39-14-10 Stars, who are second in the Western Conference with 88 points. Connor Bedard scored the tying goal to force overtime for the Blackhawks (23-29-11).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forward Oliver Moore left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

The Detroit Red Wings blanked the New Jersey Devils 3-0. John Gibson made 21 saves until forced to leave the game with an injury following the second period. Cam Talbot made 10 saves to preserve the shutout. Moritz Seider had a goal and two assists, and Dominik Shine scored his first NHL goal as the Red Wings improved to 36-21-7, moving into third place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points. Jacob Markstrom turned aside 27 shots for the 32-30-2 Devils as their four-game win streak ended.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists, and goaltender Connor Ingram made 24 saves to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Leon Draisaitl scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Oilers (31-25-8), who hold third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Mitch Marner has two assists for the 29-21-14 Golden Knights, who are two points ahead of the Oilers in the Pacific standings.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their fourth straight win by downing the Anaheim Ducks 4-0. Joel Hofer made 22 saves for the shutout while Jordan Kyrou, Jonathan Drouin, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Pius Suter scored for the 25-29-9 Blues. Ville Husso stopped 31 shots for the Ducks (35-25-3, 73 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat was fined $2,500.00 by the NHL’s department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Saturday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven was fined $4,166.67 for cross-checking Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2026

by | Mar 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2026

Milestone games for Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, the Sabres extend their win streak to six games, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Nikita Kucherov collected four assists to reach the 100-point mark for the sixth time in his career as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Corey Perry scored in his first game back with the Lightning (39-18-4) since being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson replied for the 27-26-11 Maple Leafs, who are 0-5-2 in their last seven games. The Lightning hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 82 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov is the third player to reach the 100-point plateau this season, sitting behind Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (106 points) and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (103). The Lightning played without defenseman Emil Lilleberg, who suffered a facial fracture during practice on Wednesday. He’s expected to miss two weeks.

The Buffalo Sabres kept pace with the Lightning with a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Tage Thompson scored to extend his points streak to 10 games, and Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots for the 38-19-6 Sabres (80 points), who have won six straight games. Zachary L’Heureux and Matthew Wood replied for the Predators (28-27-8), who have lost four of their last five and remain three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 64 points.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes tallied a hat trick and collected an assist to lead his club to their fourth straight win with a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Jesper Bratt had a goal and two assists for the 32-29-2 Devils. Will Borgen, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers (24-30-8).

An overtime goal by Josh Morrissey lifted the Winnipeg Jets over the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-2. Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists for the 26-26-10 Jets, who are five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 62 points. Linus Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (19-36-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Morrissey’s first game since getting injured during the Olympics. It was a memorable return as he moved past Dustin Byfuglien for the most points by a defenseman for this version of the Jets with 417 points.

The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Los Angeles Kings 4-3. Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice and had an assist, Nick Suzuki had a goal and two assists, and Jakub Dobes kicked out 36 shots for the Canadiens (34-18-10), who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Anze Kopitar, Scott Laughton, and Alex Laferriere scored for the 25-23-14 Kings (64 points), who also sit three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laughton’s goal was his first for the Kings since being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday.

Speaking of the Kraken, they dropped a 7-4 decision to the Ottawa Senators. Shane Pinto had a goal and two assists, and Warren Foegele scored his first goal since being acquired from the Kings for the 31-22-9 Senators (71 points), who are four points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jordan Eberle collected two assists for the 29-24-9 Kraken (67 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update on his status. Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz departed in the first period after being accidentally cut on his face by the skate of Senators forward Nick Cousins. He was reportedly still being evaluated following the game.

As for the Bruins (35-22-5), they downed the Washington Capitals 3-1. Pavel Zacha, Viktor Arvidsson, and Elias Lindholm scored, and David Pastrnak collected two assists as they hold that final Eastern wild-card spot with 75 points. Aliaksei Protas replied for the Capitals (31-26-7).

An overtime goal by Bo Horvat gave the New York Islanders a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Ilya Sorokin stopped 30 shots, and Tony DeAngelo also scored for the 36-23-5 Islanders, who hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 77 points. Macklin Celebrini tallied his 32nd goal of the season, and Yaroslav Askarov made 32 saves for the Sharks (30-25-6), who sit one point behind the Kraken with 66 points

The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on a shootout goal by Trevor Zegras. Alex Bump scored his first goal in his NHL debut for the 29-22-11 Flyers. Rickard Rakell had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (31-17-14), who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points.

