PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mika Zibanejad became the Rangers’ all-time leader in power-play goals and his three-goal performance tied the team record for most career hat tricks in New York’s 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Swede scored with a man advantage at 5:38 of the second period, giving him 117 power-play goals and moving him past Camille Henry and Chris Kreider, who each had 116 for New York.
Zibanejad’s first-period goal at 7:26 put the Rangers ahead to stay at 2-1 and he completed his scoring at 8:25 of the second, matching Bill Cook with nine career hat tricks with the Rangers.
Artemi Panarin added two goals and an assist, and Brennan Othmann also scored for the Rangers, who snapped a five-game skid. The Rangers, whose last victory came January 2 against Florida, had lost eight of their last nine games. J.T. Miller, Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck each had two assists. Spencer Martin made 25 saves and earned his first win of the season.
Rangers coach Mike Sullivan earned his 500th coaching win. Sullivan was a two-time Stanley Cup winner in his 10-year tenure with the Penguins. He parted ways with Pittsburgh after missing the playoffs for a third straight season and was hired by New York in May, after Peter Laviolette was fired.
Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and Trevor Zegras each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who lost their sixth straight game. Samuel Ersson made 22 stops.
Flyers center Rodrigo Abols left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return. Abols appeared to catch his right foot in an odd position while battling along the boards and struggled to put weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice
The Flyers were without Dan Vladar, Tyson Foerster (arm injury), Bobby Brink (upper-body injury) and Rasmus Ristolainen (upper-body injury for the game.
Up next
Rangers: At Anaheim on Monday for the second game of a four-game trip.
Flyers: At Vegas on Monday in the opener of a three-game trip.
Brennan Othmann #78 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal with Noah Laba #42 and Will Borgen #17 during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 17, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
PHILADELPHIA — The Rangers finally found their response.
Both clubs rode a season-high five-game losing streak into the contest, but the Rangers’ desperation — which had seemingly gone dormant — was evident from puck drop and fueled a much-needed victory.
“The last couple of days have been pretty emotional for the whole group, and to respond with an effort like they did tonight, for me, is just I think evidence that these guys are quality people and they care a lot about each other and about the Rangers,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the win, the 500th of his career.
Key skaters, including a few who are on the trade block, shouldered the weight of this one.
Mika Zibanejad recorded his second hat trick of the month, extending his point streak to eight straight games in a dominant performance.
Fresh from learning the Rangers would not give him a contract extension, Artemi Panarin registered two goals and one assist.
New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (44) battles for the puck against Philadelphia Flyers left wing Noah Cates (27) in the second period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Captain J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafrenière all posted two-assist efforts.
“It felt great,” the 23-year-old said. “It was a long time coming.”
It was a total outpouring from the Rangers amid a precarious time in the organization.
The Flyers may have struck first, but the rest of the first period belonged to the Rangers
After Travis Konecny opened the scoring, the Rangers netted the next three goals to go into the first intermission with a two-goal lead.
Brennan Othmann #78 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal with Noah Laba #42 and Will Borgen #17 during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 17, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Getty Images
The response was almost immediate, with Panarin capitalizing on an aggressive passing sequence with his linemates, Lafrenière and Trocheck.
Just 21 seconds later, Zibanejad scored the first of his three goals to give the Rangers their first lead of the day.
A tough season for the Rangers has been particularly challenging for Othmann, who competed in his ninth NHL game of the season on Saturday.
From getting cut from training camp early, hearing the Rangers are willing to move on from him and getting lit up by Washington’s Tom Wilson, the 23-year-old Othmann was overdue for a feel-good performance.
Scoring his first goal in the 34th game of his NHL career, Othmann made it a 3-1 game off a snipe on a 3-on-1 rush.
The Flyers were held to one goal on seven shots in the middle frame, in which the Rangers were able to build a 6-2 lead going into the second intermission.
Scoring a power-play goal, Zibanejad became the all-time leader for the franchise.
And after burying a give-and-go with Miller, Zibanejad now leads the NHL in goals (9) and points (16) since Jan. 2.
