* Wednesday’s three-game slate featured Ondrej Palat picking up a pair of points in his Islanders debut and Travis Konecny tallying the NHL’s record-tying 29th hat trick this month.

* ESPN+ and Hulu will be home to a doubleheader during tonight’s 15-game slate, starting with all-time NHL goals leader Alex Ovechkin visiting the Red Wings in Detroit – with Patrick Kane one point away from breaking the NHL record for points by a U.S.-born player. The broadcast closes with a showdown between the Maple Leafs and Kraken. 

* Players heading to Milan next week span the entirety of tonight’s 15-game NHL schedule, from Macklin Celebrini versus Connor McDavid (both Team Canada) in Edmonton; to David Pastrnak (Team Czechia) and Jake Guentzel (Team USA) competing in their final contests before the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series; to Nico Hischier hosting Roman Josi (both Team Switzerland) in Newark.
 

#NHLSTATS MEMOS TO MILAN: CELEBRINI VS. MCDAVID HIGHLIGHTS 15-GAME SLATE

In exactly two weeks, Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini could share the ice for Team Canada in Milan. Before that, the NHL scoring leader and youngest NHL player heading to Milan each have four games remaining – including their fourth all-time head-to-head tonight in Edmonton (McDavid: 0-8—8, 3-0-0 record; Celebrini: 0-1—1, 0-2-1 record).

* Celebrini, 19, is set to become the youngest player to play for Team Canada at Olympics with NHL players. The only NHL players to represent Team Canada at the Olympics at age 21 or younger are defenseman Drew Doughty in 2010 (age 20), as well as forwards Rick Nash in 2006 (age 21), Jonathan Toews in 2010 (age 21) and Simon Gagne in 2002 (age 21).

* McDavid will be one of 19 Team Canada returnees from the country’s championship squad at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February – where McDavid scored the overtime goal to secure the title. McDavid has added 154 NHL points to his total since scoring that goal (121 regular season, 33 playoffs), a count that features a League-leading 92 points so far in 2025-26. Pursuing his ninth career 100-point season, McDavid will head to Milan with the most points by any player before an Olympic break if he maintains his advantage over second-place Nathan MacKinnon (also part of the Team Canada roster).

* The new pages on Records.NHL.com include more stats from the five prior Olympics with NHL players, while the #NHLStats Pack for the Olympics complements the new site with an abundance of information on the 2026 rosters.

Lightning, Bruins set to play final games before 2026 Stadium Series
The Lightning and Bruins are both set to contest their final games before heading outdoors at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday for the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series (Feb. 1, 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, SN & TVAS) and their star players can achieve notable feats leading up to the event.

* Nikita Kucherov leads the League in points since the calendar flipped to 2026 (8-21—29 in 12 GP) and can record his third career 30-point calendar month (also April 2022 & Dec. 2018). The only other players in NHL history to reach the mark in as many months are Wayne Gretzky (36), Mario Lemieux (14), Bryan Trottier (4), Phil Esposito (4), Steve Yzerman (3), Jaromir Jagr (3) and Connor McDavid (3). Should he get a second point Thursday, Kucherov would also tie Steven Stamkos (307 GP) for the most multi-point games in franchise history.

* David Pastrnak, who is currently riding an eight-game point streak and, along with his upcoming Stadium Series foe Kucherov, is one of two players with 20 assists in January (5-20—25 in 13 GP). He needs three more helpers tonight to tie Bobby Orr (23 in March 1971) for the most in a calendar month in Bruins history as he also looks to establish a new League benchmark for longest assist streak entering an outdoor game.

OTHER OLYMPIC TIES ON FINAL 15-GAME DAY BEFORE BREAK

The final 15-game day before the Olympic break includes several matchups which feature many players facing off against future Olympic teammates and adversaries.

* Four of 10 NHL players from Team Switzerland will compete tonight in New Jersey, including both of that country’s NHL captains: Nashville’s Roman Josi and New Jersey’s Nico Hischier. Josi will make his second Olympics appearance (also 2014), while the Devils will send three players to the same Olympic team for the third time as Hischier is joined by Timo Meier and Jonas Siegenthaler (also Team USA in 2006; Team Czechia in 2014).

* Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and the Panthers will face their future Team Canada teammates in the Blues’ Jordan Binnington and Colton Parayko. Marchand (age 37) is one of four players age 35 or older on Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic roster, also: Sidney Crosby (age 38), Drew Doughty (age 36) and Darcy Kuemper (age 35). The 2026 Olympics will mark the second time the country has had at least four players 35-plus on their roster at Olympics involving NHL players (also 4 in 2002).