Calgary Flames forward Joel Farabee had two goals and an assist in a 5-4 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist in his first game with the Flames (25-30-7) since his acquisition from the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists for the 40-17-6 Hurricanes, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 82 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4. Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 shots to become the first goaltender to reach 30 wins this season as the Mammoth (34-25-4) has won three straight and holds the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 72 points. Damon Severson, Mathieu Olivier, Adam Fantilli, and Mason Marchment each had a goal and an assist for the 32-21-9 Blue Jackets, who sit two points behind the Bruins for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

IN OTHER NEWS…

MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars center Roope Hintz is expected to miss some extended time after injuring his left leg during Friday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.

NHL.COM: Former Chicago Blackhawks forward and broadcaster Troy Murray passed away from cancer on Saturday at the age of 63.

Murray played 15 seasons in the NHL from 1981-82 to 1995-96, spending 12 of those seasons with the Blackhawks. In 915 regular-season games with the Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, and Colorado Avalanche, Murray had 230 goals and 354 assists for 584 points, as well as 43 points in 113 playoff contests. He won the Selke Trophy with the Blackhawks in 1985-86, and the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1995-96.

After retiring, Murray became the Blackhawks’ radio analyst for over two decades.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Murray’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Blackhawks organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2026

by | Mar 7, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2026

Recapping Friday’s games, fallout from the trade deadline, contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider had a goal and three assists as his club nipped the Montreal Canadiens 6-5 on a shootout goal by Alex Killorn. Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, and Jackson LaCombe each had a goal and an assist for the 35-24-3 Ducks, who took over first place in the Pacific Division with 73 points. Cole Caufield had two goals and an assist, and Lane Hutson had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens (33-18-10), who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 76 points.

Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

The Golden Knights (29-20-14) dropped a 4-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild, slipping one point behind the Ducks. Filip Gustavsson made 29 saves, and Michael McCarron had a goal and an assist in his debut with the Wild after being acquired from the Nashville Predators. Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev had two points, including his 30th goal of the season. The Wild sit third in the Central Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone missed this game with an upper-body injury, but he’s not expected to be sidelined for long.

A shootout goal by Valeri Nichushkin lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Dallas Stars 5-4, snapping the latter’s 10-game win streak. Nichushkin also scored the tying goal that sent the game to overtime and the shootout, while Martin Necas had a goal and three assists for the Avalanche (42-10-9), who remain atop the overall standings with 93 points. Wyatt Johnston, Miro Heiskanen, and Justin Hryckowian each had a goal and an assist for the 38-14-10 Stars as they sit second in the Western Conference with 86 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz left this game after injuring his left leg following a collision with Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon during the second period. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Carolina Hurricanes got two goals from Jackson Blake in a 6-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. K’Andre Miller collected three assists for the 40-16-6 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 86 points. Zach Hyman tallied twice for the Oilers (30-25-8) as they cling to third place in the Pacific Division.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk’s hat trick gave his club a 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves for the Panthers (31-29-3) as his club ended a four-game losing skid. Alex DeBrincat replied for the 35-21-7 Red Wings, who hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 77 points, but have dropped seven of their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin left this game with a lower-body injury in the third period. Head coach Todd McLellan doesn’t believe Larkin will be sidelined long-term, but he must have his injury attended to.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas scored twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Dylan Holloway collected three assists for the 24-29-9 Blues. Macklin Celebrini and Kiefer Sherwood replied for the 30-25-5 Sharks (65 points), who sit two points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Sharks signed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year, $6 million contract extension.

The Vancouver Canucks ended a seven-game losing skid by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3. Brock Boeser scored twice for the 19-36-7 Canucks. Frank Nazar and Ilya Mikheyev each had a goal and an assist for the 23-29-10 Blackhawks.

TRADE DEADLINE FALLOUT

THE ATHLETIC: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong expressed his displeasure regarding leaked reports of a proposed trade involving Colton Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres before the blueliner was approached about waiving his no-trade clause. Parayko ultimately refused to waive his clause, killing the deal.

