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NHL News

Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.

Thursday, February 12

Saros to Start Must-Win Olympic Game for Finland Against Sweden

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Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros will make his second start for Finland on Friday against archrivals Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics. This is a crucial, must-win game for Finland's quarter-final qualification hopes, following Saros's previous outing where he allowed three goals on 24 shots in a 4-1 loss to Slovakia on Wednesday. For the Predators this season, Saros holds a 21-17-5 record with a 3.20 GAA and an .892 save percentage across 44 appearances.

Hughes Records Hat Trick of Assists, Shows No Injury Signs in Olympic Win

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New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes delivered a hat trick of assists and registered a shot on goal in the United States' 5-1 victory over Latvia during Olympic round-robin play Thursday. Hughes led the U.S. in points, providing primary helpers on Brock Nelson's two goals and a secondary assist on Auston Matthews' power-play tally. Notably, Hughes, who missed the Devils' final three games before the Olympic break, displayed no lingering injury issues while skating on the Americans' productive fourth line.

Nelson Continues Hot Streak with Two Goals for Team USA in Olympic Opener

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Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson netted two goals and recorded three shots on net in the United States' 5-1 victory over Latvia during Olympic round-robin play Thursday. Nelson's second-period goals included the go-ahead tally, showcasing his continued scoring prowess. He led the NHL with 15 goals since Dec. 29 before the Olympic break, and his two-goal performance confirms his hot hand remains. The 34-year-old center was also denied two potential goals in the first period due to a post shot and linemate J.T. Miller's interference.

Flames Prospect Matvei Gridin Shines at AHL All-Star Challenge

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Calgary Flames rookie Matvei Gridin, 19, participated in the 2026 AHL All-Star Challenge during the Olympic break, a reward for his strong first half with the Calgary Wranglers where he recorded 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 34 games, including two assists at the event. He also registered six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 13 NHL games with the Flames, highlighted by his first career multi-point NHL performance against the Edmonton Oilers. Reassigned to the Wranglers for continued development, Gridin aims to carry this momentum into the season's second half.

Golden Knights' Mark Stone Scores in Canada's Olympic Opening Win

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Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone scored in Team Canada's dominant 5-0 Olympic-opening victory over Czechia on Thursday, showcasing his continued elite two-way play. Stone, who remains a top-20 NHL scorer with 60 points in 41 games this season, was a noticeable and effective player for Canada. His Olympic appearance highlights his enduring impact, seven years after his trade from the Ottawa Senators, where he was an elite two-way star and leader.

Brady Tkachuk Scores for USA in Historic NHL Olympic Return vs. Latvia

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Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk scored for Team USA in their game against Latvia. This goal is particularly notable as it comes during the first Olympic appearance for NHL players since 2014, marking a significant return for the league's stars to international competition. Tkachuk's contribution helped put the United States on the scoreboard.

Andersen to Start for Denmark in Olympics Amidst Challenging NHL Season

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Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen will start for Denmark in Thursday's 2026 Winter Olympics game against Germany. Andersen is currently enduring one of his career's most challenging NHL seasons, posting a 7-10-5 record with a 3.26 GAA and a .871 save percentage across 22 appearances for the Hurricanes. However, he previously demonstrated strong form for Denmark during Olympic qualifiers, achieving a 3-0-0 record, 1.31 GAA, and .938 save percentage in three outings.

Grubauer to Start for Germany Against Denmark in Winter Games Opener

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Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer is confirmed to start for Team Germany against Denmark on Thursday at the 2026 Winter Games, marking the opening game for both nations. Grubauer enters the tournament with an 11-6-3 record, a 2.43 GAA, and a .916 save percentage across 22 NHL appearances with Seattle during the 2025-26 season. While not facing many NHL players, Denmark's lineup does feature notable forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Lars Eller.

Sharks Prospect Macklin Celebrini Scores Canada's Opening Olympic Goal

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San Jose Sharks prospect Macklin Celebrini, 19, made an immediate impact at the 2026 Winter Olympics, scoring Team Canada's first goal in their dominant 5-0 victory over Czechia. He deflected Cale Makar's shot with 5.7 seconds left in the first period, becoming only the fourth teenager to score in their first Olympic period during the NHL player era. Celebrini, the youngest player on Team Canada, entered the Olympic break fourth in the NHL with 81 points, and his experience could boost the Sharks' playoff push. Canada faces Switzerland next on Friday.

Binnington Shuts Out Czechia with 26 Saves in Canada's Olympic Victory

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St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington delivered a stellar performance for Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, stopping all 26 shots he faced to secure a 5-0 shutout victory over Czechia on Thursday. Binnington was named Canada's starter despite an NHL season where he holds an 8-17-6 record with a 3.65 GAA and an .864 save percentage. His selection for the Olympic start was attributed to his outstanding play at the 4 Nations Face-Off, where he led Canada to a championship. This dominant Olympic debut marks a significant turnaround from his recent NHL struggles.

