NHL January 11, 2026 – Veterans Josi, Stamkos Pilot Predators Past Ovechkin, Capitals

Roman Josi (1-2—3) and Steven Stamkos (1-1—2) combined for five points as the Predators (21-20-4, 46 points) climbed closer to the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot and improved to 8-4-0 (16 points) in their last 12 games dating to Dec. 20, 2025.

• Josi and fellow NHL captain Nico Hischier are set to lead Team Switzerland into the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in Italy, a country where the program had a noteworthy win nearly 20 years ago. Martin Gerber stopped 49 shots in the Swiss’ upset victory versus Team Canada during the round robin of the Torino Games, marking the most saves in a shutout win at an Olympics with NHL players.
• Alex Ovechkin (1-1—2) opened the scoring to record his 21st career 20-goal season and pass Ron Francis (20) for the second most in NHL history behind Gordie Howe (22), while also moving within one of Howe (22 from 1949-50 – 1970-71) for the most consecutive 20-goal campaigns in League history. Ovechkin became the NHL’s third player age 40 or older with 20 goals in 46 games or fewer, following Howe (43 GP in 1968-69 & 46 GP in 1970-71) and Johnny Bucyk (42 GP in 1975-76).
• Ovechkin continues THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer with the Capitals, Hockey Fights Cancer and V Foundation by personally donating to pediatric cancer research for each regular-season goal he scores for the remainder of his career.

VICTORIES BY VEGAS, WINNIPEG, BOSTON AND COLUMBUS
Sunday featured notes from the five-game slate to cap the first full week of 2026. Some highlights include:

• Tomas Hertl (2-3—5) had a franchise record-tying five points and Mark Stone (0-3—3) extended his scoring streak to eight games as the Golden Knights (21-11-12, 54 points) padded their lead atop the Pacific Division. Stone has found the score sheet in 25 of his 28 contests this season (89.3%), which marks the highest percentage in the NHL (min. 2 GP). Connor McDavid (39 of 45 GP; 86.7%) ranks second.
• Josh Morrissey (0-2—2) assisted on the game-winning goal in the third period to cap his 89th career multi-point outing and tied Dustin Byfuglien for the most by a defenseman in franchise history. The victory also made Connor Hellebuyck the fourth active goaltender to record 10-plus wins in each of his first 11 seasons, joining Sergei Bobrovsky (16), Cam Talbot (13) and Frederik Andersen (12).
• Viktor Arvidsson had the lone goal and Joonas Korpisalo turned aside all 27 shots he faced as the Bruins followed up their 10-2 victory on Saturday with a shutout win during the 7,000th regular-season game in franchise history. Korpisalo became Boston’s first goaltender with a shutout against Pittsburgh since Tuukka Rask (Dec. 16, 2015).
• Zach Werenski factored on the goal in extra time and matched his former Blue Jackets teammate, Seth Jones (21), for the most overtime points in franchise history. Werenski also became the first Columbus player to record 50 career assists on game-winning goals. Werenski and Jones will be teammates once again when they suit up for Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

All-Canadian clash set for Prime Monday Night Hockey

• Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen lead all rookies this season in points (36) and goals (15), respectively, while Zeev Buium ranks third in scoring among rookie defensemen (18) as he takes on last season’s overall rookie scoring leader and Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson. Montreal can become the first team with the rookie points leader in consecutive seasons since Vancouver from 2018-19 to 2019-20 (Elias Pettersson & Quinn Hughes).
• Buium, who was acquired by the Canucks in the blockbuster trade that sent Hughes to the Wild, won a gold medal alongside Hutson as well as Jacob Fowler with Team USA at the 2024 World Junior Championship. Buium then had an assist on Fowler in the Denver Pioneers’ national championship-clinching win against the Boston College Eagles three months later.
• Kapanen is one of three rookies currently in the NHL named to Olympic rosters and will be the 11th NHL rookie to play for Team Finland at the Olympics, joining a list that includes the likes of Aleksander Barkov (2014), Olli Määttä (2014), Mikko Koivu (2006) and Jussi Jokinen (2006).
• Monday is also set to feature the latest edition of the “Hughes Bowl,” the third to date and first pitting the Wild against the Devils. Other storylines on the docket: Connor McDavid looks to find the score sheet for a 19th consecutive game; Tampa Bay and Colorado aim to extend lengthy winning streaks; and Atlantic Division-leading Detroit raises Sergei Fedorov’s No. 91 to the Little Caesars Arena rafters. Fedorov will be the first of two players to have his number retired by an Original Six franchise this week, with Boston set to do the same for Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 on Jan. 15.
• Quinn, Jack and Luke Hughes have all played in the same NHL game twice before, both won by Jack, Luke and the Devils (also Oct. 30, 2024 & Dec. 5, 2023). Quinn and Jack are also set play together with Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 next month.

