* Zach Werenski climbed multiple franchises lists when he scored the overtime winner to help the Blue Jackets overtake the Lightning for the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
* Nathan MacKinnon recorded his NHL-leading 60th assist of the season and became the fifth active player to do so in three or more consecutive campaigns.
* Several 4 Nations Face-Off skaters will take the ice during Saturday’s nine-game slate with exactly two weeks remaining until two of the biggest international hockey rivalries take center stage as Sweden hosts Finland and the United States faces off against Canada at Bell Centre.
* The NHL HOCKEYVERSE Matchup of the Week premiers at 9 a.m. ET today on NHL Network and NHL YouTube, and at 12 p.m. ET on Sportsnet. The first of its kind 30-minute animated program will feature a recap of the Canucks-Capitals matchup from Jan. 25.
WERENSKI TALLIES OVERTIME WINNER, CLIMBS FRANCHISE LISTS
For the second time in as many days the Blue Jackets skated to victory in overtime, with Zach Werenski (1-1—2) factoring on the winning goal once again – this time scoring on a highlight-reel tic-tac-toe play – to help Columbus (26-19-7, 59 points) overtake idle Tampa Bay (27-20-3, 57 points) for the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference.
* Werenski, who became the fifth player in franchise history to record consecutive 40-assist seasons, scored his seventh career overtime goal and surpassed Cam Atkinson (6) for the second most in franchise history behind Seth Jones (8). The Blue Jackets blueliner, who is set to represent the United States at 4 Nations Face-Off in less than two weeks, also tied Shayne Gostisbehere and soon-to-be teammate Charlie McAvoy for the second-most overtime winners among active American defensemen.
OTHER 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF STARS FIND SCORE SHEET FRIDAY
Several players headed to the 4 Nations Face-Off in less than two weeks found the score sheet in their respective team’s victory Friday, including Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin (SWE), Dallas’ Roope Hintz (FIN) and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (CAN).
* Dahlin (0-2—2) recorded his sixth 30-assist season and surpassed Doug Bodger (5) for the second most by a Sabres defenseman behind Phil Housley (8). Dahlin also registered 10 or more assists in a calendar month for the fourth time in his career – only three other Sabres blueliners have done so as many times: Housley (12), John Van Boxmeer (6) and Jerry Korab (4).
* Hintz (2-1—3) scored multiple goals in the third period while Jake Oettinger, who will represent the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off, made 26 saves to help Dallas (33-17-1, 67 points) defeat Vancouver (23-18-10, 56 points) and leapfrog idle Minnesota (31-17-4, 66 points) for third place in the Central Division. Hintz tallied his 12th career shorthanded goal and tied Ilkka Sinisalo as well as Petri Skriko (both w/ 12) for the seventh most by a Finnish player in NHL history.
* MacKinnon (0-1—1) factored on one of his team’s five goals to record his NHL-leading 60th assist of the season while Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside all 19 shots he faced to help the Avalanche (30-21-2, 62 points) gain ground on the Wild. MacKinnon became the third player in Avalanche/Nordiques history with three consecutive 60-assist seasons, following Peter Stastny (6 from 1980-81 to 1985-86) and Joe Sakic (3 from 1989-90 to 1991-92).
MILLER TRADE FEATURED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Friday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the four-game slate as well as several on a trade between the Canucks and Rangers that saw J.T. Miller headed back to New York – the team that drafted him 14 years ago. Miller, who had 37-66—103 in 2023-24, became the second player with 100 points last season to be traded in 2024-25 after Mikko Rantanen (42-62—104 in 2023-24) was acquired by the Hurricanes on Jan. 24.
QUICK CLICKS
* NHL, NHLPA announce team payroll ranges for next three seasons
* NHL EDGE stats: J.T. Miller’s outlook after trade to Rangers
* Rogers, Discover, SAP 4 Nations jersey patch sponsors
* Fanatics, NHL and NHLPA Announce 4 Nations Face-Off Jersey Design Details
4 NATIONS FACE-OFF STARS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT SATURDAY SLATE
Stars ready to shine at the 4 Nations Face-Off are dispersed across the Saturday schedule, including an NHL-leading eight on the reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers – who are set to face the Blackhawks to open an ABC and ESPN+ doubleheader. After Finnish captain Aleksander Barkov leads his team against Connor Bedard in the opener, the ABC Hockey Saturday finale will provide fans at TD Garden with a sneak peak of the USA roster, with just over two weeks before Boston plays host to the final three games of the tournament.
