The Carolina Hurricanes announced that they have reassigned defenseman Joel Nystrom to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL Friday morning, meaning that Jaccob Slavin should be returning to the lineup very, very soon.

The 31-year-old defenseman has been recovering from an upper-body injury he suffered after getting boarded from behind by Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer on Dec. 19.

It was a tough blow for Slavin, who was just three games into his return from a lower-body injury that had sidelined him for 28 games previously, but perhaps the new injury gave him even more time for that injury to heal as it was one that had pestered him from the preseason and the team had been extra cautious on.

Slavin, who has been practicing with the team for a little over a week now and recently also shed the non-contact jersey, has been a much missed piece on the Hurricanes' blueline.

The team has done an admirable job stepping up in his and the plethora of other absences they've had to deal with this year, but there's simply no replacing the best defensive defenseman in the game.

With the reassignment, Slavin will be able to be activated off of IR, as the Canes needed to free up a roster spot, and barring no immediate setbacks, he should play Saturday night against the Seattle Kraken as Carolina looks for a fourth straight win.

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Nystrom, 23, has been a real gem of a find for Carolina this season.

The sheer amount of injuries the Canes dealt with to start the year meant he got the chance to showcase himself and what an impression he made.

The Swedish blueliner parlayed his opportunity into an extended stretch of games — he now has 33 under his belt, with eight points in that span — and he proved that he can be an everyday NHL defenseman.

That's why the team signed the 2021 seventh-round pick to a four-year extension earlier in the year and if it wasn't for the fact that he can be reassigned to the AHL without the need for waivers, he'd probably still be with the team as the seventh defenseman.

But it'll also be better for him in the long run to get regular playing time down with Chicago Wolves rather than sitting up in the press box with Carolina.

He's gonna be a good player for years to come and his development also gives the Canes a little more flexibility when it comes to potential trade packages as well.

A Perfect Storm: Hurricanes Rookie Defenseman Joel Nystrom Making Most Of OpportunityA rare seventh-round pick defies the odds, showcasing an already high-level hockey sense. Discover how Joel Nystrom's rapid development landed him a a spot in the Hurricanes lineup.

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The Winnipeg Jets are increasingly expected to be sellers at the upcoming NHL trade deadline, with several of their defensemen believed to be available to teams looking to bolster a thin backend. One name that continues to surface in league circles is veteran defenseman Luke Schenn, and a familiar suitor appears to be showing interest.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are once again being linked to Schenn, the former fifth overall pick they selected in the 2008 NHL Draft. Toronto’s interest comes at a critical time, as the club was dealt a devastating blow to its playoff hopes when key defenseman Chris Tanev suffered another injury. Multiple reports have suggested the injury could be season ending, forcing the Maple Leafs to reassess their blue line depth ahead of the postseason.

While Toronto has reportedly prioritized adding a puck moving defenseman, an alternative approach could involve bringing in a veteran presence for minimal cost. In that scenario, Schenn fits the profile as a low risk option who could serve as an emergency defender while also providing leadership in the locker room as the Leafs continue to explore other upgrades.

TSN insider Darren Dreger recently reignited the speculation, suggesting a reunion would not be difficult to complete from an asset standpoint. Dreger said he is “pretty sure if the Maple Leafs wanted to reunite Luke Schenn, they’d get him for a lower end draft pick.” However, Dreger also noted that Schenn has made it known that if he is moved, he would prefer a more consistent role rather than continuing as a depth defenseman, which has largely been his situation in Winnipeg this season.

The script writers cooked with this one 🧑‍🍳

Career game 1,100 ✅
First goal as a Jet ✅ pic.twitter.com/KJg4pIzMXe

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 7, 2026

That desire may be tied to a possible strained relationship between Schenn and the Jets in recent weeks. Former NHL player Ryan Whitney discussed the situation on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, pointing to Schenn being a healthy scratch while approaching his 1,100th career NHL game. Whitney referenced earlier criticism from former NHLer Mike Commodore, who publicly blasted the Jets’ decision to hire Scott Arniel as full time head coach and described him as difficult to work with when given more authority.

Whitney suggested there could be a divide, particularly stemming from Arniel’s decision to sit Schenn just before the milestone. Although Schenn was later dressed to officially reach the mark, Whitney said the initial healthy scratch likely sent a message throughout the locker room and may help explain why trade rumors surrounding the veteran defenseman have picked up once again.

Whether Schenn is ultimately moved remains to be seen, but even for a late round draft pick, the Jets could view it as a sensible move. Schenn is a 36-year-old veteran in the final year of his contract, and flipping him for an asset would align with a seller’s approach at the deadline. For Toronto, a trade would also carry some sentimental value, creating a full circle moment by bringing Schenn back to where his NHL career began.