NATIONAL GAMES ON THE RADAR THIS WEEK

Five storylines you need to know about other national broadcasts this week:

1. (Tuesday): Red Wings forward Patrick Kane can continue his pursuit of Mike Modano’s U.S.-born points record when Detroit duels Boston in the opener of an NHL on TNT doubleheader (also DAL-ANA). Kane recently passed longtime Bruins forward Johnny Bucyk (1,369) for the sixth-most points with Original Six franchises in League history. The 10-game slate also includes an ESPN+ doubleheader with Hurricanes-Blues and Maple Leafs-Mammoth matchups.
2. (Wednesday): Soon-to-be Team USA forward Tage Thompson and the surging Sabres face the Flyers in the first half of a second straight NHL on TNT doubleheader. Buffalo has an NHL-best 13 wins and 26 points since Dec. 9, climbing from last place in the Eastern Conference into a Wild Card spot over that span.
3. (Wednesday): Four players named to Team USA’s roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 are in action (J.T. Miller, Jake Sanderson, Brady Tkachuk & Vincent Trocheck). Tkachuk’s father, Keith, was a four-time Olympian (including three involving NHL players) and helped the Americans win the 1996 World Cup of Hockey – a tournament in which he scored the winning goal in both of their round robin games at Madison Square Garden (Sept. 2-3, 1996).
4. (Thursday): The lone “Triple Gold Club” member heading to the Olympics is Sidney Crosby (Team Canada), who this week will lead the Penguins against the Flyers in the opener of an ESPN doubleheader, which is also set to feature Mitch Marner (Team Canada) facing his former team for the first time since joining the Golden Knights. Crosby tops the NHL’s all-time lists for most goals (59), assists (78) and points (137) versus Philadelphia.
5. (Saturday): All seven Canadian teams are in action during a day-long celebration from Moncton, N.B., as Sportsnet hosts a marathon broadcast with several special guests and in-depth features. The festivities take place at an outdoor event venue next to Avenir Centre, home of the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats.

Hertl, Gibson and Pastrnak Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl, Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson and Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” ending Jan. 11.

FIRST STAR – TOMAS HERTL, C, VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Hertl, who along with Pastrnak will represent Czechia at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, led the NHL with 3-6—9 in four games to propel the Golden Knights (21-11-12, 54 points) to a perfect week as they created a three-point cushion atop the Pacific Division. He registered 1-1—2, highlighted by his ninth career overtime goal, in a 4-3 comeback victory against the Winnipeg Jets Jan. 6. Hertl then collected a pair of assists, including the primary helper on Mark Stone’s decisive goal, in another comeback win – a 5-3 triumph versus the Columbus Blue Jackets Jan. 8. After being held off the scoresheet in a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues Jan. 10, Hertl capped the week with a career-high 2‑3—5 (matching a Vegas record) in a 7-2 win against his former team, the San Jose Sharks, Jan. 11. The 32-year-old Hertl, in his second full season with the Golden Knights, tops Vegas with 18 goals and places fourth on the team with 21 assists and 39 points through 44 total contests in 2025-26 (18-21—39).

SECOND STAR – JOHN GIBSON, G, DETROIT RED WINGS

Gibson went 3-0-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average, .955 save percentage and one shutout to help the Detroit Red Wings (27-15-4, 58 points) also go undefeated as they moved back into first place in the Atlantic Division, where the top three teams are separated by just two points. He turned aside 34 of 37 shots in a 5-3 triumph versus the Ottawa Senators Jan. 5. Gibson then made 23 saves in a 5-1 victory against the Vancouver Canucks Jan. 8. He finished the week by earning his 27th career shutout, denying all 27 shots (including 15 in the third period) in 4-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens Jan. 10. The 32-year-old Gibson, in his first season with Detroit, shares eighth place in the NHL with 16 wins through 27 total appearances in 2025-26 (16-9-1, 2.75 GAA, .902 SV%, 3 SO).

THIRD STAR – DAVID PASTRNAK, RW, BOSTON BRUINS

Pastrnak placed second in the League with 2-7—9 in four contests to power the Bruins (25-19-2, 52 points) to a 3-1-0 week. He scored twice in a 7-4 loss to the Seattle Kraken Jan. 6 before posting one assist in a 4-1 win against the Calgary Flames Jan. 8. Pastrnak then registered 0-6—6 in a 10-2 victory over the New York Rangers Jan. 10 to become the third player in franchise history (and first in 53 years) with a six-assist performance, joining Ken Hodge (Feb. 9, 1971 vs. NYR) and Bobby Orr (Jan. 1, 1973 at VAN). He ended the week without a point in a 1-0 decision versus the Pittsburgh Penguins Jan. 11. The 29-year-old Pastrnak leads Boston and ranks eighth in the NHL with 19-36—55 through 41 total games this season.