Armstrong was adamant that the leak didn’t come from the Blues. He ordered a thorough examination of his staff’s phone, text, and email records. “Everyone passed the test, not surprisingly,” Armstrong said. “I knew it didn’t come from us.”

However, Armstrong is not pointing the finger at the Sabres. “There’s so many people involved in things that go on: family members, agents. It’s a never-ending cycle of people that get talked to.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals players were shocked and saddened by the trade of long-time Capitals defenseman John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks.

Team captain Alex Ovechkin said hearing the news was the toughest day of his career. “We’re very close, and it’s hard,” Ovechkin said. “We’ve been together since his Day 1 on Caps, and we’re growing up together as a person, families. It’s hard and it’s a sad day.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Getting traded is part of the business for professional hockey players, but it still takes an emotional toll, especially when they’ve spent years together as teammates.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving shouldered the blame for his club’s poor performance this season. He made the remarks after trading forwards Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton before Friday’s trade deadline. Treliving also acknowledged that more changes could be coming for the struggling Maple Leafs in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving could be among those changes. His three-year contract expires at the end of this season.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said his club’s decline after winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season starts with him. Cheveldayoff admitted that his offseason acquisitions were past their prime. He intends to play more of their younger players for the remainder of this season and is looking toward resetting in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unlike Treliving, Cheveldayoff won’t lose his job over this season’s disappointing effort. However, he must replace some of those aging players with younger talent for the Jets to bounce back next season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky was expected to make another big trade deadline move after doing so the last two years. However, his only move was acquiring rugged depth forward Nic Deslauriers. Tulsky explained his quiet trade deadline, claiming his club didn’t find any deals that made sense for them.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin received a five-game suspension from the league for slashing at the head of Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken signed captain Jordan Eberle to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders re-signed center Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a three-year extension with an AAV of $4.85 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Islanders, goaltender Semyon Varlamov is not expected to return to action this season. He’s been sidelined by a knee injury since November 2024.

TSN: Free-agent forward Mathieu Joseph signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings worth a prorated $900,000.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres forward Jiri Kulich will likely miss the remainder of the season. He’s been sidelined since November with blood-clot issues.










NHL Trade Deadline Tracker – March 6, 2026

by | Mar 6, 2026

NHL Trade Deadline Tracker – March 6, 2026

The Colorado Avalanche acquired Nazem Kadri and a 2027 fourth-round pick from the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Victor Olofsson, prospect Maxmilian Curran, a conditional first-round pick in 2028,  and a conditional second-rounder in 2027. Flames retain 20 percent of Kadri’s salary. 

Calgary Flames trade center Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche (NHL Images).

The New York Rangers traded forward Brennan Othmann to the Calgary Flames in exchange for prospect winger Jacob Battaglia

The Winnipeg Jets traded winger Tanner Pearson to the Buffalo Sabres for a 2026 seventh-round pick.

The Los Angeles Kings acquired center Scott Laughton from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a conditional third-round pick (details TBA)

The Boston Bruins acquired forward Lukas Reichel from the Vancouver Canucks for a 2026 sixth-round pick.

The Washington Capitals acquired forward David Kampf from the Vancouver Canucks for a 2026 sixth-round pick. 

The Anaheim Ducks traded forward Ryane Strome to the Calgary Flames for a seventh-round pick in 2027.

The Detroit Red Wings acquired defenseman Justin Faulk from the St. Louis Blues for a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 third-rounder, defenseman Justin Holl, and prospect winger Dmitri Buchelnikov. 

The Seattle Kraken acquire forward Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a second-round pick in 2027 and a fourth-round pick in 2026.

The St. Louis Blues traded center Brayden Schenn to the New York Islanders for a 2026 first-round pick, a third-rounder, left wing Jonathan Drouin, and goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof.

The Washington Capitals acquired defenseman Timothy Liljegren from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired winger Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings for a third-round pick in 2026.

The Carolina Hurricanes acquired winger Nicolas Deslauriers from the Philadelphia Flyers for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2027.

The Minnesota Wild traded forward Vinnie Hinostroza to the Florida Panthers for future considerations

The Los Angeles Kings traded Corey Perry to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. 

