* Filip Forsberg scored his 11th career hat trick and climbed multiple Swedish lists as the Predators earned their fifth win of December – tied for the second most across the NHL.
* Cutter Gauthier, Sam Reinhart and Tim Stützle were among the players with multi-point outings Monday, with Stützle’s performance helping Ottawa secure the 36th instance this season of a game-tying goal in the final two minutes of regulation – the most at this stage of a campaign in NHL history.
* Tuesday’s 10-game slate includes the 16th all-time meeting between Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid in a national broadcast across the U.S. on TNT and in Canada on Sportsnet, the first of two head-to-heads before the pair become Team Canada teammates for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
FORSBERG, JOSI LEAD NASHVILLE TO VICTORY
Filip Forsberg scored his 11th career hat trick and Roman Josi collected two assists to lead the Predators to their fifth win of December – tied for the second-most victories among all clubs behind only the Islanders (6). Nashville has won five of its past seven games after entering the month having won eight of its previous 25.
* Forsberg recorded Nashville’s second hat trick in three games, after Steven Stamkos scored four on Dec. 11 – their three hat tricks this season is tied for the most among all teams (also CHI & UTA). Forsberg, who already led the Predators in three-goal performances and multi-goal outings, tied Markus Naslund (11) for the second-most hat tricks by a Swedish player behind Kent Nilsson (14).
* Josi passed Borje Salming (176) for the fifth-most multi-point games by a defenseman born outside of North America in NHL history. The list is topped by Nicklas Lidstrom (264), Erik Karlsson (214), Victor Hedman (188) and Sergei Gonchar (178).
MORE MULTI-POINT PERFORMANCES MONDAY: GAUTHIER, REINHART, STÜTZLE
Anaheim’s Cutter Gauthier (2-0—2), Florida’s Sam Reinhart (2-0—2) and Ottawa’s Tim Stützle (0-3—3) each propelled their clubs to victory with multi-point performances Monday.
* Gauthier moved into his team-lead in goals after scoring his 17th and 18th of the season to help the Ducks become the first team in the Pacific Division to reach 20 wins. Anaheim required the fifth-fewest games in franchise history to 20 wins in a campaign (33 GP), trailing 2012-13 (26 GP), 2006-07 (28 GP), 2014-15 (31 GP) and 2013-14 (32 GP). Gauthier recorded his seventh career multi-goal outing, which is the fourth most by a Ducks player age 21 or younger behind Paul Kariya (13), Leo Carlsson (8) and Mason McTavish (8).
* Reinhart scored two of his team’s five goals as the Panthers earned their first win in the “Battle of Florida” this season. Reinhart, who has scored multiple times in three of his past six outing against the Lightning did so by finding the back of the net on the power play and shorthanded. His four career outings with both a power-play and shorthanded goal are already the most in franchise history and tied Sebastian Aho, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad for the most among active players.
* Stützle collected three assists in his 399th career game, including the primary helper on Jake Sanderson’s game-tying goal with 1:54 remaining in regulation and on Brady Tkachuk’s overtime winner. Stützle, who has factored on each of Ottawa’s past five goals, extended his multi-point streak to four games and moved within one contest of the longest such stretch in franchise history (last: Jason Spezza in 2011-12). Only one player in Senators history has collected more assists prior to their 400th career game than Stützle (229) – Spezza (268).
RANTANEN HITS 30 ASSISTS IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Mikko Rantanen collected 1-1—2 to reach 30 assists on the season and help the Stars (22-7-5, 49 points) move within four points of the League-leading Avalanche (23-2-7, 53 points). Notes on Rantanen, who became the fastest player in Stars/North Stars history to 30 assists since Kent Nilsson in 1986-87, as well as every other team in action Monday can be found in the most-recent edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.
QUICK CLICKS
* Thursday’s VGK-PHI game on ESPN delivered double-digit increases
* Connor McDavid, John Gibson and Joel Eriksson Ek named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week
* Tristan Jarry ready for ‘very weird’ homecoming in Pittsburgh with Oilers
* Jarmo Kekalainen named Sabres general manager, replaces Kevyn Adams
* Angela James’ Hall of Fame career celebrated at Player Inclusion Coalition girls hockey clinic
16TH ALL-TIME MEETING BETWEEN CROSBY, McDAVID ON TNT, SPORTSNET
Tuesday’s 10-game slate includes a TNT doubleheader in the U.S. that opens with the 16th all-time meeting between Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid – a contest also available on Sportsnet in Canada.
* The Team Canada teammates, who won a championship together at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February (with McDavid scoring the winning goal in overtime), were both named among Canada’s first six players for Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
* McDavid has averaged 2.00 points per game across his first 15 meetings against Crosby (9-21—30 in 15 GP) with an 8-4-3 record in those contests. Crosby has countered with 10 points in those contests (4-6—10 in 15 GP) with a 7-7-1 record.
ALL ORIGINAL SIX CLUBS TAKE TO THE ICE ON 10-GAME TUESDAY
Each of the NHL’s Original Six clubs will partake in a 10-game Tuesday, including a head-to-head meeting between the Blackhawks (13-13-6, 32 points) and Maple Leafs (14-12-5, 33 points) as Auston Matthews (414) continues his pursuit of Mats Sundin (420) for the franchise’s all-time goals record.
* The Maple Leafs – whose all-time goals leader has already changed twice (from Dave Keon to Darryl Sittler, then Sittler to Sundin) since the last time another Original Six goals leader changed – Rangers and Bruins are the only Original Six clubs to have a change to their all-time goals leader in the NHL expansion’s era (since 1967-68).
* Matthews is set to become the 15th player to hold an Original Six franchise record for career goals (outright or tied) during the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68). He will join Mats Sundin (TOR), Darryl Sittler (TOR), Dave Keon (TOR), George Armstrong (TOR), Frank Mahovlich (TOR), Rod Gilbert (NYR), Jean Ratelle (NYR), Andy Bathgate (NYR), Johnny Bucyk (BOS), Dit Clapper (BOS), Milt Schmidt (BOS), Bobby Hull (CHI), Gordie Howe (DET) and Maurice Richard (MTL).
* Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat has scored multiple goals in two of his past three games and boosted his 2025-26 totals to 18-19—37 (in 33 GP). With another multi-goal outing against Matthew Schaefer on Tuesday, DeBrincat can become the ninth player in franchise history to begin his tenure with three consecutive 20-goal seasons and first since Brendan Shanahan (9 from 1996-97 – 2005-06).
* Spencer Knight backstopped the Blackhawks past the Maple Leafs in their first meeting of the season (Nov. 15). Should the 24-year-old get the nod on Tuesday, he can become just the fifth Chicago netminder in 30 years with multiple wins against Toronto in a single season. Ed Belfour (5 in 1995-96), Jocelyn Thibault (3 in 1999-00), Arvid Soderblom (2 in 2023-24) and Scott Darling (2 in 2015-16) are the only ones to do so to date.
* Ivan Demidov leads all rookies with 18 assists this season and sits two shy of 20 in his career (8-19—27 in 34 GP). He can become the fourth rookie in Canadiens history to reach 20 career assists in 35 or fewer games and would join Lane Hutson (29 GP), Kjell Dahlin (33 GP) and Mats Naslund (33 GP).
* David Pastrnak, who sits four goals shy of tying Patrik Elias (408 in 1,240 GP) for the second most by a Czechia player in NHL history, can also climb a Bruins all-time list when Boston welcomes Utah to TD Garden. Pastrnak needs one power-play goal to tie franchise icon and current president and alternate governor, Cam Neely (129), for fifth place on the club’s all-time list.
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