NHL Morning Skate – February 25, 2026

February 25, 2026

* Nikita Kucherov can reach the 700-assist milestone when the Lightning host the Maple Leafs on TNT and Sportsnet as NHL action returns tonight.

* Anze Kopitar continues his pursuit of the Kings points record while Artemi Panarin gets set to make his team debut when the Kings host the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights in the second half of a doubleheader on TNT.

* Storylines for all 16 teams returning to regular-season action Wednesday are already available in #NHLStats: Live Updates, with highlights including Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin within striking distance of moving up the NHL’s list for most home goals.

NHL RETURNS WITH MAPLE LEAFS-LIGHTNING ON TNT, SPORTSNET

Nikita Kucherov and the Atlantic Division-topping Lightning (37-14-4, 78 points) return to the ice when they welcome William Nylander and the Maple Leafs (27-21-9, 63 points) into town as Toronto continues to chase a playoff position. Toronto currently holds the longest active streak of postseason appearances with nine, while Tampa Bay is tied for second (also COL) with eight.

* The Maple Leafs can become the first team to qualify for 10 straight postseasons since the Penguins from 2006-07 to 2021-22. Looking to help the cause is Toronto’s leading scorer this season, Nylander(18-34—52 in 40 GP), who represented Team Sweden at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and has recorded a team-high 17 multi-point games in 2025-26. He needs one more to tie fellow Swede, Borje Salming (175), for the sixth most in franchise history.

* Kucherov (29-62—91 in 51 GP) comes into the contest third in points and tied for the most assists this season while also being just one shy of his 700th career assist. Kucherov (854 GP) can become the ninth-fastest player in NHL history to reach the milestone and can overtake Sidney Crosby (856 GP) as the second-fastest active player to hit the mark, behind only Connor McDavid (699 GP).

KOPITAR CONTINUES CHASE OF KINGS RECORD, PANARIN SET FOR LOS ANGELES DEBUT

Anze Kopitar will continue his pursuit of the Kings points record and Artemi Panarin will make his team debut when Los Angeles (23-19-14, 60 points) hosts the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights (27-16-14, 68 points). The Kings, who have made the playoffs each of the past four seasons, enter Wednesday looking to gain ground on the Ducks (30-23-3, 63 points), who are also in action, for the final Wild Card spot.

* Kopitar (446-854—1,300 in 1,495 GP) is eight points shy of passing Marcel Dionne (550-757—1,307 in 921 GP) for the most in Kings history – a mark Dionne has held for more than 45 years – and can become the 10th active player to lead a franchise in points. Kopitar, who averages over a point per game against Vegas (1.13 P/GP), also enters the contest one multi-point game away from passing Luc Robitaille (321 GP) for the second most in franchise history behind Dionne (392 GP).

* Panarin is set to make his Los Angeles debut after being traded to the Kings by the Rangers on Feb. 4. Panarin, who has found the score sheet in each of his previous three franchise debuts (1-0—1 on Oct. 7, 2015 w/ CHI, 0-3—3 on Oct. 6, 2017 w/ CBJ & 1-1—2 on Oct. 3, 2019 w/ NYR), needs three points to record his 10th career 60-point season (19-38—57 in 52 GP), which would be tied for the seventh most by an undrafted player (since the draft was first introduced in 1964).

* Panarin is one of several players that have been traded ahead of the 2025-26 NHL Trade Deadline on March 6 (3 p.m. ET).

#NHLStats Pack: 2025-26 NHL Trade Deadline

AROUND THE RINKS: STORYLINES TO FOLLOW TONIGHT

An eight-game Wednesday will feature 16 teams returning to regular-season action. Visit today’s #NHLStats: Live Updates for notes on every team. Some highlights include:

* Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals (29-23-7, 65 points) will welcome the Flyers (25-20-11, 61 points), having won each of their past three home games versus Philadelphia and while sitting four points back of both third in the Metropolitan Division and the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals captain enters Wednesday one goal away from passing Gordie Howe (449) for the second most home goals in NHL history, behind only Wayne Gretzky (492).

* Cutter Gauthier and the Ducks play host to the Oilers in a Pacific Division showdown. Gauthier is currently leading Anaheim with 25-24—49 (55 GP) and is one shy of his first 50-point season. The Ducks (30-23-3, 63 points) currently hold the second Wild Card position in the Western Conference. This marks the latest point in a season that the club has occupied a playoff spot since 2017-18, when they finished the campaign second in the Pacific Division.

* An all-Canadian match-up between the Jets and Canucks will feature each of their respective scoring leaders on the cusp of milestones; Mark Scheifele (27-41—68) can record his third consecutive 70-point season and become the third Jets/Thrashers player to accomplish the feat, behind Ilya Kovalchuk (5 from 2003-04 to 2008-09) and Blake Wheeler (4 from 2015-16 to 2018-19). Vancouver forward Elias Pettersson (198-293—491 in 520 GP) is two away from 200 career goals and can become the fourth-fastest Canucks skater to reach the mark.

* Rasmus Dahlin and the Sabres return to action having won 21 of their past 28 games dating to Dec. 9 when it started a franchise record-tying 10-game winning streak – tied with the Lightning for the most wins and points in the NHL over that span. Dahlin will carry a seven-game point streak into the contest – he can match the longest of his career (8 GP in 2023-24) and become the second defenseman in Sabres history to record multiple point streaks of that length, joining Phil Housley (6x; longest 14 GP in 1989-90).