Jets' Josh Morrissey Exits Game Early After Collision, Status Uncertain

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Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey will not return to Thursday's clash versus Czechia, suffering an undisclosed injury. Morrissey sustained the injury during his final shift of the first period after a collision with Ondrej Palat. He briefly returned for one shift in the second period but then exited the game for good. His availability for Canada's next game against Switzerland on Friday is currently up in the air.

Nylander Expected to Play for Sweden vs. Finland Despite Missing Practice

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Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander is expected to play for Team Sweden against Finland on Friday at the 2026 Winter Olympics, despite missing Thursday's practice. Nylander, playing in his first Olympic Games, scored the game-winner and played 16:27 in Sweden's 5-2 victory over Italy on Wednesday. He had previously missed time with the Maple Leafs due to a reaggravated groin injury in January, but denied current issues. He leads the Maple Leafs with 18 goals and 52 points in 40 games this season, including a goal and four points in his final two NHL games before the break.

Islanders' Bo Horvat Scores Breakaway Goal in Olympic Debut for Canada

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New York Islanders center Bo Horvat made a memorable Olympic debut for Team Canada, scoring a dazzling breakaway goal against Czechia to extend Canada's lead to 3-0. The play began with Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley and Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand, with Horvat splitting the defense and beating Anaheim Ducks netminder Lukas Dostal five-hole. Horvat, who took a high stick in the first period requiring repairs, is one of two Islanders representing their countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Bettman Highlights Oshie's Sochi Heroics in Olympic Content Discussion

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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, discussing the league's return to the Olympics, cited T.J. Oshie's memorable shootout heroics for the U.S. against Russia in Sochi in 2014 as an example of iconic moments the NHL previously struggled to showcase. Bettman expressed optimism about improved content access and shared logo use for the current Milan Games, with hopes for further progress in future Olympic participation, recognizing the unique challenges of pausing the NHL season.

NHL Commissioner Cites Crosby's Golden Goal as Olympic Content Benchmark

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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman referenced Sidney Crosby's iconic golden goal for Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics as a key example of the content access issues the league previously faced. Speaking about the NHL's return to the Olympics in Milan, Bettman noted progress in gaining more content access, including social media sharing and shared logo use, and expressed hopes for further improvements in future Games, acknowledging the unique imposition on the NHL season.

Blackhawks' Matt Grzelcyk Emerges as Key Trade Deadline Candidate

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Chicago Blackhawks pending unrestricted free agent Matt Grzelcyk is generating significant trade chatter as the team is expected to be a seller at the deadline. Potential landing spots include the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he previously thrived last season with career highs of 39 assists and 40 points, to boost their left defense. The Buffalo Sabres could also pursue him for blueline depth, while the Colorado Avalanche, who were previously linked to Grzelcyk, might seek his experience and power-play contributions.

Merzlikins Set to Start for Latvia vs. USA at Olympics

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Elvis Merzlikins will defend the Latvian crease against the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday. The Columbus Blue Jackets netminder enters the tournament having won his last three NHL starts, stopping 70 of 75 shots. This season, Merzlikins holds an 11-8-1 record with a 3.48 GAA and an .888 save percentage over 21 contests. He faces a challenging matchup against the strong American team, which features his Blue Jackets teammate, Zach Werenski.

Dostal Tapped to Start for Czechia Against Canada in Olympic Showdown

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Lukas Dostal is confirmed to start in goal for Czechia against Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday, per Mark Masters of TSN. Prior to the Olympics, Dostal had a strong run with the Anaheim Ducks, winning eight of his last nine starts. This season, he holds a 21-13-2 record with a 2.92 GAA and an .897 save percentage over 38 appearances. He faces a challenging matchup against Canada, a co-favorite for gold.

Hellebuyck to Start for USA vs. Latvia at 2026 Winter Olympics

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Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is set to start in net for the United States against Latvia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, as reported by Mollie Walker of the New York Post. Despite struggling at times this NHL season, posting a 13-16-7 record with a 2.79 GAA and a .900 save percentage across 36 contests with the Jets, the 32-year-old is recognized as one of the NHL's top goaltenders, having won the Vezina Trophy the previous two seasons.

Keller to Start for France vs. Switzerland at Olympics Thursday

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Washington Capitals prospect Antoine Keller will defend the crease for France against Switzerland at the Olympics on Thursday, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Drafted by Washington in the seventh round of the 2023 Draft, Keller has split the current season between the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays and Ajoie HC of the Swiss National League. With the Stingrays, he posted a 2-2-0 record, a 3.59 GAA, and an .881 save percentage in four appearances.