* Mikko Rantanen and Jack Eichel, opponents tonight when the Stars visit the Golden Knights and potential opponents at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, both enter their game one away from their 20th goal of 2025-26. Rantanen can become the fifth Finnish player with at least nine career 20-goal campaigns, while Eichel can become the eighth active American to reach the mark in nine or more seasons.

* Vancouver’s David Kampf and Filip Hronek, who will represent Team Czechia at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, will battle two of their future Team Czechia teammates tonight, Anaheim’s Radko Gudas and Lukas Dostal. Kampf, Gudas and Dostal all won a gold medal together on home soil at the 2024 World Championship.

Wednesday featured Palat posting pair of points in Islanders debut

The Islanders, Blue Jackets and Senators earned wins during Wednesday’s three-game slate. More notes in addition to the ones below can be found in yesterday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.

* After being acquired from the Devils on Tuesday, Ondrej Palat tallied 1-1—2 in his Islanders debut and became the fourth active player to record multiple points in their first game with the franchise, following Marshall Warren (0-2—2 on Oct. 25, 2025), Anthony Duclair (1-1—2 on Oct. 10, 2024) and John Tavares (1-1—2 on Oct. 3, 2009). Palat as well as Jan Rutta and Michal Kempny can become the third, fourth and fifth Czech members of the “Triple Gold Club” if they win a gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 – they would join Jaromir Jagr and Jiri Slegr.

* Charlie Coyle, who was honored by Columbus in a pre-game ceremony for skating in his 1,000th career contest on Jan. 22, scored the opening tally just 38 seconds into the game and helped the Blue Jackets outlast the Flyers, who had all three of their goals scored by Travis Konecny. It marked the NHL’s 29th hat trick since Jan. 1, which tied December 1985 for the most during a calendar month in League history.

* Tim Stützle (1-1—2) factored on two of Ottawa’s five goals as the Senators secured a victory versus the League-leading Avalanche. The growth of German hockey will be on full display at the Milano Cortina Games with Stützle, Leon Draisaitl and Moritz Seider all set to make their Olympic debut when Team Germany faces Team Denmark in their tournament opener on Feb. 12.

QUICK CLICKS

* Rasmus Dahlin strives to ‘keep going’ with Sabres during year of challenges on, off ice

* Connor McDavid relishing first chance to play for Canada at Olympics
* Victor Hedman not ruling out return for Stadium Series with Lightning
* Ben Chiarot signs 3-year, $11.55 million contract with Red Wings
* ThunderBug scuba dives to celebrate Stadium Series

* Patrick Kane received some helpful advice from Mike Modano early in his career about adapting to professional hockey. They now share the NHL record for most points among U.S.-born players.
 

* Rasmus Dahlin became the League’s latest defenseman with a three-goal game and recorded the NHL’s 28th hat trick since Jan. 1, tying February 1981 for the second most in a calendar month behind December 1985 (29).

* Wednesday’s three-game slate opens with first “Battle of New York” involving new Islanders forward Ondrej Palat followed by Columbus hosting Philadelphia on TNT as well as Colorado visiting Ottawa on Sportsnet.
 

Kane ties Modano for most points by a U.S.-born player in LEAGUE history
Patrick Kane had an assist versus longtime opponent Drew Doughty and the Kings to reach 1,374 career points and tie Mike Modano as the NHL’s all-time scoring leader among U.S.-born players, a title Modano has held since tallying twice against San Jose more than 18 years ago on Nov. 7, 2007.

* Kane has 36 points in 42 career games versus Doughty dating to Nov. 29, 2008. The pair were also pitted against each other during the 2013 and 2014 Western Conference Final – Kane capped a hat trick with the double-overtime clincher in Game 5 of the first series en route to winning his second of three Stanley Cups over a six-season span.
 

* Kane can pass Modano when the Red Wings host Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals tomorrow (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, Hulu). It will mark the first game to feature the NHL’s all-time leader in points among U.S.-born players (outright or tied) and the League record holder for goals since March 24, 1997, when Joe Mullen and the Penguins played Wayne Gretzky and the Rangers.