“He’s really committed to trying to play the game the right way, the way that we’re trying to play,” Sullivan said. “I think he has personified that most of the year. We’ve challenged him to use his size and his physicality, both offensively and defensively, and I think he’s really embraced that challenge. He’s played extremely well for us.”
The Calgary Flames made a series of roster moves Saturday, shuffling personnel between the NHL club and their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.
Forward Matvei Gridin was recalled from the Wranglers, while William Strömgren was reassigned back to the AHL. In addition, defenceman Zayne Parekh was sent to the Wranglers on a conditioning loan as he works his way back from injury.
Gridin earns another NHL opportunity following an impressive rookie campaign in the American Hockey League. The 19-year-old was recently named to the AHL All-Star Team and has been one of the Wranglers’ most consistent offensive contributors, posting 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 32 games, along with a plus-6 rating. Gridin also made an early impression at the NHL level, scoring in his Flames debut on opening night against the Edmonton Oilers. He has one goal in four games with the Flames this season.
Parekh, meanwhile, heads to the AHL after missing time due to an upper-body injury sustained following the World Junior Championship, where he helped Canada capture a bronze medal. The Flames had listed the blueliner as day-to-day after the tournament. His conditioning assignment can last up to 14 days.
Strömgren returns to the Wranglers after a brief stint with the Flames. The 22-year-old was recalled on January 5 and made his NHL debut two days later against the Montreal Canadiens. He appeared in three games with Calgary, finishing without a point and posting a minus-1 rating.
Well, Evason was fired by the Blue Jackets on Jan. 12 and replaced by Rick Bowness, and Chinakhov was asked Saturday in Pittsburgh if he was surprised to hear the news.
"I don't know," Chinakhov said. "I just saw the news, and I texted the guys and how they think about it. And, I mean, I'm not surprised."
Rumors about the strained relationship between Chinakhov and Evason came to a head on Jul. 17, when the trade request was officially initiated publicly by Chinakhov and his agent, Shumi Babaev. Babaev's agency shared Chinakhov's request on social media.
"I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season. Now I would be glad to have a trade. I would like to move to a different location. Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here," Chinakhov said via the agency's X post.
Yegor Chinakhov: I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season. Now I would be glad to have a trade. I would like to move to a different location. Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here @BlueJacketsNHLpic.twitter.com/DQ1qU2oHFb
Waddell also added at the time: “When he came back, he was not the Chinakhov we were hoping he was, and he got healthy scratched at the end. That’s what happens with guys. He couldn’t handle that.”
Since being dealt to Pittsburgh for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick, the Omsk, Russia native has tallied three goals and four points in eight games, largely seeing time on the Penguins' second line with veteran star forward Evgeni Malkin.
“I don’t think he gets enough credit for the way he works away from the puck," Muse said. "He’s done a really good job there in terms of the tracking, the getting back. He’s got some detail to his game. You watch, and he’s changing at the right time, he’s driving wide, he’s drawing a number of penalties.
"So, I think the scoring’s obvious with him, but there’s some things that I’ve learned about him since he’s been here that, maybe, I didn’t know as much but really like.”
Chinakhov has 40 goals and 81 points in 212 career NHL games. His best season came with Columbus in 2023-24, when he registered 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games.
Coming off a 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings on Friday, the Ducks are right back it on Saturday against the same opponent.
A strong game from Beckett Sennecke and a little bit of puck luck aided the Ducks as they erased a 2-0 deficit, with Sennecke and Mason McTavish scoring in the shootout to clinch a winning outcome.
“Second period, we had a great stretch there,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “(Sennecke) had a great game. (Goaltender Lukáš Dostál) was outstanding. We turned some pucks over and got some pucks to the net. I thought we checked well. We played hard, knowing that this team has a way of preventing you from even getting close to the net. Scored some greasy and some ugly goals, but we did have some good looks that didn't go in as well. It was a hard fought game. All teams know what was on stake or was on the line and we get to go right back at it again tomorrow.”
Jan 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) scores a goal against Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) in a shootout at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Tim Washe was one of Anaheim’s goalscorers, collecting his first career NHL goal in the process. His goal tied the game at two apiece.
“We worked on making simple plays, grinding them down low, and then good things happened,” Washe said. “We got our bounces late in the second there, and we were able to put them in.”
