* January concludes with an ABC Hockey Saturday doubleheader featuring four teams led by players heading to Milan, plus a jam-packed Hockey Night in Canada on Sportsnet that includes a key battle in the Atlantic Division and two of the League’s top two scoring defensemen this season.
* Charlie Coyle extended a League record by recording the NHL’s 31st hat trick in January (the most ever in any calendar month) and Zach Werensky (Team USA) scored two assists to lead Columbus to a 7-1-0 record under new head coach Rick Archness. Werenski (19-40-59) now shares the NHL lead in points among defensemen, one of the most left behind by a blueliner before an Olympic break (Mike Vegetable: 14-46-60 in 2009-10 with WSH).
#NHLSTATS MEMOS TO MILAN: LEADERSHIP, AWARD-WINNING DEFENSE
Four teams that will send their captains to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and a bevy of decorated defenders who will be key to their country’s medal hopes will take to the ice for matinee action this afternoon.
*NHL captains Dylan Larkin (DET; Team USA), Gabriel Landeskog (COL; Team Sweden), JT Molenaar (NYR; Team USA) and Sidney Crosby (PIT; Team Canada) have all been nominated to represent their country in Milan, with Crosby (gold in 2010 and 2014) and Landeskog (silver in 2014) the two of the group with previous Olympic experience. However, Landesog has not played since January 4 earlier this week Avalanche coach Jared Bednar he said could return to the line-up before the Olympic break.
* Crosby and Landesog went head-to-head the gold medal match in 2014with Crosby scoring Team Canada’s second goal in a 3-0 win. The only two countries to meet multiple times in a gold medal game at the Olympic Games with NHL players are Team Canada and Team USA (2002 and 2010).
* Six Norris Trophy winners (nine wins in total) will represent their country in Milan, along with Team Sweden (Erik Karlsson & Victor Hedman) and Team Canada (Kale Makar & Drew Doughy) with two on their respective roster. The other participating teams are from Team Switzerland Roman Josi (2019-20) and Team USA Quinn Hughes (2015-16).
* Red Wings defender Moritz Seider (Team Germany) is the winner of the Calder Trophy (2021-2022) and could be part of the Norris Trophy contenders in 2025-26. Seider (No. 6 in 2019) is the highest-ranked German-born defenseman in NHL history and will join Leon Draisaitl (No. 3 in 2014) and Tim Stutzle (No. 3 in 2020) – the two highest selected German born and trained players in the history of the NHL Draft.
* Just five seasons (383 GP) into his NHL career, Seider is already ranked in the rankings fourth among German-born defenders in career points: Every player before him on the list skated in more than 700 NHL career games.
* Martin Necas will represent Team Czech Republic in Milan and has been actively working to grow the game in his home country through a hockey camp he started. Necas (22-40-62 in 52 GP) is currently tied for the most goals among Czech players this season, tied with soon-to-be teammate David Pastrnak (22) and is second in points behind Pastrnak (69) – he is a role model for the youth in the Czech Republic and wants to encourage young people to pursue their dreams in hockey.
CANADIANS–SABELS SET UP CRITICAL CLASH ON HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA
A quartet of games will be part of Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada and includes a pivotal game between the Sabres (31-17-15, 67 points) and Canadians (30-17-7, 67 points) to determine if Buffalo can hold the Atlantic Division’s third seed or if Montreal will surpass them in the standings.
* Buffalo and Montreal begin their battle tied on points in the standings and both could make the postseason in the same year for the first time since 2011. Canadians will visit A Sabres team that owns the third highest points percentage at home this season (.712) and have won five straight games, thanks in part to hat tricks in the past two. Montreal, meanwhile, is in fourth place (equal). percentage of waypoints in 2025-26 (.654) as their captain Nick Suzuki looks to continue his multi-target outing with another and the 20 goals for the fifth season in a row.
*The only all-Canadian matchup will be Toronto Auston Matthews (11) aims to end the month first in goals when he faces Vancouver. Matthews comes in with a back drop Brock Nelson (12) for most goals in January and could become the second American in NHL history to lead the league in goals scored (tie or outright) at least nine times in a calendar month, thereafter Brett Hull (12x). The only other active players who do this this often are also Alex Ovechkin (14x) and Steven Stamkos (10x).
Calgary will also be featured on Sportsnet ahead of Hockey Night in Canada with a 4pm ET matinee during which the team will celebrate women in sports. Susan Darringtonthe FlamesChief Venues & Entertainment Officer and Principal of Scotia Place will be featured today as part of the Women in Hockey series presented by Canadian Tire. Darrington has more than a decade of hockey experience and is playing an integral role in bringing a new arena to the city.
NHL’S HOTTEST TEAMS TO PRACTICE AT RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM SATURDAY
The Lightning (11-1-1, 23 points; 0.855 P%) and Browns (11-2-1, 23 points; .821 P%) have been the NHL’s best teams since Jan. 1 — and would meet in the first round if the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs started today — as they head to an outdoor matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa for the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, SN, TVAS).
*Prior to Sunday’s showdown, the Lightning (11 a.m. ET) and Browns (1 p.m. ET) will skate on the stadium ice for the first time on Saturday. Training will take place under the climate-controlled structure to keep the ice in optimal condition for competition day.
* The NHL announced Friday that based on current weather forecasts, the dismantling of the climate-controlled structure at Raymond James Stadium, which was originally scheduled to begin at 6 a.m. Sunday, will now begin at noon on Sunday. This would allow the process to be completed around 10am on game day.
STADIUM SERIES QUICK CLICK
* Lightning ‘can’t wait’ for Stadium Series amid a red-hot stretch
* NHL EDGE stats to watch ahead of Stadium Series
* Hardworking Nikita Kucherov leads Lightning to Stadium Series
* Browns looking to gain ground Lightning at Stadium Series
* #NHLStats Pack: 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series
QUICK CLICKS
* Patrick Kane casually reflects on ‘special, special moment’ Mike Modano
* Lucas Raymond rise as a star for Red Wingshopes to do the same for Team Sweden
* Mika Zibanejad dreaming of Olympic glory with Sweden during the rebound season with Rangers
* NHL EDGE stats behind a record 30 hat tricks in January
* Zach Werensky stars in #NHLStats: Live Updates
ICYMI: PODCAST ROUND UP
* 100% ice hockey (January 30): Jim Nill about Dallas, the Olympics and what matters
* NHL Fantasy on ice (January 29): Possible trade destinations in Panarin; Mailbag week 17
* Unscripted NHL with Virk and Demers (January 29): Nate Thompson returns
* 100% ice hockey (January 28): Ray Ferraro on the NHL heading into the Olympic Break
*The NHL coffee cup (January 28): Interview with Vincent Desharnais
*NHL @TheRink (January 27): Tom Gullitti joins in; Capitals and Panarin
*NHL slap shot (January 27): Peterka: “It will be a very cool experience!”
* Never offside with Julie and Cat (January 27): Alex Nedeljkovic joins
* NHL Fantasy on ice (January 26): Soaring ducks, PenguinsMammoth; Pick up week 17
* 100% ice hockey (January 26): Doug MacLean on Nylander, Playoff races
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