Dahlin delivers League’s latest hat trick by a defenseman this season
Rasmus Dahlin (3-2—5) recorded his first career hat trick and second five-point game (also Jan. 7, 2023) as the Sabres (30-17-5, 65 points) maintained their hold on third place in the Atlantic Division by improving to 19-3-1 since Dec. 9, 2025. Dahlin became the seventh defenseman in franchise history with a three-goal game and first since Rasmus Ristolainen (Dec. 10, 2015).
 

* Dahlin became the 11th Swedish blueliner in NHL history to reach the 400-point milestone and the third fastest among that group (557 GP) behind Borje Salming (489 GP) and Dahlin’s soon-to-be Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 teammate Erik Karlsson (498 GP). Dahlin’s noteworthy performance came after the Maple Leafs celebrated the upcoming 50-year anniversary of Darryl Sittler’s NHL-record 10-point game as well as Sittler’s teammates that night (Feb. 7, 1976), which included the late Salming.

* Dahlin scored the fifth hat trick by a defenseman this season, fourth this month and third over a four-day span (also Mattias Ekholm on Jan. 26 & Evan Bouchard on Jan. 24). The five three-goal games by blueliners are tied for the second highest single-season total in NHL history (w/ 2010-11, 1982-83, 1981-82, 1971-72 & 1919-20) behind 1974-75 (9).

Photo via X/@BuffaloSabres

BRUINS EXTEND HOME WIN STREAK AS NHL STADIUM SERIES APPROACHES

With just four days remaining before the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series, the Bruins (31-20-3, 65 points) joined their outdoor opponent by continuing their string of success with an eighth straight home win – thanks to David Pastrnak’s goal 13 seconds into overtime – and have one game remaining (Jan. 28 vs. PHI) before clashing with the Lighting at Raymond James Stadium; Tampa Bay – 6-0-0 in its past six home games – also has one contest remaining before the event (Jan. 29 vs. WPG).

* The Lightning (10-1-1, 21 points) and Bruins (10-2-1, 21 points) share the most wins among all teams since the calendar flipped to 2026. Tampa Bay and Boston reached a double-digit win total in a single calendar month for the 16th and 13th time, respectively, since 2013-14; Minnesota (14x) and NY Rangers (13x) are the only clubs with as high a total during that span.

* Morgan Geekie (1-0—1) and Pastrnak (1-1—2) each found the back of the net as the former reached the 30-goal mark for the second time in as many seasons and the Olympic-bound Czech forward joined outdoor opponent, Nikita Kucherov (21 in 12 GP), as the second player with 20 assists this month. Overall, Pastrnak became the fourth different player in franchise history with a 20-assist month and first since Ray Bourque (20 in March 1991).

NHL TO TRANSFORM RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM INTO HOCKEY-THEMED TREASURE MAP

The NHL released a rendering of the field design for the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series outdoor game between the Lightning and Bruins at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Feb. 1 (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, SN, TVAS;  NHL in ASL on ESPN+, Sportsnet+).

* Tampa’s rich pirate history will be the theme for the field design and game presentation, with the rink sitting atop a treasure map dotted with hockey-themed landmarks, paths and clues in celebration of the Gasparilla Pirate Fest. Surrounding the rink are remains of shipwrecks, sea creatures and, in a nod to the city’s biggest annual event, floats from the Gasparilla Parade of the Pirates.

DEFENSEMEN DELIVER AS THREE-GOAL RALLIES HIGHLIGHT CENTRAL DIVISION WINS
Three-goal comebacks highlighted victories from the Wild (30-14-10, 70 points) and Stars (30-14-9, 69 points) as Minnesota erased a three-goal deficit en route to a shootout win and Dallas withstood a three-goal comeback attempt by St. Louis to capture its 30th win of the season.

* Quinn Hughes (0-1—1) factored on the second of three straight goals in regulation and extended his assist streak to six games – one shy of the longest by a defenseman in franchise history (Jared Spurgeon: 7 GP in 2021-22 & Ryan Suter: 7 GP in 2013-14). His 18 assists are the third most among all players this month and already the most by a player in a single month in franchise history.

* The Blues scored three third-period goals in a span of 12:35 to draw even, but Thomas Harley scored a go-ahead goal with 1:07 remaining in regulation to help the third-place Stars keep pace with the second-place Wild in the Central Division. Harley (also 59:55 on March 4, 2025) became the first defenseman in franchise history with multiple go-ahead goals within the final 90 seconds of regulation, and the fourth active blueliner to do so alongside Shea Theodore (3x), Drew Doughty (2x) and Charlie McAvoy (2x). 