Washe’s first NHL goal comes just one day after he was named an AHL All-Star. He had 25 points in 30 games with the San Diego Gulls this season prior to being called up to the Ducks on Jan. 7.
“Amazing feeling, right? That's what you dream of right there,” Washe said. “Credit to Ross (Johnston, who grabbed the puck) and everyone there that made it so special.”
“Pretty hard to believe. Special week and look forward to talking to my family a little bit tonight.”
Jan 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Tim Washe (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring the first NHL goal during the second period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Anaheim has rolled together two consecutive wins without the likes of Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry, two of their top offensive players. Carlsson will be out of game action for approximately 3-5 weeks as he recovers from a procedure to treat a Morel-Lavallée lesion in his left thigh. Terry has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve on Friday, retroactive to Jan. 6.
“You could look up and down the lineup. Guys are excited for an opportunity. I know I am,” Ryan Strome, who scored Anaheim’s first goal, said. “I'm excited to play a little bit more and get a chance with some of our top players and I know some of our guys from San Diego are really excited to be up and contributing, so it's good. Everyone’s eager for more opportunity and everyone's hungry and everyone's kind of digging in.
“The thing I think I'm most proud of the boys is it’s been team-first. I think no matter who scores or who gets it done, everyone's happy for everyone. I think we've learned a lot about ourselves in this tough stretch we went through. I think we're realizing what it takes to win and it's not easy and that's a great sign for a young team to kind of figure it out. These intangibles and these little things matter, and they're adding up. I'm really proud of the boys last two games.”
Jan 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (23) scores the game winning goal on Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) in a shootout at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Chris Kreider missed Friday’s game with an illness and will likely be a game-time decision for Saturday’s game. If he can’t go, the Ducks will likely roll out the same 11-7 formation from Friday, with defenseman Ian Moore acting as a forward.
Tim Washe speaks to the media after their 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings.
Ducks Projected Lines
Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Ryan Strome Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke Jansen Harkins - Ryan Poehling - Sam Colangelo Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Ian Moore
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas Pavel Mintyukov - Drew Helleson
Ville Husso (projected)
Kings Projected Lines
Jeff Malott - Alex Laferriere - Adrian Kempe Warren Foegele - Quinton Byfield - Joel Armia Kevin Fiala - Alex Turcotte - Andrei Kuzmenko Andre Lee - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward
Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci
The Colorado Avalanche weren't going to stay undefeated at home in regulation for the entire season. Still, many didn't think that the Nashville Predators would be the ones to end that streak.
Friday, the Predators found the back of the net seven times as it ended the Avalanche's home point streak and undefeated regulation streak in a 7-2 victory.
The Predators, being a team fighting for a Wild Card spot, the winning effort against the best team in the NHL came as a surprise to many, except for Nashville.
"That's the next step for our team. To keep stringing these really good performances together against the top teams in the league," Filip Forsberg said. "We know we can do this. We've just got to keep doing it on a regular basis."
It hasn't come easy. In addition to digging themselves out of the basement of the league, as the Predators were in mid-November, the latest wins have also been about playing more confidently.
That was abundant in the 4-3 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, where Michael McCarron dropped the gloves with Darnell Nurse 3 seconds into the game, which was followed by a Steven Stamkos goal less than three minutes into the game.
The 1-0 lead was the first time Nashville had not given up the first goal of a game in 11 straight games.
Against Colorado, associate head coach Luke Richardson said it was a similar mentality of not backing down from anything the Avalanche were going to throw at them.
"It's taken months for us to get here and it's a lot of work," Richardson said. "You can see it from the last time we were in here until now, where a team like this flexed its muscles last time, and we crumbled a little bit.
"We talked about that a little bit before the game and I think our leadership showed that we were strong...when they (Colorado) pushed back and made it 2-2, we could've easily crumbled, but that showed the maturity in this team."
Ryan O'Reilly has been a critical part of the Predators' success this season, keeping his play steady through the good and the bad. Friday, he recorded his seventh career hat trick against his former team.
He leads the Predators with 43 points in 47 games.
