The NHL landscape shifted dramatically this weekend, and the fallout is dominating the headlines this Monday morning. If you thought the trade deadline was the only time for fireworks, the recent blockbuster swap between the Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks has proven otherwise.
All eyes were on Saint Paul last night as Quinn Hughes made his highly anticipated debut for the Minnesota Wild. The superstar defenseman didn’t waste any time endearing himself to the State of Hockey, finding the back of the net in a convincing 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. His immediate chemistry with Kirill Kaprizov—who tallied two goals himself—suggests the Wild are all-in on a deep playoff run.
Recap: Wild Dominate Bruins, Canucks Edge Devils in Trade Aftermath
Meanwhile, the other side of that trade saw rookie sensation Zeev Buium make his debut for the Vancouver Canucks. Buium silenced the doubters immediately, recording a goal and an assist to lead Vancouver to a gritty 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. It’s rare that a “win-win” trade manifests so quickly, but both fanbases have plenty to cheer about this morning.
In Pittsburgh, the Penguins suffered a heartbreaking collapse. After building a commanding lead, they fell 5-4 in overtime to the Utah Mammoth, who staged the largest comeback in their young franchise’s history. Dylan Guenther played the hero, netting the OT winner and leaving the Penguins searching for answers as their playoff hopes take a hit.
Elsewhere, the Montreal Canadiens continued their strong home stand with a 4-1 drubbing of the Edmonton Oilers, fueled by their young core. However, sombre news comes out of Chicago, as the Blackhawks have officially placed Connor Bedard on Injured Reserve, a massive blow to their offensive structure.
Looking ahead to tonight, the Ottawa Senators visit the Winnipeg Jets for a prime-time all-Canadian clash, while the Florida Panthers look to contain the Tampa Bay Lightning.
NHL Scores & Notes: December 14, 2025
| Away Team | Score | Home Team | Score | Notes |
| Canucks | 2 | Devils | 1 | Buium (VAN): 1G, 1A in debut; Hughes (NJ) scores lone goal. |
| Mammoth | 5 | Penguins | 4 (OT) | Utah overcomes 3-goal deficit; Guenther scores OT winner. |
| Flyers | 2 | Hurricanes | 3 (SO) | Svechnikov nets shootout winner; Canes sweep back-to-back. |
| Bruins | 2 | Wild | 6 | Q. Hughes (MIN) scores in debut; Kaprizov 2G. |
| Oilers | 1 | Canadiens | 4 | Habs shut down McDavid; Suzuki & Caufield lead offense. |
| Sabres | 3 | Kraken | 1 | Tage Thompson scores; Sabres hold off late SEA push. |
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