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NHL News

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

Thursday, February 5

Ryan O'Reilly Logs Three Assists for Predators

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Ryan O'Reilly recorded three assists, two blocked shots, and two PIM in Wednesday's 6-5 overtime loss to the Wild. With five points in two February games, O'Reilly now has 20 goals and 36 helpers through 56 appearances this season, along with 101 shots, 43 blocked shots, and a plus-8 rating. He is on pace for his first 70-point season since 2018-19, though his career-high 19.8 percent shooting percentage suggests this pace may be difficult to maintain.

Montembeault Shines with 37 Saves in Win, Debuts Striking New Mask

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Montreal Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault backstopped his team to a 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night, making 37 saves on 38 shots for a .973 save percentage. Montembeault debuted a striking new mask designed by Jordon Bourgeault, featuring a twisting snake motif and personal details. His strong performance, including crucial early saves, allowed him to head into the Olympic break with a positive mindset, validating coach Martin St-Louis's decision to start him.

Anton Forsberg Slated to Start Thursday Against Vegas

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Anton Forsberg is expected to start on the road against Vegas on Thursday. The Kings' netminder holds a 9-6-5 record with a 2.50 GAA and a .910 save percentage across 21 outings in the 2025-26 season. His last appearance saw him stop 31 of 34 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss to Carolina on Sunday. Vegas recently ended a five-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over Vancouver.

Grzelcyk Thriving with Blackhawks, Embraces Leadership Role

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Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who signed a PTO and earned a roster spot, has played in all 57 games this season, recording 12 assists. Grateful for the opportunity, he stated his love for playing in Chicago and hasn't considered a trade to a contender. Grzelcyk brings valuable leadership and wisdom to the young team, drawing on his experience playing with NHL greats. An alumnus of Boston University, he remains connected to the program, training there in the summer.

Lyon Gets Starting Nod Thursday Against Penguins

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Alex Lyon will start in goal for the Sabres at home against the Penguins on Thursday. He boasts a 4-1-0 record with a 2.02 GAA and one shutout in his last five outings, accumulating 14 wins this season, matching his 2024-25 total. Lyon is on track to potentially surpass his career-best 21 victories from 2023-24, especially if Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen remains sidelined post-Olympic break.

Ilya Sorokin to Start Against Devils, Leads NHL with Six Shutouts

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New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin will get the starting nod in New Jersey on Thursday. In his last two starts, Sorokin has gone 1-1-0, allowing eight goals on 77 shots. For the season, he holds a 19-13-2 record with a 2.48 GAA and a .915 save percentage across 34 games. Notably, Sorokin leads the league with six shutouts in the 2025-26 campaign. He will face a Devils team that ranks 31st in NHL scoring, averaging 2.54 goals per game.

Jonathan Quick to Start vs. High-Scoring Hurricanes Amid Slump

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Jonathan Quick is slated to start for the New York Rangers against Carolina on Thursday. After a strong 3-1-0 start to the season, the 40-year-old netminder has struggled significantly since mid-November, recording a 1-12-2 record with a 3.78 GAA and .865 save percentage in his last 15 starts. His overall season stands at 4-13-2 with a 3.22 GAA and .883 SV%. Quick faces a challenging opponent in the Hurricanes, who are fifth in NHL scoring, averaging 3.41 goals per game.

Ersson Out Until After Olympic Break with Lower-Body Injury

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Flyers' goaltender Samuel Ersson (lower body) will miss Thursday's game against the Senators and is expected to return after the Olympic break. Despite participating in practice, he won't be in the lineup, marking his third consecutive missed game. This season, Ersson holds an 8-10-5 record with a 3.51 GAA and an .856 save percentage across 24 appearances.

Gridin Reassigned to AHL, Set for All-Star Classic During Olympic Break

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Calgary Flames forward Matvei Gridin has been reassigned to the AHL's Calgary Wranglers. The 19-year-old rookie made an impact in his last NHL game with a goal and an assist, and has two goals and four points in 12 games this season. Gridin is slated to represent the Wranglers at the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic. His reassignment ensures he maintains regular game action and continues development during the NHL's Olympic break.

Flames Reassign Brzustewicz to AHL for Olympic Break Development

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Calgary Flames defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz has been reassigned to the AHL's Calgary Wranglers. The 21-year-old has appeared in 18 games with the Flames this season, tallying one goal and one assist. This reassignment will allow Brzustewicz to maintain regular game action and continue his development with the Wranglers during the NHL's Olympic break.

