NHL RECAP JANUARY 31, 2025 – 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

A trade between the Canucks and Rangers 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.

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).

Flames’ Wolf Named NHL ‘Rookie of the Month’ for January

Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, who led all rookies with seven wins in 10 games (7-3-0, 2.32 GAA, .922 SV%), has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for January.

Wolf edged Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Meriläinen (5-2-1, 2.02 GAA, .928 SV%, 2 SO), Montreal Canadiens teammates Jakub Dobes (4-1-1, 2.43 GAA, .912 SV%) and Lane Hutson (1-12—13 in 14 GP), and Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper (7-5—12 in 14 GP) for the honor.

Wolf, who also topped January rookie netminders in games played (10), saves (270) and shots against (293), became the second rookie goaltender in Flames history to win at least seven contests in a single calendar month. The other: Mike Vernon, in both November 1986 (9-3-0, 3.09 GAA, .897 SV%, 1 SO in 12 GP) and December 1986 (7-3-1, 3.16 GAA, .900 SV% in 11 GP).

Wolf yielded two or fewer goals in six of his 10 starts and made at least 25 saves six times – highlighted by a season-high 38 stops in a 3-1 victory over the League-leading Winnipeg Jets Jan. 18. Four of his seven wins came on the road (4-1-0, 2.59 GAA, .911 SV%), tied for the most by any netminder (rookie or veteran) in January.

The 23-year-old Wolf, a seventh-round pick (214th overall) from the 2019 NHL Draft, paces NHL rookies and shares eighth place in the entire League (rookies and veterans) with 19 wins through 29 total appearances this season (19-8-2, 2.51 GAA, .917 SV%, 2 SO). The Gilroy native, one of five California-born goaltenders in NHL history, also tops 2024-25 rookie netminders in games played (29), saves (802), shots against (875), shutouts (t-2) and assists/points (3).

Wolf follows Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (October: 4-5—9 in 11 GP), San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (November: 7-5—12 in 14 GP) and Hutson (December: 2-11—13 in 14 GP) as a “Rookie of the Month” winner in 2024-25. He is the first Calgary player to receive the recognition since left wing Johnny Gaudreau, who was honored twice during the 2014-15 season (December 2014: 8-5—13 in 14 GP, March 2015: 7-9—16 in 15 GP).

Pastrnak, Thompson and Werenski Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ for January

Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of January.

FIRST STAR – DAVID PASTRNAK, RW, BOSTON BRUINS

Pastrnak topped the NHL in goals (t-11) and points (24) across 14 games (11-13—24) to help the Bruins (25-22-6, 56 points) earn standings points in half of their January contests (5-7-2). Pastrnak, who factored on 58.5 percent of Boston’s total goals during the month (24 of 41), also ranked among the January leaders in even-strength goals (1st; 9), even-strength points (1st; 18), shots on goal (3rd; 59), even-strength assists (t-3rd; 9) and assists (t-4th; 13). He found the score sheet in all but two of his 14 appearances, notching eight multi-point performances and closing the month with assists in a career-best nine straight games (Jan. 11-30: 7-12—19). Pastrnak’s 24 points matched a career high for any calendar month (also October 2019: 12-12—24 in 12 GP) and marked the most by a Bruins player since April 2021, when Brad Marchand registered 14-10—24 in 17 contests. The 28-year-old Pastrnak paces Boston in goals (24), assists (37) and points (61) through 53 total games this season, compiling 21 more points than his next-closest teammate (Marchand: 19-21—40 in 53 GP). Pastrnak also sits among the 2024-25 NHL leaders in shots on goal (1st; 215), even-strength points (t-3rd; 47), even-strength assists (t-5th; 29), points (9th; 61), goals (t-11th; 24) and even-strength goals (t-13th; 18).

SECOND STAR – LOGAN THOMPSON, G, WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Thompson went 8-0-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average, .947 save percentage and two shutouts in nine appearances as the Capitals (34-11-6, 74 points) completed a 9-1-4 January to create a six-point cushion atop the Eastern Conference. Thompson yielded two or fewer goals in seven of his nine games, including each of his last six to end the month (Jan. 11-28: 6-0-0, 0.83 GAA, .969 SV%, 2 SO). He earned consecutive shutouts Jan. 14 vs. ANA (19 SV) and Jan. 16 at OTT (24 SV), totaling a career-high 198:22 shutout sequence from Jan. 11-18 that ranked third in franchise history behind just Pat Riggin (203:52 in 1983-84) and Jim Carey (200:04 in 1995-96). The 27-year-old Thompson, who signed a six-year contract extension with Washington on Jan. 27, stretched his overall point streak to 12 contests dating to Dec. 22 (11-0-1, 1.45 GAA, .949 SV%, 2 SO) – the fifth-longest in Capitals history. He owns a 23-2-3 record in 28 total appearances this season, placing among the League leaders (minimum: 17 GP) in save percentage (1st; .927), goals-against average (2nd; 2.05) and wins (3rd; 23). Only one goaltender in NHL history has required fewer games to reach 23 victories in a season: Tiny Thompson in 1929-30 (23-4-0 in 27 GP w/ BOS).

THIRD STAR – ZACH WERENSKI, D, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Werenski produced 6-11—17 and a +9 rating in 14 contests to lift the Blue Jackets (26-19-7, 59 points) into the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference via a 10-3-1 month. Werenski, who placed second among all skaters (forwards and defensemen) in both total (392:18) and average (28:01) time on ice, ranked among the leading January blueliners in even-strength goals (1st; 6), even-strength assists (1st; 10), even-strength points (1st; 16), shots on goal (1st; 52), points (t-1st; 17), goals (t-2nd; 6), game-winning goals (t-2nd; 2), assists (t-3rd; 11) and plus/minus (t-4th; +9). He registered points in 11 of his 14 outings, including five multi-point performances, and notched an even or better plus/minus rating 11 times. Werenski finished the month on a five-game point streak (Jan. 22-31: 2-4—6), punctuated by his seventh career overtime goal (all w/ CBJ) Jan. 31 at UTA. The 27-year-old Werenski, who is slated to represent the United States at February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, sits among the top defensemen in total time on ice (1st; 1,395:23), game-winning goals (1st; 4), shots on goal (1st; 197), overtime goals (t-1st; 2), goals (2nd; 17), assists (2nd; 40) and points (3rd; 57) through 52 total appearances this season.