Matt Boldy became the seventh 20-goal scorer of 2025-26 while Jesper Wallstedt picked up his 10th win of the season and matched a franchise benchmark as the Wild won a sixth straight game.
* Connor McDavid put up a multi-point performance to move into a tie with Nathan MacKinnon atop the 2025-26 NHL scoring race as the Oilers skated to victory.
* For all players on an NHL active roster, injured reserve, or with non-roster and injured non-roster status as of 11:59 p.m. local time tonight, a roster freeze shall apply through 12:01 a.m. local time on Dec. 28, with respect to waivers, trades and loans, subject to the exceptions provided for in CBA Article 16.5 (d).
BOLDY, KAPRIZOV, WALLSTEDT ALL CONTRIBUTE IN WILD’S SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN
Matt Boldy (1-2—3) and Kirill Kaprizov (1-2—3) led the way on offense for Minnesota, while Jesper Wallstedt stopped 27 of 29 shots faced to pick up his 10th win of the season and the Wild’s sixth straight – the League’s longest active winning streak.
* Boldy joined Kaprizov as Minnesota’s second 20-goal scorer this season – the only team thus far to have multiple players hit the mark. They are both on pace for 40-plus goals in 2025-26, which would mark the first time in franchise history that multiple players reached the plateau in the same campaign.
* Wallstedt (13 GP) tied Devan Dubnyk (13 GP in 2014-15) for the fewest games to 10 wins in a season by a Wild goaltender and became the franchise’s fastest rookie to the mark, besting Kaapo Kahkonen (14 GP in 2020-21).
QUARTET OF DEFENSEMEN FIND SCORE SHEET TO LIFT CLUBS TO WINS
The Canadiens, Capitals, Flames and Sabres each skated to victory Thursday with the help of defensemen:
* Lane Hutson (0-3—3) assisted on three Canadiens goals and moved within one of his 100th career point as Montreal (18-12-4, 40 points) defeated its Original Six rival Chicago and moved back into second in the Atlantic Division standings. Hutson’s first helper made him the first Canadiens defenseman to record 60 regular-season assists in a calendar year, while his third made him the fourth American blueliner in NHL history with at least four career three-assist games at age 21 or younger (Phil Housley: 9 GP, Quinn Hughes: 6 GP & Brian Leetch: 5 GP).
* John Carlson (1-2—3) factored on three of his team’s four goals as the Capitals (19-11-4, 42 points) shut out the Maple Leafs and moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division. Carlson became the ninth American defenseman in NHL history to record 30 career three-point games, following Housley (75 GP), Leetch (66 GP), Reed Larson (49 GP), Chris Chelios (46 GP), Gary Suter (46 GP), Mark Howe (41 GP), Kevin Hatcher (38 GP) and Hughes (34 GP).
* Rasmus Andersson (0-3—3) had a hat trick of helpers and became the sixth defenseman in Flames history to reach the 200-assist mark. Andersson recorded his second three-assist game of 2025-26 – the last Flames blueliner with more in one season was Mark Giordano (3 GP in 2018-19). It also marked Andersson’s fourth career three-assist game – only four defensemen have more with Calgary: Al MacInnis (33 GP), Gary Suter (22 GP), Paul Reinhart (11 GP) and Giordano (6 GP).
* Rasmus Dahlin (0-1—1) notched his 300th career assist and helped the Sabres skate to their fourth straight win. Dahlin became the ninth player in franchise history to record 300 assists with the franchise and just the second defenseman on that list, following Housley (380).
McDAVID CONTINUES FIERY FINISH TO 2025
Connor McDavid (1-1—2) notched his seventh multi-point outing in his last eight games to help Edmonton improve to 6-1-1 during that span. McDavid (21-37—58 in 35 GP) tied Nathan MacKinnon (28-30—58 in 33 GP) for first place in League scoring, marking the first time that MacKinnon has shared the lead in points since Nov. 8.
* The Oilers captain has amassed a League-leading 39-98—137 across the regular season and playoffs in 2025 and is one of seven players to hit the 100-point milestone this year, while 11 others are within 10 points of triple digits. 2025 could mark the fourth straight calendar year with 10 or more skaters with 100-plus points (including playoffs) – a first since 1980 to 1993 (14 years).