Schmaltz Delivers Power-Play Goal, Assist in Mammoth's 4-1 Victory

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Nick Schmaltz recorded a power-play goal and an assist, firing six shots on net in the Utah Mammoth's 4-1 win over the Red Wings. He scored the go-ahead power-play goal and later assisted on Clayton Keller's empty-net tally. Schmaltz now has 23 goals, 30 assists, 137 shots, and 35 blocked shots in 57 games, on pace for a career year. He's stepped up at even strength with 41 points and has been playing top-line center due to Logan Cooley's (lower body) absence.

Gallagher Tallies Three Points, Including Power-Play Goal, in Win

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Brendan Gallagher contributed a power-play goal and two even-strength assists in Montreal's 5-1 victory over Winnipeg. The 33-year-old winger was involved in three consecutive goals, securing his second power-play tally of the season. Now primarily in a bottom-six role, Gallagher has accumulated six goals and 19 points through 57 games this 2025-26 season.

Anderson Scores Game-Winner, Adds Two Assists in Canadiens' Victory

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Josh Anderson delivered a season-best three-point performance, scoring the game-winning goal and adding two assists in Montreal's 5-1 win over the Jets. The rugged winger tipped in a point shot to give the Habs a 2-1 lead, marking his first game-winning goal of the season. Heading into the Olympic break, Anderson has 12 goals, 20 points, 95 hits, 63 shots on net, 44 PIM, 30 blocked shots, and a minus-6 rating in 51 games.

Vejmelka Earns League-Best 27th Win, Sets Career High for Mammoth

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Karel Vejmelka stopped 29 of 30 shots in Utah's 4-1 win over the Red Wings, allowing only Detroit's lone power-play goal late in the game. With this victory, he now holds a 27-14-2 record, a 2.58 GAA, and a .902 save percentage across 44 starts this season, placing him back atop the win leaderboard for goalies and setting a new career high. Vejmelka has led the Mammoth to an 11-4-0 record since January 1st and will likely rotate starts for Team Czechia during the Olympics, offering him some rest.

Mancini Reassigned to AHL for Olympic Break Playing Time

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Vancouver Canucks defenseman Victor Mancini has been re-assigned to the AHL during the Olympic break to ensure continued playing time. Mancini has frequently moved between the NHL and AHL due to blueline injuries, playing four NHL games since January 12. He has two goals and six assists in 24 AHL games this season, recently tallying a goal and an assist in four AHL games before another NHL recall.

Lekkerimäki Reassigned to AHL for Olympic Break Playing Time

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Vancouver Canucks forward Jonathan Lekkerimäki has been re-assigned to the AHL during the Olympic break to ensure continued playing time. Lekkerimäki was recently called up after a strong AHL stint (7 goals, 4 assists in 11 games) and recorded a goal with first-unit power play time in his last five NHL games.

Tolopilo Reassigned to AHL for Olympic Break Playing Time

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Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo has been re-assigned to the AHL during the Olympic break to ensure continued playing time. Tolopilo has appeared in nine games for the Canucks this season due to injuries, holding a 3-3-1 record with a 3.04 GAA and a team-high .910 SV%. He nearly recorded his first NHL shutout on January 29, which was ultimately shared due to a concussion protocol evaluation.

Lundell Returns from Injury with Shorthanded Goal, Two Power-Play Assists

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Anton Lundell made a strong return from an upper-body injury, scoring a shorthanded goal and adding two power-play assists in Florida's 5-4 shootout win over the Bruins. All three points came in the second period, and Lundell also kicked off the shootout with a successful backhand. Having missed the previous three games, the 24-year-old center looked fully fit and now has three goals and eight points in his last 10 appearances. He'll play one more game Thursday before joining Team Finland for the Olympics.

Eyssimont Nets First Multi-Goal Game, Heads to Olympic Break with 8 Goals

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Michael Eyssimont scored two goals in Wednesday's 5-4 shootout loss to the Panthers, marking his first multi-goal performance of the season. The Bruins center gave his team a 2-1 lead with consecutive tallies in the first period. He now heads into the Olympic break having accumulated eight goals and 17 points through 44 games, primarily playing in a bottom-six role for Boston.

Werenski Makes History with 20th Goal, First Defenseman to Reach Mark Pre-Olympics

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Zach Werenski scored the game-winning goal in Wednesday's 4-0 win over Chicago, marking his 20th goal of the season. This makes him the first defenseman in history to reach 20 goals prior to an Olympic break. He's also the third American defenseman ever with consecutive 20-goal campaigns. Werenski is riding a seven-game point streak (2 goals, 10 points) and will join Team USA in Milan.