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With Kaiden Guhle nearing a return, the Montreal Canadiens have reassigned Adam Engstrom to the Laval Rocket in the NHL, but that won’t be the only consequence of his return. For two of the Habs defensemen, it means that they’ll be back to fighting it out for their spot in the lineup. Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble played most of the team’s games since Guhle was injured; one of them made way for Engstrom for nine games (the youngster played 11 games, but in three of those, it was Mike Matheson who wasn’t in the lineup because of an injury).

With Guhle’s imminent return, the bottom-pairing blueliners are back in the hot seat, and Xhekaj clearly doesn’t intend to be the healthy scratch. At times this season, he has looked unsure of how he should play, worried about going over the line and taking costly penalties, but in the last few games, that hasn’t been the case.

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In each of the last two games, the rugged defenseman has landed six hits and has avoided taking bad penalties. He did get a misconduct with less than two minutes left in the duel with the Florida Panthers, but by that time, the win was in the bank, and Donovan Sebrango was looking for someone to pass his frustration on. On Wednesday, in the game against the Calgary Flames, he was assessed a two-minute minor for high-sticking, but it wasn’t a penalty that came from a bad decision; it was purely accidental.

He’s also looked very good in the last two fights he had, against Scott Sabourin, whom he knocked out with one well-placed punch and Nikita Zadorov, who’s a tough customer. In other words, he’s back to being the best at what the Canadiens need him to excel in. Not that he’s only there to fight, but when he’s on his game, his presence has a strong dissuasive element, and it helps keep the opposition in check. One well-placed bone-crushing hit can send a powerful message, and we’ve seen it time and time again.

Arber Xhekaj and Scott Sabourin exchange jabs 👊 pic.twitter.com/OWzvXRrFRp

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 28, 2025

When Guhle returns, and that could very well be on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings, Xhekaj has earned the right to be there.

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Former Columbus Blue Jackets forward and current Montreal Canadien Alex Texier, had himself a night last night in a 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers. 

Going up against another former Blue Jacket in Sergei Bobrovsky, Texier and his Canadiens beat the Panthers for their third straight win. A win that moved them into first place in the Atlantic Division.

Now for the cool part.

Texier was able to net his first career hat trick in his 262nd NHL game, scoring his third goal with just 50 seconds left in the game to power the Canadiens past the visiting Panthers. 

Not only was this Texier's first hat trick, but it was his second three-point NHL game is as many games. Just one night prior, he scored a goal and had two assists to record his first three-point game in the NHL. During his time with Columbus, he had a couple two-goal games, and two-point nights, but never got the elusive hattie. 

Texier, Pierre-Édouard Bellemare, and Antoine Roussel are the only French nationals to reach 100 career NHL points in league history.  

Texier was traded to the St. Louis Blues from the CBJ on June 28, 2024. On November 23, 2025, he would sign with the Canadiens after the St. Louis blues terminated his contract a day earlier. He only played in 39 games for the Blues in two seasons. 

Through 22 games this season, he has 7 goals and 14 points, which puts him on pace to hit right around 38 points on the season, and that would beat his career high of 30, which was back in the 23-24 season while playing for Columbus.

Check out Texier's hat trick goal below. 

SORTEZ TUQUES, CASQUETTES, CHAPEAUX

ALEXANDRE TEXIER, HAT TRICK#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/JiPNnlWOQm

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 9, 2026

T3XI3R#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/rL4oA8qBAs

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 9, 2026

Montreal Head Coach Martin St. Louis had this to say about Alex Texier, "It's still a small sample, but we’re happy with that sample. A player that’s still young, he’s talented, he had to overcome his own obstacles, just like Montembeault. It doesn’t matter where you are and how you got there; what matters is how you keep moving forward. There’s mental strength that comes with that, but also intentions. Your actions have to match your thoughts. […] Confidence doesn’t start when the puck drops; it’s way before that. It’s reps in practices, how you prepare. When you do that, you give yourself a chance to be successful."

Congrats to former Blue Jacket Alex Texier.

Up Next: Columbus travels to Colorado to take on the league's best in the Avalanche. 

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On November 16, when the Montreal Canadiens announced that Kirby Dach had suffered a fractured foot, the timeline for his return was set at four to six weeks. It’s now been seven and a half weeks, and the forward still hasn’t returned. Even worse, on Wednesday night, he was spotted wearing a walking boot at the Bell Centre.

In his mid-year review, GM Kent Hughes said, “Wasn’t it six to eight weeks?” when he was asked about his 2022 draft day trade acquisition’s timetable to return to action. That was followed by an admission that the Canadiens intend to be very careful with the soon-to-be 25-year-old, not only because he’s often injured, but because the current injury is on the same leg on which he suffered a significant knee injury in the past.