Jan 16, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) celebrates his hat trick goal in the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
"When we're all pulling the rope together, all five guys on the ice are working and communicating, we can compete with anyone," O'Reilly said. "Tonight, that was a great team we beat, but it's not going to get any easier."
It is what may be the Predators' most challenging two-game stretch of the season; they travel to Las Vegas 24 hours later to play the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights.
Nashville does have a win over Vegas this season, dispatching the Golden Knights 4-2 on New Year's Eve, but at the time, the Golden Knights were heavily injured and without their top scorer, Jack Eichel.
With Eichel and a handful of key players back, the Golden Knights have won six straight and gained some space between the Edmonton Oilers for the top spot in the division.
"We've got a tough one tomorrow that we kind of have to shift the focus, but you can tell for the group that it's a confidence-building win there that we can lean on."
Up next: Nashville Predators (23-20-4, 5th Central) at Vegas Golden Knights (23-11-12, 1st Pacific) on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 9 p.m. CST at T-Mobile Arena
After 34 career games, Rangers' Brennan Othmann finally recorded his first career NHL goal on Saturday afternoon against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 23-year-old forward was able to blast a shot on the fastbreak past Flyers goaltender Aleksei Kolosov to make it a 3-1 game in the first period.
While it's his first NHL goal, Othmann has scored six times in the AHL this season with the Hartford Wolf Pack over 23 games. He has 39 career goals in the AHL across three seasons.
Each of the previous three meetings went beyond regulation, with the Penguins winning the last two in overtime.
The two teams most recently met on Jan. 4 in Columbus. The Blue Jackets jumped out to a 4-1 lead and had everything under control late in the second period until the Penguins stormed back to tie it late in the third. Rickard Rakell tied the game with 12.8 seconds left in the game before Sidney Crosby won it in overtime.
That loss for the Blue Jackets paved the way for a coaching change, as they fired Dean Evason this week and replaced him with Rick Bowness. Bowness is 2-0-0 as the Blue Jackets' head coach, and the team as a whole has won three in a row coming into Saturday's game.
Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has been tremendous once again this season, compiling 18 goals and 51 points in 43 games. He does it all as the Jackets' top defenseman and will play a big role for Team USA at the Olympics next month.
Kirill Marchenko is second on the team in goals with 17 and also has 40 points in 43 games. He can strike from anywhere and scored against the Penguins in the game on Jan. 4.
Dmitri Voronkov has 16 goals and 30 points in 47 games, while Adam Fantilli has 12 goals and 30 points in 47 games.
Elvis Merzlikins will start in goal for the Blue Jackets after he made 30 saves in a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
The Penguins are set to go with the same lineup that they had against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
Forwards
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Defense
Kulak-Letang
Wotherspoon-St. Ivany
Shea-Clifton
Arturs Silovs will start in goal after having the night off on Thursday.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
The Montreal Canadiens make the short trek to the Canadian Tire Centre to face the Ottawa Senators tonight.
This marks the third meeting between these two Atlantic Division rivals after they split the first two games.
My Canadiens vs. Senators predictions point to continued struggles for the middling Senators, with Habs defenseman Noah Dobson remaining a force on the blue line.
Read more in my NHL picks for Saturday, January 17.
Canadiens vs Senators prediction
Canadiens vs Senators best bet: Noah Dobson Over 2.5 blocked shots (+135 at Bet99)
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson leads the NHL in blocked shots (122) and is in the midst of a particularly hot stretch.
The 26-year-old has blocked 26 shots over his last eight games, cashing the Over in seven of them.
Given the reliability of this player prop, it offers serious value at plus odds. The Ottawa Senators also rank 13th in the league in shots on goal.
Habs rookie Oliver Kapanen paces all first-year players with 16 goals and is enjoying a particularly trigger-happy stretch. The Finn has matched Alexander Ovechkin in shots on goal over the past two weeks, cashing the Over in six of his last seven games.
Kapanen is the primary shooter on the Canadiens’ second line, with Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky showing no hesitation in feeding the 22-year-old. He’s firmly established himself as a shoot-first option.