* Barkov, in search of his first international championship, and Blackhawks forward Teuvo Teravainen will go head-to-head Saturday at 1 p.m. ET – exactly two weeks before joining forces for a rivalry clash between Finland and Sweden (Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS). The newest Finnish captain will look to draw on the success of Saturday’s counterpart: Teravainen captained the country to a gold medal at the 2014 World Junior Championship, assisting on every Suomi goal in the gold medal game (including the overtime winner) to defeat rival and tournament host Sweden.
* Charlie McAvoy (58-239—297 in 500 GP) is one multi-goal performance away from becoming the 10th defenseman in Bruins history with at least 60 career goals. The NHL International Tournament record for goals in one game by a defenseman is two, last achieved at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey by American Derian Hatcher (Game 1 of the final vs. Canada).
* Adam Fox, with three outings of three or more points in 2024-25, is representing his country for the first time since the 2019 World Championship, following his final NCAA season where he was a Hobey Baker Award finalist. Only one American defenseman has recorded a three-point game at an NHL International Tournament (Mike Milbury: 1-2—3 vs. Finland at 1976 Canada Cup).
HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA SLATE READY TO HIGHLIGHT MORE INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
Four games highlight the latest edition of Hockey Night in Canada, which also includes other #NHLStats and 4 Nations Face-Off storylines when the puck first drops at 7 p.m. ET.
* Minnesota and Ottawa each occupy top-three positions in their respective divisions and both have brotherly ties to NHL International Tournaments. Senators captain and USA forward Brady Tkachuk will be joined at the 4 Nations Face-Off by brother, Matthew – one of two sets of brothers who will don the red, white and blue at the tournament (also Jack & Quinn Hughes). Thirteen sets of brothers have played together at an NHL International Tournament, including Wild icon Mikko Koivu who teamed up with Saku for Finland during the 2004 World Cup of Hockey – helping their country to their best-ever finish at a World Cup of Hockey or Canada Cup (runner-up).
* Two weeks out from their cross-border showdown at the 4 Nations Face-Off (USA vs. Canada: Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), USA captain Auston Matthews and Canadian alternate captain Connor McDavid will meet for the first and final time in 2024-25 when the Maple Leafs visit the Oilers on Hockey Night in Canada. They are two of nine members of Team North America (2016 World Cup of Hockey) who are set to return to NHL International Tournament competition, this time representing their home country. McDavid and Matthews both assisted on the first round-robin goal ever scored by Team North America (vs. Finland), and then McDavid assisted on both goals scored by Matthews at the event (vs. Russia & vs. Sweden). Their connection against the ‘Tre Kronor’ came just 30 seconds into the team’s final game and marked the fastest goal to start any game at the event.
* Detroit’s Lucas Raymond and Calgary’s Rasmus Anderson lead their NHL clubs into Scotiabank Saddledome before joining forces with the ‘Tre Konor’ at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Neither player was born when Sweden’s Peter Forsberg (0-6—6 vs. Germany on Aug. 26, 1996) set the record for most assists in a game at an NHL International Tournament and matched the benchmark for points in a game (NHL International Tournaments include five Canada Cups, three World Cups of Hockey & the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off).
* USA is the only 4 Nations team that does not return any members of its 2016 World Cup of Hockey entry, with Jets stars Kyle Connor and Connor Hellebuyck set to lead an American squad aiming to win a championship on home soil when the 4 Nations final is played in Boston on Feb. 20. Hellebuyck, the NHL leader in shutouts this season (6), could become the first American to post a shutout at an NHL International Tournament (while NHL teammate & Canadian foe Josh Morrissey will try to help his country add to its record six such showings).
NHL PODCASTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (Jan. 31): Balancing Hockey’s Future and Its History with John Buccigross
* NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers (Jan. 30): Ian Happ shares his many interests: The Rantanen trade, Four Nations roster changes and Adnan's Oscars breakdown
* NHL Fantasy on Ice (Jan. 30): Kaprizov replacements; Week 17 mailbag
* La Tasse de Café LNH (Jan. 29): Une blessure inquiétante, une transaction majeure et la vie de retraité d'Alex Chiasson
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (Jan. 29): GM School with Doug Armstrong: Navigating an NHL Season & Building Team Canada
* NHL @TheRink (Jan. 29): Brady Tkachuk joins; Blockbuster trade, Pietrangelo out for 4 nations, Vancouver Canucks in trouble?
* Energy Line with Nate and JSB (Jan. 28): Trailer – Introducing: Energy Line with Nate and JSB
Never Offside with Julie and Cat (Jan. 28): Eric Stonestreet talks LA Kings, Chiefs, Taylor Swift & partying with the Stanley Cup
* NHL Fantasy on Ice (Jan. 27): Rantanen-Necas trade reaction; Week 17 pickups
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (Jan. 27): Travis Green on Turning Things Around, the Battle of Ontario, and His First Season Coaching The Ottawa Senators