Report: Canadiens Interested In Flames Top Target
Canadiens Defenseman Sent Down To Laval Rocket
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But then, on Thursday morning, when there was no practice or morning skate scheduled, Kirby Dach was on the ice like fellow injured players Kaiden Guhle, Jake Evans and Patrik Laine. The number 77 was only on the ice for 20 minutes, under the watchful eye of director of hockey development Adam Nicholas. The way he was skating doesn’t suggest an imminent return, and as sad as it is for the player, he may be running out of time with the Canadiens.

When Hughes traded for him, he signed a four-year bridge deal intended to give Dach time to show what he could do. It should have been more than enough, but nearly four years later, Dach has played only 132 of 289 possible games. That’s only 46% of the Habs’ games over that span.

Worst still, especially for a player who was meant to be a center, his winning percentage at the faceoff dot has stood at 38.3%, 37.5%, 40.3%, and 43% (but that was on just 15 games), for an average of 39.8%. In a league where puck possession is so important, it would be madness to press on with Dach pencilled in as the second line center. Oliver Kapanen, who has been centring the second line for most of the season, has a 46.4% success rate and has only 61 games of NHL experience.

Aside from the faceoff percentage, Dach also cannot manage to stay healthy. Building a Stanley Cup-contending team means finding the right pieces at the right price, and you need those pieces to be available. That was my primary concern when Hughes gave Kaiden Guhle a six-year deal, and since that deal was signed in July 2024, Guhle has played 55 games in the first season and only five this season.

That has meant the Canadiens have had to make do with two sixth defenseman in their lineup for most of the time, with Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble, no disrespect to either of them. Still, ideally, you only want one of the two in the lineup, and it’s putting the Canadiens in quite a pickle. They do not need the same kind of pressure to have a plan B ready at all times, especially not down the middle.

Hughes said at his latest press conference that he believes Kapanen can be a good second-line centre in the NHL. While his performance has been impressive so far, it might be a bit early to draw that conclusion, even though it made sense for Hughes to voice it. There’s also Michael Hage, who’s likely to make the jump to the pros at the end of this season, but he remains a project despite his fantastic form at the World Junior Championship.

Success at that level doesn’t necessarily mean excellence in the NHL. Just look at Ryan Poehling. He was the tournament’s MVP in 2019, and he’s now a depth forward for the Anaheim Ducks, mainly playing as their fourth center, sometimes third when they are dealing with injuries.

The truth is, nobody knows, maybe not even Kent Hughes himself, what he’ll do with Dach when he becomes an RFA this summer. He might give him a qualifying offer, but he can’t bet much on the Albertan becoming what the GM originally hoped he would be; the Habs need a better and safer option, as sad as it is for Dach.

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PHILADELPHIA --- How many times have fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs seen it before? A player who had previously dressed for the Blue and White would stroll in for their first game back to Scotiabank Arena only to pick up a tally and exact the 'revenge' goal fans know so well. This time, a 'revenge' goal happened and the Maple Leafs benefitted in a major way.

In his first game back at Xfinity Mobile Arena, Scott Laughton helped his Maple Leafs kill off a 5-on-3 power play and scored the shorthanded equalizer in the third period, helping his team go on to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in overtime. The Maple Leafs visited the Flyers earlier this season. Although Laughton made the trip, he hadn't fully recovered from an injury that had kept him out for the beginning of the season.

So, this second meeting had a lot of build-up leading up to it. The gameday included captain Auston Matthews nudging him into center ice at he end of the morning skate to lead the stretches, followed by making the former Flyer do a lap around the ice as teammates stick-tapped.

During the player introductions at gametime, Flyers fans typically yelled "sucks" after each starting roster player from the opposing team was named. Instead, they applauded the 12-year Flyer. During the first television timeout, they played a video package that certainly had a profound effect on the fan-favorite player.

"A lot of emotions run through that," Laughton said after the game. "I don't know if I was expecting them standing on the blue line, getting a start was a nice touch, and then it kind of all floods back to you about most of the memories here, and all the people that helped you."

A pillar in our community. A leader on the ice. A Flyer through and through.

Great to have you back in Philly, @Laughts21! 🧡 pic.twitter.com/zAgRxYPDkf

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 9, 2026

Laughton certainly had an advantage in knowing his former teammates at the face-off circle, winning 19 of 20 draws, but it's the effect he's had on the team's room that has been a part of allowing them to put together a string of points in eight consecutive games (6-0-2).

"Ever since I came here, he's been nothing but great to me and this team," Maple Leafs rookie Easton Cowan said after scoring the game-winning goal. "So, super great player and just an even better guy. And he's helped me out a lot."

EASTON COWAN IS THE OVERTIME HERO FOR TORONTO! 🚨

ABSOLUTE CHAOS 🫨 pic.twitter.com/8wPXB1ZPYm

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 9, 2026

A 1-0 deficit late in the third period while battling against a 5-on-3 would have been a recipe to write off the Maple Leafs. But given how they have been playing, they seem to be riding the momentum of playing their best hockey this season. And they are doing it without William Nylander, who missed his sixth consecutive game due to a lower-body injury.