The Habs have scored the fourth-most goals away from home, own an impressive 13-5-6 road record, and sit tied for third in points percentage. Meanwhile, Ottawa has recently spiraled to the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
Montreal has prevailed in four of the last six head-to-head meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Senators.
How to watch Canadiens vs Senators
Location
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
Date
Saturday, January 17, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
CITY
Canadiens vs Senators latest injuries
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are likely to be without William Nylander for the next couple of games.
Toronto had an optional morning skate on Saturday in Winnipeg ahead of their matchup against the Jets. The Athletic's Joshua Kloke reported that Calle Jarnkrok will draw into the lineup for Nylander, who reaggravated a lower-body injury on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said, via Kloke, that Nylander is also unlikely to play against the Minnesota Wild at home on Monday.
Maple Leafs lineup news tonight against the Jets: Dennis Hildeby starts. Calle Jarnkrok in the lineup. No Simon Benoit.
Craig Berube said William Nylander is not only out of the lineup tonight but also unlikely for Monday’s game against the Wild.
"I mean, right now, I don't expect him to be in today for sure. Monday, probably not," Berube told reporters on Saturday morning. "I don't know how long it's going to be."
Nylander missed six straight games with the lower-body injury before returning to Toronto's lineup on Jan. 10 against the Vancouver Canucks. He's appeared in the Maple Leafs' last four games, registering three goals and seven points in that span.
Two of those points — a goal and an assist — came in the first period against the Golden Knights before leaving the game with the injury.
Jarnkrok last appeared in Toronto's lineup against the Utah Mammoth (and scored), with Nick Robertson out after blocking a shot one night earlier vs. the Colorado Avalanche. The veteran forward has six goals in 28 games this season.
Dennis Hildeby is set to start for Toronto in Winnipeg, his first appearance since the 6-1 loss to the Mammoth on Jan. 13. The 24-year-old stopped 35 of 41 shots against in that game.
"That was more on us as a team than him," Berube said Saturday morning. "I think he was under siege pretty good there, and I thought he made a lot of really good saves. But for me, like I talked about, his game has really grown.
"I think he's building more and more confidence and understanding the league a lot better. I really like a lot of what he's done."
Also not in the lineup tonight is Simon Benoit, Kloke reports. Benoit was a late scratch on Thursday against the Golden Knights due to an upper-body injury, despite attending Toronto's skate earlier that morning.
With Benoit set to miss his second straight game, Philippe Myers likely will remain in Toronto's lineup. Myers was paired alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson against Vegas and had 16:48 of ice time in the overtime loss.
With Nylander out for what's likely the next two games, it's expected that Jacob Quillan will join the Maple Leafs in Winnipeg later today. He'll be the extra forward whilst Nylander is injured.
Quillan has played three games with the Maple Leafs this season — two in November and one in December — and is yet to register a point. The 23-year-old has been strong with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, scoring eight goals and 27 points in 28 games.
The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia-born forward has played four career NHL games, averaging 7:25 of ice time.
The Buffalo Sabres recent surge into the postseason conversation presents an interesting dilemma for GM Jarmo Kekalainen. The Sabres have won 15 of their last 17 games and are currently in a wildcard spot in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race, but based on Kekalainen’s comments when he took over from Kevyn Adams over a month ago, he is not willing to make moves just to snap the league-record 14-year playoff drought.
“We're not going to sacrifice the ultimate goal for the sake of making the playoffs and then not having any sustainability for our goal as a team to take the next step and having the opportunity and chance to compete for the Stanley Cup." Kekalainen said. "We're going to have a plan, and the plan is going to be to win the Stanley Cup, and we're not going to take any shortcuts to try to just make the playoffs, to end the drought.
Similar to his situation in Columbus, Kekalainen has the issue of a franchise that has difficulty attracting and retaining free agents, which could be a factor before the Olympic trade freeze or before the March 6th trade deadline. An article in the Athletic on Friday pondered whether the Sabres GM would repeat history and keep a pending unrestricted free agent like Alex Tuch as an own-rental for a playoff run, with the prospect of losing him for nothing in July, or trade him before the deadline for a potential package of draft picks, prospects, and/or young NHL players.