* For more on the teams and players that have led the way since the turn of the calendar, check out the 2025 Year in Review by #NHLStats.
STÃœTZLE COLLECTS POINT IN 400TH NHL GAME IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
#NHLStats from 20 teams were featured in Thursday’s Live Updates, including notes on a number of players who will be heading to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 or who hope to find their names on their country’s final roster.
* J.T. Miller, a Team USA hopeful, scored the overtime winner to propel the Rangers to victory – New York has collected at least a point in six of its nine games this month. Miller scored his 17th career overtime goal, which surpassed Max Pacioretty for the most by an American in NHL history. He also scored his seventh in a Rangers jersey, which tied the second most in franchise history behind Mika Zibanejad (8).
* Mikko Rantanen, named to the preliminary roster for Team Finland, factored on two of his team’s five goals as the Stars (23-7-5, 51 points) became the second team to 50 points in 2025-26 (also COL: 24-2-7, 55 points) – they required their third-fewest games in franchise history to hit the mark in a season (35 GP), following 2015-16 (33 GP) and 1998-99 (33 GP). Rantanen (308-443—751 in 686 GP) surpassed Olli Jokinen (321-429—750 in 1,231 GP) for the fifth-most points by a Finnish player in NHL history.
* Tim Stützle, named to the preliminary roster for Team Germany, collected an assist on the game-opening goal and Linus Ullmark, a Team Sweden hopeful, posted his 13th career shutout to help Ottawa earn a victory. Stützle’s point came while skating his 400th NHL game – he became the ninth German player to reach the milestone and has the second-most points among his fellow countrymen through that game count behind Leon Draisaitl (387). Meanwhile, Ullmark moved within one of tying Filip Gustavsson (14) for the sixth-most shutouts by a Swedish goaltender.
QUICK CLICKS
* Gavin McKenna, Brady Martin setting foundation for Canada’s top World Junior Championship line
* Ernie Clement bangs pregame drum before Sabres game
* PWHL notebook: Takeover Tour begins in Nova Scotia after international break
* NCAA notebook: Gavin McKenna’s move, U.S. gold at WJC among top ten stories from 2025
* CHL notebook: Prospects who could make impact at World Juniors
HURRICANES AND PANTHERS READY FOR EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL REMATCH
The Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes (22-9-2, 46 points) and back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers (18-13-2, 38 points) meet for the first time since the two clubs clashed in the 2025 Conference Finals. Carolina – winners of five straight – and Florida – winners of three straight – have met in the Eastern Conference Final in two of the past three postseasons (also 2023) and are two of eight teams with 50-plus wins this calendar year in the regular season and playoffs combined (FLA: 58; CAR: 56).
MacKINNON, SCHAEFER EYE MORE SUCCESS TO CLOSE OUT CALENDAR YEAR
Nathan MacKinnon (28-30—58 in 33 GP) and Matthew Schaefer (9-14—23 in 35 GP) are each in action on the NHL’s five-game Friday when the Avalanche (24-2-7, 55 points) welcome the Jets (15-16-2, 32 points) to Ball Arena and the Islanders (19-12-3, 41 points) host the Canucks (13-17-3, 29 points) at UBS Arena.
* Schaefer ranks third in team scoring for an Islanders team that sits third in the Metropolitan Division entering their 35th game of the season; New York eyes 20 wins through its first 35 games for the first time since 2020-21 (22-9-4). The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft can also become the fifth 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history with 15 assists through his first 35 career games alongside Phil Housley (24), Rasmus Dahlin (16) Aaron Ekblad (15) and Bobby Orr (15).
* MacKinnon, with at least one point in all but two home games in the regular season and playoffs combined since Jan. 1, 2025 (38 of 40 GP), has four contests remaining at Ball Arena to close out the calendar year and sits two points shy of becoming the NHL’s first 60-point player in 2025-26. The current Art Ross Trophy leader can require the fewest games in franchise history to 60 points in a season – Peter Stastny (35 GP in 1987-88 & 1981-82) and Marian Stastny (35 GP in 1982-83) currently hold the distinction.
You must be logged in to post a comment.