The Leafs ended the night just one point back of a playoff spot. Are they back? Maybe, but a revenge goal going in their favour for a change is certainly a vibe they can chase.

Matthews nudges Laughton to lead the stretches. pic.twitter.com/3YSHo6bwKK

— David Alter (@davidalter) January 8, 2026

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History was made on Thursday evening at Little Caesars Arena, adding another highlight moment to the centennial season of the Detroit Red Wings.

Future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane, regarded as the greatest U.S.-born player in League history, scored the 499th and 500th goals of his career as part of a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

Kane became the 50th player in NHL history to achieve the feat, as well as the fifth U.S.-born player to do so. 

The overwhelming bulk of Kane's career highlights came during his time with the rival Chicago Blackhawks, one of the most storied and historic rivalries in professional sports. But Kane is wearing the Winged Wheel now, and has become a fan favorite in Detroit, something he isn't taking for granted. 

"It's incredible, the way they've welcomed me with open arms is something I'll never forget," he said of the love he's gotten from Red Wings fans. "I guess you never really know how it's gonna be, coming from Chicago, obviously, a storied rivalry between the Red Wings and Blackhawks. The welcome from the fans, the organization, and team, everyone in the organization has been incredible." 

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Kane's longtime teammate and friend, Alex DeBrinca,t was thrilled to witness the milestone and for the fans in Detroit to have a chance to witness it live. 

“[The crowd] was great, and obviously it’s a special moment in history, everyone here to witness that, it’s special to be a part of," DeBrincat said. "We couldn’t be happier for him and his family. It’s definitely a fun thing to be a part of, and something, I think, everyone in this room will remember.”

Kane’s teammates all wore special T-shirts commemorating the occasion in the dressing room afterward, which was also visited by general manager Steve Yzerman and Chris and Marian Ilitch to take part in the celebration.

Patrick Kane is a 500-goal scorer ❤️ pic.twitter.com/dY6scLZAQJ

— NHL (@NHL) January 9, 2026

"I couldn't be happier to be a Red Wing and do it in this uniform." 🥹 pic.twitter.com/k9cEP2OV6o

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 9, 2026

"Honestly, coming into the locker room and seeing the guys with the shirts on and just going around and kind of thanking everyone and then listening to Lark's speech," Kane said of Larkin's remarks in the room. "Larks is such a classy person and kind of what he said had me feeling all the emotions. It was just kind of great to hear that and something I'll never forget." 

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Boone Jenner(7), Kent Johnson(4), and Kirill Marchenko(16) scored the goals for the Blue Jackets, and Jet Greaves made 21 saves in a 5-3 CBJ loss to Vegas. It's the Jackets third straight loss. 

The Jackets started hot, but once Vegas got going, they absolutely took it to the Blue Jackets at T-Mobile Arena. It was actually looking very positive for the first 10 minutes of the first, but after that, it was all VGK. 

The Golden Knights heavy guns showed up big time too. Mark Stone, Mitch Marner, and Jack Eichel all had multi-point nights, as did Tomas Hertl. 

First Period - SOG 8-7 CBJ - Blue Jackets Goals - Jenner, Johnson

The first eight minutes of the game was a lot of back-and-forth between the two teams, with no penalties, few shots, and hardly any scoring chances. 

Boone Jenner decided to change that when the Blue Jackets took advantage of an injured Carter Hart. With Hart struggling to get to his feet after sustaining the injury, Zach Werenski let loose a shot that was tipped by Jenner to give the CBJ a 1-0 lead.

Carter would leave the ice and be replace by Akira Schmid with 11:36 to play. Vegas fans were not happy about the play being able to continue, but they never were able to get possession of the puck to stop the play. 

At the 10:41 mark, Kent Johnson scored on the rush to make it 2-0 Columbus. Sean Monahan gave him a beautiful pass for his 4th goal. 

In typical Vegas fashion, they would score under two minutes later to cut the lead in half. At 12:20 of the period, Reilly Smith scored his 7th goal to make it 2-1. He let a bomb loose from the point to beat Jet Greaves. 

Second Period - SOG 8-5 VGK - No CBJ Goals

5:19 into the second period, Vegas scored to make it 2-2 while they had a delayed penalty. Reilly Smith scored his second goal of the game assisted by who else but Mark Stone and Mitch Marner. 

Another multi-goal lead blown by the Blue Jackets.

At 13:06, the Blue Jackets completed their daily collapse by allowing Jack Eichel to score his 13th goal of the season. The secret must have gotten out about Jet Greaves, as all three goals he's given up to that point were high on the young goalie. 