Celebrini collecting FOUR points in hometown featured in Live Updates

Tuesday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the 10-game slate. Some highlights include:

* Cole Caufield continued his scoring ways in Montreal’s overtime win by extending his goal streak to a career-best six games and reached the 30-goal plateau for the second straight season. Caufield tied Max Domi (6 GP in 2019-20) and Max Pacioretty (6 GP in 2014-15) for the longest goal streak by a Canadiens player through the past 30 years and became the fifth Montreal skater in the past 25 years to post consecutive 30-goal campaigns – the only player among that five with more is Pacioretty (4 from 2013-14 – 2016-17).

* Nick Schmaltz opened the scoring by becoming the fifth different Mammoth player this season with a shorthanded goal – tied with the Ducks, Islanders and Canucks for the most among all teams – in Utah’s 4-3 victory over Florida. The Mammoth earned 10 wins in a month for the first time in franchise history and tied the Lightning and Bruins for the most wins this January.

* Macklin Celebrini (1-3—4) eclipsed the 50-assist mark and forged his fourth career four-point game to tie Jimmy Carson for the fourth most by a teenager in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (14), Sidney Crosby (8) and Dale Hawerchuk (7). The Sharks (27-21-3, 57 points) maintained their hold on the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot.

QUICK CLICKS

* Gary Bettman‘s run as NHL Commissioner unrivaled in sports
* Marcus Johansson, Hampus Lindholm added to Team Sweden roster for Olympics
* Connor McDavid visits junior high as impact of Ben Stelter School Fundraiser continues to grow
* Foligno Face-Off returns to raise more money for breast cancer research
* Winners of the 2026 NHL Hockey Innovation Competition Presented by SAP Recognized

METROPLITAN DIVISION SHOWDOWN TAKES CENTER STAGE WEDNESDAY

A three-game Wednesday slate features a Metropolitan Division showdown that pits Trevor Zegras and the Flyers (24-18-9, 57 points) against Zach Werenski and the Blue Jackets (24-20-7, 55 points) broadcast nationally in the United States (TNT, HBO MAX, truTV). North of the border, Nathan MacKinnon (38-50—88 in 50 GP) will look to become the second player to reach the 90-point mark this season when the League-leading Avalanche (35-6-9, 79 points) clash with the Senators (24-21-7, 55 points) on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
 

#NHLSTATS MEMOS TO MILAN: FROM TEAMMATES TO RIVALS IN TWO WEEKS

With two weeks until the opening games of the men’s hockey tournament in Milan, eight of 12 nations set to partake will be represented by players competing during tonight’s three-game NHL slate – including teammates who will soon go head-to-head for gold.

* Team Denmark goaltender Mads Sogaard claimed his first NHL win in 15 months Sunday (7-1 W vs. Pacific Division-leading VGK) and will compete alongside Senators teammate Lars Eller when that country makes its first appearance at Olympics with NHL players. They will face Ottawa teammates in their first two games: their opener Feb. 12 against Tim Stützle (Team Germany) and Valentine’s Day versus two-time Olympian Jake Sanderson (2022) and captain Brady Tkachuk of Team USA.

* Team Latvia will be part of Olympics with NHL players for the fifth time (also 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014) and could turn to Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins in net for their tournament opener Feb. 12 against Group C foe Team USA – whose roster features his NHL teammate Zach Werenski. Merzlikins was picked at the 2014 NHL Draft in Philadelphia, where he became the highest-drafted Latvian goaltender in NHL history (No. 76 in 2014) – just four months after his country reached the quarterfinals to secure its best-ever finish in men’s hockey at any Olympics (8th in 2014).

* The Flyers have three Olympians: defensemen Travis Sanheim (Team Canada) and Rasmus Ristolainen (Team Finland), as well as goaltender Dan Vladar (Team Czechia). Sanheim and Vladar will compete for Group A supremacy, including a head-to-head matchup in each country’s opener Feb. 12 (9:40 a.m. ET). Vladar is set to become the first goaltender to represent the Flyers at the Olympics since 2006, when Antero Niittymaki shared the tournament lead with five wins to help Team Finland secure a silver medal and Robert Esche made one appearance for Team USA.

* The new pages on Records.NHL.com include more stats from the five prior Olympics with NHL players, while the #NHLStats Pack for the Olympics complements the new site with an abundance of information on the 2026 rosters.