The Minnesota Wild acquired forward Nick Foligno from the Chicago Blackhawks for future considerations. 

The Philadelphia Flyers traded winger Bobby Brink to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman David Jiricek.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2026

by | Mar 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2026

The trade deadline is 3 pm ET today. Check out the recaps of Thursday’s game, the latest notable trades, and more as the deadline approaches in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres extended their win streak to five games by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1. Josh Norris and Owen Power each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (37-19-6), who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 80 points. Bryan Rust replied for the 31-17-13 Penguins, who remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin could receive a suspension after receiving a game misconduct for a slash to the head of Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin. He’s been suspended twice before in his NHL career.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar played his 1,500th NHL regular-season game in a 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders. Kopitar collected an assist, Artemi Panarin scored his first goal as a King, and interim head coach D.J. Smith got his first win behind the bench for Los Angeles (25-22-14), who are three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 64 points. Jean-Gabriel Pageau had two assists for the 35-23-5 Islanders, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

The Utah Mammoth got a 16-save shutout performance from Vitek Vanecek to blank the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, and Michael Carcone scored for the Mammoth (33-25-4), who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 70 points. Dan Vladar stopped 22 of 24 shots for the 28-22-11 Flyers.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Matthew Wood tallied twice for the 28-26-8 Predators, who are also three points out of the final Western wild-card position. Charlie McAvoy and Viktor Arvidsson each had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (34-22-5), who cling to the final Eastern Conference wild card with 73 points.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (32-21-8) moved to within one point of the Bruins after doubling up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Ivan Provorov had a goal and two assists, and Mathieu Olivier scored twice for the surging Blue Jackets, who picked up their third straight win. Niko Mikkola and Sam Bennett replied for the 30-29-3 Panthers, who have dropped four straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers sat out forward A.J. Greer, signaling the likelihood that he’ll be moved before today’s deadline.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist as his club upset the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 4-1. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 26 shots for the 25-26-10 Jets. Brayden Point tallied for the Lightning (38-18-4), who cling to first place in the Atlantic Division with 80 points.

New York Rangers forwards Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal and two assists in a 6-2 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Will Cuylle scored two goals for the 24-29-8 Rangers. Matias Maccelli and Easton Cowan replied for the Maple Leafs (27-25-11).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both teams sat out players for “roster management reasons” in anticipation of potentially trading them before today’s deadline. The Rangers scratched center Vincent Trocheck, while the Leafs sat out forwards Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson for the second straight game.

The Ottawa Senators kept their playoff hopes alive by beating the Calgary Flames 4-1. Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens were among the goal scorers for the Senators (30-22-9), who extended their points streak to five games and sit five points behind the Bruins for that final Eastern wild card. Martin Pospisil tallied his first of the season for the 24-30-7 Flames.

ROUNDUP OF NOTABLE TRADES

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in 2027.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlson had spent his entire 17-season NHL career with the Capitals. It’s the end of an era as he was the linchpin of their blueline for most of his tenure in Washington.

The Columbus Blue Jackets acquire winger Conor Garland from the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a second-rounder in 2028.

The Buffalo Sabres acquired defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for prospect forward Isak Rosen, defenseman Jacob Bryson, a 2027 second-round pick, and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2026.

The Detroit Red Wings acquire winger David Perron from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft.

The Ottawa Senators acquire winger Warren Foegele and a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a second-round pick and a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 draft.

The Dallas Stars acquired forward Michael Bunting from the Nashville Predators for a third-rounder in the 2026 draft.

The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward Nicolas Roy from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 or 2028 NHL Draft and a conditional fifth-rounder in 2026.

The Vegas Golden Knights acquired forward Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals in exchange for goaltender Jesper Vikman, a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, and a second-rounder in 2029.

The Minnesota Wild acquired defenseman Jeff Petry from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks signed forward Ryan Poehling to a four-year contract extension. PuckPedia indicates the 27-year-old center will receive an average annual value of $3.75 million on his new deal.

The New Jersey Devils placed forwards Evgenii Dadonov, Luke Glendening, and Maxim Tsyplakov on waivers.

The St. Louis Blues placed forward Mathieu Joseph on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.