Mathieu Olivier took a penalty for hooking Braeden Bowman with under two minutes to play. Mark Stone wasted no time putting the VGK up 4-2, scoring in his 6th straight game. There was only 1:17 left in the second period, but it felt like that was the nail in the Jackets coffin with an entire period to play. 

Third Period

Brendan Gaunce would give the Golden Knights another power play when he flipped the puck over the glass for a souvenir. Luckily, the Blue Jackets were able to kill the penalty off, but not before Jet Greaves had to make 5 saves to keep the score 4-2. 

With 12 minutes to go in the third period, Vegas was outshooting the CBJ 8-1. The Knights are completely steamrolling the Columbus at this point. 

Kirill Marchenko scored his 16th goal of the season with 5:32 left in the game to bring the Jackets to within a single goal. Marchenko was able to sneak in behind the defense and bury one past Schmid. 

With 3:46 to go though, Brett Howden beat Greaves to get the two-goal lead right back, essentially ending the game. 

Final Stats

Player Stats

• Boone Jenner scored his 7th goal and picked up his 14th assist.
• Kent Johnson scored his 4th goal.
• Kirill Marchenko scored his 16th goal.
• Zach Werenski recorded his 30th assist on the season.
• Sean Monahan had two assists. He won 10/11 faceoffs he took.
• Ivan Provorov recorded an assist, his 12th.
• Adam Fantilli picked up his 15th assist. He also won 10/17 faceoffs.

Team Stats

• The Jackets power play went 0/1.
• The Columbus PK stopped 1 of 2 Vegas power plays.
• Columbus won 63.2% of the faceoffs - 36/57
• The Blue Jackets had 28 hits.

Up Next: Columbus travels to Colorado to take on the league's best in the Avalanche. 

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Move over "Come On Eileen," there's a new Toronto Maple Leafs win song in town... For now.

Moments after Easton Cowan iced the game against the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime on Thursday, the song "Hide Away" by Daya was blasting in the Maple Leafs' dressing room. Before Cowan walked out to speak with reporters, you could hear a raucous in the room, with the players' laughter overpowering the speaker playing the music.

What was going on?

"A little dance," Cowan smiled. "I'm not going to say the meaning, it's a little too embarrassing, so we'll move on."

The dance, which had plenty of Maple Leafs cheering on Cowan, is from an old TikTok that was posted while in the OHL with the London Knights. The video shows the song, "Hide Away," playing with Cowan and then-Knights teammates Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk each dancing to it.

This just had to happen after Cowan won a tight game for the Maple Leafs in overtime.

This is the song being currently played in the Leafs locker room after tonight’s win 😂 pic.twitter.com/mYxsnSbW3H

— Anna Dua (@AnnaNoelleDua) January 9, 2026

A couple of interesting tidbits: Barkey and Cowan, who were teammates for several years with the Knights, were facing off against each other for the first time in the NHL. Safe to say Cowan got the first laugh.

Also, Scott Laughton, who was returning to Philadelphia for the first time since being traded last spring (he was injured the first time Toronto rolled into town), scored the game-tying goal, which forced overtime.

He was also part of the reason Cowan danced in the dressing room after the win. In a post-game interview with TSN's Claire Hanna, you can see several Maple Leafs sticking their head out of the dressing room, waiting for Cowan.

BarDown on Instagram: "Morgan Rielly and some of the Leafs video-bombed Easton Cowan’s post-game presser after their OT win in Philadelphia 😂"2,702 likes, 19 comments - bardown on January 8, 2026: "Morgan Rielly and some of the Leafs video-bombed Easton Cowan’s post-game presser after their OT win in Philadelphia 😂".

"I might've (hauled him back into the locker room)," Laughton grinned. "I think it's the first mid-interview that he stopped and came into the room for a quick (dance)."

And, of course, several of his teammates commented on his dance moves.

"He really knows what he's doing," chuckled Dennis Hildeby, who stopped 22 of 23 shots for his fourth win of the season.

"He's got great rhythm," added Laughton.

The number one sentiment that was shared about Cowan: how great a teammate he has been since arriving at training camp in mid-September.

"He's been awesome. I think having that young energy around is fantastic," Brandon Carlo said after the win on Thursday night.

"He was in here dancing after the game, so we all love to see that. But you want guys like that to continue to build their confidence and make those plays. He's a very special player; it's fun to compete against him in practice. He's very smooth, great with the puck, and that was great to see; it put a smile on all our faces seeing him score that last one."

lol Cowan is gassed pic.twitter.com/bpDmXTszNp

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 9, 2026

The overtime-winner against the Flyers was Cowan's sixth goal (and 13th point) through 32 games this season. It was the first game-winning goal of his NHL career.

"I thought he was having a really good game," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said. "I wanted to use him in OT. I thought he was on top of things all night, making strong plays, skating well.

