Recap of NHL from 31 December 2025

Nathan MacKinnon capped his impressive calendar year by scoring his 400th career goal and reaching the 70-point mark this season alongside future Olympic teammate Connor McDavid.
* The Sabres ended 2025 on a high note by extending their winning streak to 10 games – tied for the longest run in franchise history – and moving into a playoff spot for the first time this season.

* The NHL rings in the new year with an eight-game Thursday before the Rangers and Panthers face off in the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot park in Miami on Friday.

MacKINNON CAPS 2025 WITH 400TH CAREER GOAL, 70TH POINT OF THE SEASON

Nathan MacKinnon (2-2—4) celebrated New Year’s Eve with a four-point night, his 400th career goal and his 70th point of the season while the Avalanche (30-2-7, 67 points) celebrated with their ninth consecutive victory, 15th straight home win and League-best 56th regular-season victory in the calendar year.

* MacKinnon (34-36—70) and Connor McDavid (24-46—70), who will both suit up for Team Canada at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, and each recorded their 70th point of the season Wednesday and made 2025-26 the first campaign since 1995-96 (Mario Lemieux & Jaromir Jagr) to feature multiple players hit the mark before New Year’s Day.

* MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin, who ended the game with a hat trick, accounted for all four of Colorado’s goals in the opening 4:39 of their contest. They became the second set of teammates in NHL history to each score multiple goals in the opening five minutes of a game. They joined the Islanders’ duo of Duane Sutter (2-0—2) and Bryan Trottier (2-0—2) on Jan. 26, 1982.

* MacKinnon became the third player in franchise history to reach the 400-goal mark, following Joe Sakic (625) and Michel Goulet (456), ended the calendar year with 52-73—125 in the regular season – the most points among all players for the second straight year.

* Cale Makar collected an assist in the win and finished 2025 with 31-60—91 in the regular season – tops among defensemen after also pacing them in 2024. He became the first blueliner to lead his position in regular-season points in consecutive calendar years (outright or tied) since Nicklas Lidstrom (1999-2000).

SABRES EXTEND WINNING STREAK TO 10, MOVE INTO PLAYOFF POSITION
Tage Thompson (2-1—3) scored a pair of third-period goals to seal the victory and help the Sabres extend their winning streak to 10 games, matching the longest run in franchise history as well as the longest run by any team this season (also COL: 10 GP from Nov. 4-26). Buffalo (21-14-4, 46 points) leapfrogged idle Florida (21-15-3, 45 points) and moved into a playoff spot for the first time this season.

* Buffalo recorded its 11th comeback win of the season, tied for second most in the NHL behind only Philadelphia (14). The Sabres have earned six come-from-behind victories during their 10-game winning streak and have posted more comeback wins at this stage of a season (39 GP) only three times in franchise history (13 in 2006-07, 2005-06 & 1983-84).

* The Sabres became the third team in the past five seasons to win 10 straight games after not qualifying for the playoffs in season prior (min. 82 GP). They joined the 2022-23 Devils (13 GP) – who were also led by Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff – and the 2024-25 Blues (12 GP).

NEWEST OLYMPIC-BOUND PLAYERS SHINE HOURS AFTER. . .

Tom Wilson and Macklin Celebrini were among several players who shone for their clubs in the hours after they were named to Team Canada’s roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

* Wilson (2-1—3) recorded his 15th career three-point outing, reached 200 NHL goals and 40 this calendar year to lift the Capitals (21-14-5, 47 points) to victory. Wilson became the sixth player to score 200 goals with the franchise and became the third member from the 2012 NHL Draft class to reach the mark alongside Filip Forsberg (334) and Tomas Hertl (267). Wilson is one of four forwards who did not represent his country at the 4 Nations Face-Off (also Celebrini, Bo Horvat & Nick Suzuki) who will be heading to Italy – the Capitals shared a video of him learning the news that he had made Team Canada’s roster.

* Celebrini (1-1—2) collected two points and scored in the shootout to help the Sharks (20-17-3, 43 points) surpass the Kings (16-13-9, 41 points) for the first Wild Card seed in the Western Conference. He became the third-fastest teenager to 40 assists in a season in NHL history, behind Sidney Crosby (34 GP in 2006-07) and Wayne Gretzky (36 GP in 1980-81). Celebrini can become the youngest player and only teenager to play for Team Canada at Olympics involving NHL players.