Kekalainen did keep pending UFA’s Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky for a playoff run in 2019, but the Sabres are in a different place in their development with Tuch and cannot afford to lose a valuable asset for the cost of one playoff run. There has been little indication of any progress between the club and the 29-year-old winger on an extension, as reportedly, Tuch is looking for an eight-year deal in the same neighborhood as LA’s Adrian Kempe’s eight-year, $85 million deal ($10.625 million AAV).
Ironically, Panarin is potentially the top rental on the trade market, but the veteran winger has a no-movement clause that will limit the teams he could go to. Tuch has no trade protection, which could put Kekalainen in an advantageous position before March 6.
The NHL posted an interesting anecdote on their NHL Edge website recently, promoting Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson’s skating ability.
According to their data, during the Senators’ game against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night, Sanderson reached the top skating speed by an NHL defenceman this season at 24.37 miles per hour (MPH).
NHL Edge has captured data on the league since the beginning of the 2021-22 season, and over the five years it has recorded data, Sanderson’s skating speed is the second-highest ever by a defenceman. His mark trails Quinn Hughes’ 24.56 MPH.
Sanderson was aware that he had set the record, and he could recall the exact moment when it happened in Tuesday’s game. It occurred during a shift in the third period when he carried the puck down and around the Vancouver net.
“I knew I was going fast,” Sanderson recalled. “But, I didn’t know I was going that fast.”
Thanks to the NHL’s player-monitoring and tracking sensors, that information is readily available to players.
The speed data is something that Sanderson talks about all the time with David Perron.
“The speed stuff we like to be aware of,” the defenceman admitted. "We joked about it a month ago and started talking about (skating speeds). It's really nothing, but it is kind of cool to look back at your history. For me, it kind of makes me want to get my legs going and make sure I'm sprinting out there.”
Jake’s father, Geoff, played 1,104 games across 17 seasons in the NHL, where the two-time All-Star was renowned for his speed.
X.com/BuffaloSabres, Empire
Credit genetics or the work habits of Jake, but his father played a large role in his development as a child.
“At a young age, I did a lot of power skating,” Sanderson said. “At the time, it was very boring. Obviously, when you're younger, you want to be able to shoot pucks and play games.
“My dad always taught me and my brothers that skating is the number one thing. My older brother Ben was probably faster than I was. He just flew around, and in my teen years, he was a big role model for me because of how he trained. I look up to him a lot.”
In terms of all skaters this season, Sanderson’s recorded speed is the third-highest in the league behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (24.61 MPH) and Utah’s Logan Cooley (24.38 MPH).
Being mentioned in the same breath as McDavid when discussing skating is an impressive accomplishment in the sport.
“It's cool,” Sanderson acknowledged. “With guys like McDavid and (Nathan) MacKinnon, those top speeds are more natural to them, and they're hitting it probably every game. They're also handling the puck just as fast, which makes it even more impressive.
“But yeah, it's pretty cool to see (my name and metrics approach theirs).
Senators fans and observers are unlikely to be surprised by Sanderson’s placement.
The blueliner often draws comparisons to Hall of Fame defenceman Scott Niedermayer for his efficient and smooth skating. Sanderson ranks in the 99th percentile in max skating speed, 22-plus MPH bursts, 20 to 22 MPH bursts, and 18 to 20 MPH bursts. The 23-year-old leads all NHL defencemen in 22-plus mph speed bursts (24) and is second among blueliners in 20-plus mph speed bursts (153), trailing only the Islanders’ rookie phenom, Matthew Schaefer (169).
It is that skating ability that helps Sanderson get back quickly to retrieve and break pucks out of the defensive zone. Clean zone exits and entries have quickly become hallmarks of the defenceman’s game.
“(Skating) can be a huge advantage,” Sanderson described. “It goes back to the saying, ‘If you can’t skate, you can’t play.’ It's also not just the exits, it's being able to get open for (Artem Zub) or sprinting to a spot on retrievals and making it easier on him to make plays.”
Sanderson’s skating has also allowed him to expand his offensive game.
Successful entries lead to more opportunities for sustained possession in the offensive zone. His speed and skating also afford him chances to join the attack and create odd-man rushes.