"He was going to be in the picture in 3-on-3, and he ended up getting it done."

For a second night in a row, there was some hockey at the Bell Centre as the Montreal Canadiens hosted a depleted Florida Panthers side. Without Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand and Seth Jones, the Cats had quite a challenge ahead of them, even though they were the rested side.

As for the Canadiens, they didn’t look tired at all in this second game in as many nights, although they certainly didn't play their best game either. Samuel Montembeault was back in the net, against the team that had drafted him and then waived him a few years later. Given that the Canadiens were after a seventh consecutive win over Florida, it was a smart move to start him and let him face the Bell Centre crowd in those circumstances.

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There’s Something About Kapi

There’s been a lot of talk about Juraj Slafkovski and Ivan Demidov so far this season. Still, their centerman, Oliver Kapanen, has largely gone unnoticed despite having a cracker of a rookie season. In Thursday’s game, his prowess at the faceoff dot led directly to the first goal of the game, as he managed to get the puck to Mike Matheson after the draw, who then fed it to Noah Dobson, who wired it in.

Then, later in the first frame, he went to the net while Slafkovsky was hard at work below the blue line, and when Sergei Bobrovsky poked the power forward’s pass in the air, he showed tremendous hand-eye coordination to bat it in. That was his 15th goal of the season, giving him the lead in that category amongst rookies. The two points also allowed him to tie Ryan Leonard in fourth place in the rookie scoring race. And by the end of the night, he had a third with an assist on Slafkovsky’s empty netter to take sole possession of fourth place.

As great as he’s been offensively, though, it’s how mature the defensive side of his game is that impresses me the most. He’s very responsible on the ice, reads the play well and makes sound decisions. He’s also got a 46% success rate in the faceoff department, and while that’s not exactly great, it’s not atrocious for a rookie center either.

Unconditional Support

After playing a dominating first frame against the depleted Panthers, the Canadiens struggled a bit in the second frame. They had issues linking up in the offensive zone, and they looked a bit all over the place in their own zone as well, especially after Montembeault gave Samuel Bennet a goal with a no-look back pass as he was out of his net, but the fans' support didn’t waver.

The Habs had their first shot of the period after nearly 14 minutes of play. Still, they were opportunistic, and Alexandre Texier, scoring for a second game in a row, deflected it past Bobrovsky. It gave the Canadiens their two-goal lead back, and that’s all the fans needed to get the wave going during the TV timeout, despite the lacklustre period the Habs were playing.

People often say that there is too much pressure in the Montreal market, but this crowd seems to be head over heels in love with this young team. It shows in moments like these. Nobody booed when Montembeault gifted Bennett a goal, and seconds later, when he made a save that wasn’t all that challenging, a Monty chant broke out in the crowd.

Speaking to the media after the game, the goaltender said the crowd's support helped him move past the blunder he made by giving Bennett the puck. It’s easy to understand why: those are the moments when you need the most support, and getting it is enormous for an athlete.

What A Coup

For the second game in a row, Texier was named the first star, and with good reason, as he put up three points in both games. This time, though, he scored a hat trick, the first of his career. Only three other players have managed to score three points or more on back-to-back nights with the Canadiens: Tyler Toffoli (2021), Pierre Turgeon (1996) and Martin Rucinsky (1996).

Asked about his new player, Martin St-Louis said:

It's still a small sample, but we’re happy with that sample. A player that’s still young, he’s talented, he had to overcome his own obstacles, just like Montembeault. It doesn’t matter where you are and how you got there; what matters is how you keep moving forward. There’s mental strength that comes with that, but also intentions. Your actions have to match your thoughts. […] Confidence doesn’t start when the puck drops; it’s way before that. It’s reps in practices, how you prepare. When you do that, you give yourself a chance to be successful.

- The coach on Texier

Even though St-Louis knew quite a bit about Texier before the Canadiens acquired him, since he had watched him play for the Columbus Blue Jackets, the coach didn’t take credit for the acquisition. He explained that he has complete confidence in the work Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are doing, that they work well together, and that he has just tried not to get in the way.

The win allowed the Canadiens to reclaim the first place in the Atlantic Division, a spot they hadn't been in for quite some time. After a day off on Friday, the Habs will host the Detroit Red Wings at the Bell Centre on Saturday night, a crucial game since the Wings are just behind the Habs in the division. 

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In the midst of a second period in which the Colorado Avalanche put up a six-spot against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, TSN’s Darren Dreger announced that the Senators have inked 37-year-old veteran goaltender James Reimer to a professional tryout.

The @Senators have signed veteran goalie James Reimer to an AHL PTO. Expect Reimer to report to Ottawa in a few days with an NHL contract. Ultimately, the hope is Reimer will provide good backup to Linus Ullmark when he returns from Personal
Leave.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) January 9, 2026

Reimer played in the NHL last season with Buffalo and Anaheim, where he appeared in 24 games with 21 starts. The goaltender compiled a 10-10-2 record with a 2.92 goals against average and an .896 save percentage.