* Brandon Hagel (0-3—3) and Brayden Point (1-0—1), two of the three Lightning players named to Team Canada’s roster (also Anthony Cirelli), were a part of every Tampa Bay goal to help their club move into second place in the Atlantic Division. Hagel and Point helped their current head coach – and bench boss for Team Canada in Italy – earn a win in his 1,000th game. It marked Jon Cooper’s 595th victory, which is the most by a head coach through that milestone (next closest: Al Arbour w/ 531).

. . .TEAM CANADA UNVEILS OLYMPIC ROSTER

Team Canada unveiled their full 25-man roster ahead of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, naming 19 players in addition to Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Cale Makar, Sam Reinhart and Brayden Point, who were originally revealed in June.

* Team Canada’s roster has combined to win 23 Stanley Cups, 35 individual NHL Awards (including 7 Art Ross Trophies, 6 Hart Trophies and 4 Conn Smythe Trophies) and includes four NHL captains (Crosby, McDavid, Mark Stone & Nick Suzuki) as well as 19 players returning from the team that won the 4 Nations Face-Off last February.

* Drew Doughty (age 36) joined Crosby (age 38) on the roster – the pair will look to win Olympic gold for the third time as teammates (2014 & 2010).

* All three goaltenders have won the Stanley Cup, a first for Team Canada at the Olympics: Jordan Binnington (2019 w/ STL), Darcy Kuemper (2022 w/ COL) and Logan Thompson (2023 w/ VGK).

* Click here for more #NHLStats on Team Canada’s roster announcement.

TROCHECK, RANGERS CONTEST FINAL GAME BEFORE WINTER CLASSIC
Vincent Trocheck (1-0—1) was one of several players with a history of coming up big in outdoor games to find the score sheet for the Rangers in their final game before they face off against the Panthers in the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot park in Miami on Friday. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, HBO MAX, truTV, Sportsnet West/Ontario/East and TVA Sports.

* Trocheck, who posted 2-1—3 in the 2024 Stadium Series to help New York become the first team in NHL outdoor history to earn a three-goal comeback win, spent his first six and a half NHL seasons with the Panthers and witnessed firsthand the growth of hockey in Florida – hockey registration has risen in the state by 49.63% since the franchise’s inaugural season (find more in the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic By The Numbers). The chance to play outdoors in the Sunshine State means a lot to Trocheck.

* Artemi Panarin, who leads all Rangers in outdoor points (1-3—4 in 3 GP), collected a pair of assists against the Capitals and became the first player born outside North America to record five consecutive calendar years with at least 90 points. Click here to read more about Panarin and the other top outdoor performers highlighted in the #NHLStats Pack: 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic.

* Adam Fox (1-1—2) and Mika Zibanejad (0-1—1) also found the score sheet Wednesday and hope to have their names added to Team USA and Team Sweden rosters, respectively, for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in the coming days. There are currently five players named to Olympic rosters with the Panthers or Rangers: Brad Marchand (Team Canada), Sam Reinhart (Team Canada), Matthew Tkachuk (Team USA), Aleksander Barkov (Team Finland) and Uvis Balinskis (Team Latvia).

ONE LAST #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES FOR 2025
The final Live Updates from 2025 was jam-packed with #NHLStats – highlights included:

* Brent Burns (0-1—1) found the score sheet during Colorado’s victory Wednesday in what was his 964th consecutive game dating to Nov. 21, 2013. Burns tied Doug Jarvis for the third-longest Ironman streak in NHL history and can surpass him for sole possession of third when the Avalanche face his former team the Hurricanes on Jan. 3.

* Steven Stamkos scored his 600th NHL goal Wednesday to help Nashville earn its 10th win of the month. The Predators became the fifth team with a double-digit win total this December and recorded their most wins in a month since March 2018 (11). Stamkos became the third active player to score 600 goals, joining Alex Ovechkin (912) and Sidney Crosby (646).