Sanderson established career highs in goals (11) and points (57) last season, but through 46 regular season games, he appears poised to smash those totals as he is on pace for 16 goals and 62 points.
In the past, Sanderson has downplayed his offensive game relative to defencemen like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, whose offensive production has dominated the Norris Trophy conversation. In saying that, there is no mistaking the growth in Sanderson’s offensive game over the past few years.
It still feels like there is room for development, because using his speed to make plays and create separation in the offensive zone is something he wants to do more frequently. It is also a point of emphasis that the Senators’ coaching staff has encouraged as well.
“I have to continue to do more of it and use my speed in the offensive zone,” Sanderson said. “That is something I’ve got to work on. Obviously, you don't want to force things, and you need to read the situation and the play. But if you have legs, you have the gas, and you can make it an odd-man rush, go ahead.”
Sanderson finished top-10 in Norris Trophy balloting last season, but if his offensive production can continue to evolve, he will only continue to garner more attention and votes in future candidacies.
Graeme Nichols The Hockey News - Ottawa
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The Flyers saw their season-worst losing streak balloon to six games with an embarrassing performance on home ice.
The club was thumped by the Rangers, 6-3, Saturday afternoon at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Flyers were down 6-1 at one point in the second period.
“When you’re a little bit tired, some guys have lost a little bit of confidence, you’ve got to stay with structure,” Rick Tocchet said. … “It’s on me to get these guys back on the rails. But we just have to play a certain way to be able to compete.”
For a third straight game, Tocchet had to use both of his goalies. Aleksei Kolosov was pulled after New York ripped off three first-period goals in a span of 1:20 minutes. Samuel Ersson took over just 8:25 minutes into the action.
“We sucked, plain and simple,” Sean Couturier said. “We can’t show up down 3-1 five minutes in, 10 minutes in, whatever it was. We’ve got to be better.
“It’s important to stick together. There’s a lot of pressure, outside noise, but it’s on us to figure it out and stick together. We’ll come out stronger.”
Travis Konecny gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead, which lasted for 43 seconds. Travis Sanheim and Trevor Zegras provided the team’s other two goals.
The Flyers (22-17-8) have been outscored a staggering 31-12 over this 0-5-1 skid.
“We’ve kind of just been shooting ourselves in the foot, making silly mistakes I think,” Cam York said. “It’s correctable stuff, stuff that we haven’t done all year up to this point, so obviously it’s really frustrating. But we’re going to continue to work at it and we’ll clean it up.”
The Rangers (21-22-6), who are now openly retooling, snapped their five-game slide (0-4-1), a stretch in which they were outscored 30-12.
• Kolosov couldn’t answer the bell in his second start of the season.
He didn’t record a save on three shots before Tocchet summoned Ersson. The Flyers gave up a 3-on-1 rush when New York scored its third goal in that early onslaught.
“You can tell some guys are tired because they’re making mental mistakes,” Tocchet said. “My job is to get these guys to feel good about themselves, that’s my job right now. Because, right now, obviously guys are frustrated.”
In the defensive zone, the Flyers have not been protecting the middle or weak side, which hasn’t helped their goaltenders.
“When you start getting goals side to side, what are the goalies doing now?” Tocchet said. “They’re just playing on their heels.”
The Flyers have sorely missed Dan Vladar, who was out for a second straight game with an undisclosed injury. The good news for the Flyers is that he’s being considered day to day.
Tocchet was unsure if Vladar would be joining the Flyers on their three-game road trip.
“Still got to talk to the doctors on that because if he’s not going to play any of the games, why [have him travel]?” the head coach said pregame. “Is there a possibility for the third game? Maybe, that’s what we’ll decide.”
Ersson made 22 saves on 25 shots in relief.
Mika Zibanejad had a hat trick for the Rangers before second intermission. One of his goals was on the power play. The Flyers have given up eight power play goals over their last four games.
New York netminder Spencer Martin was making his first start of the season and stopped 25 of the Flyers’ 28 shots.
• York and Jamie Drysdale were each a minus-3.
“You’ve got to build Cam’s game back, Drysy, guys like that who have really played well for us this year,” Tocchet said. “But they’ve kind of hit the skids a little bit and they’re kind of doing stuff that they usually don’t do.”