In his 15-year career, Reimer has a 225-187-65 record with a 2.89 goals against average and a .910 save percentage. Although he has not appeared in a game this season, he recently represented Canada at the Spengler Cup, where he played in two games.

Goaltending has plagued the Senators all season.

Heading into Thursday night’s game against the Avalanche, the Senators had the third-lowest five-on-five save percentage in the NHL (88.96) per Natural Stat Trick. While shorthanded, their save percentage was an NHL-worst 80.79 percent. That mark, compared with all the data collected since the start of the 2007-08 season, ranks third-lowest in the modern statistical era.

Should the Senators miss the postseason, the blame will certainly fall on the goaltenders. They have not been good enough.

Linus Ullmark has taken a leave of absence from the Senators for undisclosed reasons, missing the last six games. When he has played, the Senators’ no. 1 goaltender has not been strong enough. Only the St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Binnington has a lower goals saved above expected mark than Ullmark (-9.14 GSAx).

After allowing three goals in his Colorado start, Leevi Merilainen’s GSAx mark will likely sink past Ullmark’s, giving the Senators two of the worst statistical goaltenders in the league this season.They simply have not been good enough, and the numbers bear it out.

• Ullmark: 28 appearances, 14-8-5, 2.95 GAA, .881 SV%, 1 SO
• Merilainen: 15 appearances, 6-8-0, 3.47 GAA, .868 SV%

It has been ugly, and now it has been compounded by the fact that there is no clarity on if or when Ullmark may return to play for the Senators.

Without knowing the details of why Ullmark left the team, it is impossible to gauge the long-term implications of the Reimer addition.

Does it mean that Ullmark’s absence will be a long one?

*shrugs*

At least in the interim, his addition will bring sorely needed veteran experience in Ullmark’s absence. The Senators simply could not keep trotting out Leevi Merilainen and Mads Sogaard.

If Ullmark returns, however, Reimer’s presence will also raise questions about the position and the depth slotting at the NHL and AHL levels. Would the Senators send Leevi to Belleville to get the lion’s share of the starts? If Leevi goes to Belleville, how does that impact the slotting of Mads Sogaard and Hunter Shepard? Would the Senators simply waive Reimer once Ullmark returns to the net?

There are so many questions that could be posed, but the only thing that matters is that the Senators could not continue to allow their porous goaltending to continue without making some effort to address it.

Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News Ottawa

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Read more Ottawa Senators news and features at The Hockey News:

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LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights overcame a two-goal deficit and defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 5-3, on Thursday in the first of two home games.

After losing starting goaltender Carter Hart and falling behind 2-0 by the midway point of the first period, the Golden Knights scored four unanswered goals, including two from Reilly Smith, en route to their second straight win.

Vegas has now won six of the last eight meetings.

Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Brett Howden also scored for the Knights, while Akira Schmid stopped 20 shots in relief of Hart.

Hart was injured when he twisted his left knee awkwardly, and the only shot he faced, by Boone Jenner, gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead. Kent Johnson gave Columbus a 2-0 lead a little more than two minutes later.

Smith scored the first of his two goals in the first period, and then tied the game 5:19 into the second period.

Eichel gave the Knights a 3-2 lead with his 13th goal of the season and 13th point in his last nine games.

Stone notched his 14th goal of the season - and sixth straight in as many games - with a power-play goal late in the second.

Kirill Marchenko's gave Columbus its final goal with 5:23 left in the game, while Howden's goal with 3:46 left provided the final margin.

Columbus goalie Jet Greaves stopped 21 of the 26 shots he faced.

KEY MOMENT

With the Golden Knights slowly grabbing momentum and the game tied at 2-all, Stone's backcheck in the neutral zone to grab the puck and get play moving in transition led to the game-changing moment. Stone fed Ivan Barbashev, who took the puck at the blue line and found Eichel alone at the top of the left circle, where he skated to the center dot and ripped home what was the go-ahead goal at the moment. Though it wasn't the game-winning goal, it provided the momentum needed at the perfect time.

"Our guys do bounce back," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "I thought they'd have the ability to do that, especially at home, and they did. So once we got our game going, I felt pretty good about our chances. You never want to start from behind. ... We're a better finishing team than starting, and that was the case again tonight."

KEY STAT

55% ... After scoring just three goals in his first 29 games, Smith has now scored five goals in his last nine games - a 55% clip.

"He's a leader in here," Howden said of Smith. "He was here since day one, had a little stint going away, but he's back here, and it's like he never left. He's one of our leaders. He's a voice in the room. ... Him tonight, having two big goals, it was great to see."

WHAT A KNIGHT

Other than the goal he let in right after entering the game, Schmid was once again stellar off the bench in relief of Hart. It marked the fourth time he's come into the game cold, and the third time he's earned the win. Schmid has allowed a total of two goals in the four times he's entered for either Adin Hill or Hart.

"Felt good about Akira going in, he's done the job before ... a couple of times this year, so we knew we're probably going to get good goaltending, and that's the way it worked out," Cassidy said. "Probably tells you a little bit about his demeanor. He's just handled it well.

"And I think our guys responded well, too, for the most part. I think the first shot was a bit of a misread on the rush. But after that, we got going and knew we were going to need to score some goals ... and we did. And we have been a little bit lately, so that's a good thing, that's starting to turn a little as well."

UP NEXT

The Golden Knights finish their quick two-game homestand by hosting the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights right wing Reilly Smith (19) congratulates goaltender Akira Schmid (40) after the Golden Knights defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 at T-Mobile Arena. 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Filip Forsberg scored the only goal in a shootout to lift the Nashville Predators over the New York Islanders 2-1 on Thursday night.

Ryan O’Reilly evened the score with a short-handed goal late in the second period and Juuse Saros made 30 saves for Nashville before denying all three Islanders attempts in the tiebreaker.

Simon Holmstrom scored midway through the second and David Rittich stopped 26 shots for New York.

In the shootout, Forsberg beat Rittich with a forehand-to-backhand move. Nashville is 3-0 in shootouts this season, all with Saros between the pipes.

Holmstrom scored with 7:46 remaining in the second. Scott Mayfield carried the puck behind the Nashville net and found an unchecked Holmstrom just off the right post, where he scored his second goal in two games.

Holmstrom has three goals and four assists in six career games against the Predators.

O’Reilly has scored two of Nashville’s three short-handed goals this season.

The Islanders have allowed five short-handed goals.

Saros stopped Matthew Schaefer on a breakaway with 20 seconds left in overtime to send the game to a shootout.

Up next

Islanders: Visit the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

Predators: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

Not only did the Detroit Red Wings remain hot by picking up their seventh victory in their last 10 games, but there was also some notable NHL history made on Thursday evening at Little Caesars Arena. 

Forward Patrick Kane scored the 499th and 500th goals of his illustrious career as part of a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, improving Detroit's record to 26-15-4 and keeping them near the top of the Atlantic Division standings. 

#REDWINGS WIN!!!! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/ouahj3Pw6G

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 9, 2026

Kane not only scored a power-play goal in the opening 20 minutes of play, but made no mistake with Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen lifted for an extra attacker late in regulation. 

Following the historic goal, which made Kane just the 50th player in NHL history to reach the milestone, the rest of his teammates poured off the bench to share in the celebration with him, while the fans gave him a rousing standing ovation. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.  

It was Kane who scored Detroit's first goal of the game while the Red Wings enjoyed a five-on-three power-play opportunity.

Rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka increased Detroit's lead to 2-0 early in the second period with a perfectly placed shot from the slot past the blocker of Lankinen after taking a feed from James van Riemsdyk.

While the Canucks got a bit of life thanks to a power-play goal from Jake DeBrusk, that momentum was quickly snuffed out after van Riemsdyk dished out another nifty assist, this time to J.T. Compher all alone in front of the net for what was his first goal in 19 games. 

Not long after Kane's historic 500th goal late in the third period, Lucas Raymond would score his second goal in as many games, increasing the lead to 5-1. 

John Gibson was solid in the victory for Detroit, making 23 saves. Lankinen countered with 20 saves.

The Red Wings will next head out on the road Saturday evening to face the Montreal Canadiens, which has now become a clash of two of the top teams in the Atlantic Division with 56 points each. 

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Patrick Kane has been a thorn in the Vancouver Canucks side for years. Now, he has made history against the franchise as he became the 50th player in NHL history to score 500 goals. Kane's historic goal came on Thursday night when the Detroit Red Wings winger scored into Vancouver's empty net at 16:07 of the third period. 

Over the year's Kane has caused the Canucks plenty of pain. In 51 regular-season games, he has scored 17 goals while recording 47 points. Overall in his career, Kane has recorded 1,369 points, which is tied for 28th all-time. 

As of writing, Kane ranks seventh among active players for points against Vancouver. The only players who have more are Jordan Eberle, Corey Perry, Anže Kopitar, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. Thursday could be Kane's last time playing the Canucks, as the 37-year-old is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. 

While Kane has been successful in the regular season, he is more known for what he has done against Vancouver in the playoffs. Kane's 22 career playoff points in 19 games against the Canucks are the third most by a player in franchise history. The only two ahead of Kane are Al MacInnis, who had 25 points in 28 games and Wayne Gretzky, who recorded 29 points in 15 games. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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