• Rodrigo Abols exited with a lower-body injury in the first period and didn’t return. More on him here.
Bobby Brink missed a sixth straight game with an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old winger skated Saturday morning and Tocchet called him a “possibility” for the team’s game against the Golden Knights.
Rasmus Ristolainen was placed on injured reserve and won’t join the Flyers for the trip. He has been considered day to day with an upper-body injury.
Without Ristolainen, the Flyers made a call-up for some insurance on the back end. After the loss, they officially brought up Hunter McDonald from AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
• The Flyers open their trip Monday when they visit Vegas (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).
Yegor Sharangovich has enjoyed a lot of success on home soil of late, recording six points and 29 shots on goal over his last 10 in Calgary.
My Islanders vs. Flames predictions expect Sharangovich to be heavily involved in the offense once again in an out-of-conference matinee.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Saturday, January 17.
Islanders vs Flames prediction
Islanders vs Flames best bet:Yegor Sharangovich Over 1.5 shots (-145 at Bet99)
Yegor Sharangovich has some of the most drastic home/road splits you will find. He has averaged 2.6 shots on 4.6 attempts for the Calgary Flames this season, going Over his 1.5 line at a 76% clip.
Those outputs are night and day from what he’s accomplished on the road. Sharangovich has generated just 1.3 shots on 3.2 attempts in away games, going Over 35% of the time.
There’s a lot of reason to believe Sharangovich will continue finding success at home against the Islanders.
With Blake Coleman banged up, Sharangovich is sliding into his spot alongside Mikael Backlund and Matt Coronato. That line is going to get plenty of ice time.
The New York Islanders also rank 22nd in 5-on-5 shot suppression and 25th while undermanned over the last 10 games. They are giving up plenty of volume, which should lead to ample opportunity for Sharangovich to throw pucks on net.
New York is particularly vulnerable, where Sharangovich likes to pepper goaltenders with pucks. A ton of his volume comes from the slot, and the Isles sit 28th in shots allowed from that area over their last 10.
Rasmus Andersson has shot the puck a lot more frequently this season, especially on home ice. He is averaging 2.6 shots on 6.0 attempts and has cleared this line in 67% of his games in Calgary.
Lastly, we’re going with the Under. The Islanders rank dead last in expected goals generated over the past 10 games. They should struggle to generate offense against a Flames team that has conceded just 2.25 goals per night on home ice.
Yegor Sharangovich has recorded multiple shots on goal in eight of his last 10 home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Flames.
How to watch Islanders vs Flames
Location
Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Date
Saturday, January 17, 2026
Puck drop
4:00 p.m. ET
TV
CBC
Islanders vs Flames latest injuries
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CALGARY, AB -- New York Islanders goaltender David Rittich will get the start against the Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon, the team that gave him his first opportunity to play in the NHL.
Rittich in the starter’s net at #Isles practice here in Calgary.
Back in 2016, a 24-year-old undrafted Rittich, who had been playing professionally in his native Czechia, signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Flames.
After playing the majority of the 2016-17 season in the AHL -- he made his NHL debut on Apr. 8, 2017, in relief of Brian Elliott -- he served as the club's backup from 2017-2021 before he was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline for a 2022 third-round pick.
Rittich played in 130 regular-season games for the Flames over that five-year span, owning a 63-39-15 record with a 2.83 GAA and a .908 SV%. He did make one postseason appearance, allowing three goals on nine shots against the Dallas Stars, who won 7-3 to advance to the second round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Since leaving Calgary, he's played for Toronto (2021), Nashville (2021-22), Winnipeg (2022-23), Los Angeles (2023-2025) before signing with the Islanders this summer.
At 33, he's in the midst of a major bounce-back season, sporting an electric 2.39 GAA with a .910 SV% in 19 appearances.
Saturday will be Rittich's second start on this seven-game road trip, with this game being No. 5 of the trek. He stopped 26 of 27 in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators on Jan. 8.
Rittich is 0-3-2 in five career starts against Calgary, with a 3.89 GAA and an. 861 SV%.
