* Alex Nedeljkovic scored a goalie goal and became the first netminder in NHL history with a goal and an assist in the same game. Nedeljkovic now has four goals through his professional career – one in the NHL, two in the AHL and one in the ECHL.
* Saturday marks the 25th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day In Canada and Sportsnet’s Ron MacLean will host the day-long celebration from Canmore, Alta., with a cast of special guests and in-depth features. The 12.5-hour marathon broadcast starts at 1 p.m. ET on Sportsnet, Sportsnet+ and CBC.
* All seven Canadian teams either occupy a postseason position or are within one point of the playoff line in their conference. The 2024-25 campaign could mark the third season in NHL history where seven Canadian teams compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, following 1986 and 1983 (1986 was also the last time all Canadian teams reached the postseason)
ALL SEVEN CANADIAN CLUBS IN ACTION FOR SCOTIABANK HOCKEY DAY IN CANADA
Saturday is set to feature all seven Canadian teams in action during the 25th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day In Canada, with Ron MacLean hosting the day-long celebration from Canmore Golf and Curling Club and Canmore Rec Centre. The event will reach more Canadians than ever before as the day’s coverage will be available in 10 languages: Punjabi, Plains Cree, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi, Tagalog, Gujarati, Spanish, ASL and English. Full details of the broadcasting schedule for those languages can be found here. The Bruins-Senators, Maple Leafs-Canadiens and Oilers-Canucks games are also available in French on TVA Sports programming.
* Presented by Scotiabank, NHL in ASL – an alternate telecast dedicated completely to the Deaf community using American Sign Language – returns for Hockey Day in Canada’s Maple Leafs-Canadiens game airing exclusively on Sportsnet+.
* Claude Giroux and the Senators (22-18-4, 48 points) square off against Brad Marchand and the Bruins (22-19-5, 49 points), with the hosts hoping to grab the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot from Boston. Jacob Bernard-Docker, who has been sidelined since his last appearance on Dec. 28, 2024, was born in Canmore and played minor hockey in town before he was chosen by Ottawa with the No. 26 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.
* Mitch Marner and the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs (28-16-2, 58 points) clash with Nick Suzuki and the Canadiens (22-18-4, 48 points) in the 771st regular-season edition of the NHL’s oldest rivalry. Brendan Gallagher (6-2—8 in 10 GP), the longest-tenured member of Montreal’s roster, has tallied four of his six career Hockey Day in Canada goals against Toronto (Feb. 13, 2021, Feb. 9, 2019, Feb. 14, 2015 & Jan. 18, 2014).
* Jonathan Huberdeau and the Flames (21-16-7, 49 points) face Mark Scheifele and the Western Conference-leading Jets (31-12-3, 65 points), who share the most points in the NHL with the Capitals (30-10-5, 65 points). Connor Hellebuyck (4-1-0 in 5 GP; 1.17 GAA, .957 SV%) can tie Carey Price and former Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff (both w/ 5) for the most career wins during Hockey Day in Canada games.
* Zach Hyman and the Oilers (29-13-3, 61 points) joust Jake DeBrusk and the Canucks (19-15-10, 48 points), with Hyman (5-8—13 in 8 GP) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (3-8—11 in 9 GP) hoping to add to their notable career totals during Hockey Day in Canada games. Noah Philp, who returned to Edmonton’s lineup Wednesday, was born in Canmore and skated one season with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Canmore Eagles in 2014-15.
PICTURESQUE CANMORE PRODUCED PAST-AND-PRESENT PAIRS OF NHL SIBLINGS
Jacob Bernard-Docker and Noah Philp are two of several notable NHL players that were born in Canmore, with that group including Percy Jackson and Alex Kaleta; Philp’s older brother, Luke; as well as siblings Art and John Michaluk. Kaleta is known for his career-high four-goal game at Maple Leafs Gardens nearly 79 years ago.
* The Philp brothers are also two of the Canmore Eagles alumni that went on to dress in an NHL game. Others include Sam Brittain, Darcy Campbell, Kristopher Foucault and Zack Hayes as well as 2001-02 All-Rookie Team member Dan Blackburn and two-time Stanley Cup winner Brayden Point.
NHL NETWORK SHOWCASE ON TAP TO OPEN SATURDAY’S 15-GAME SLATE
Before Hockey Day in Canada gets underway on Sportsnet, the second straight 15-game Saturday opens with an NHL Network Showcase game when the Devils host the Flyers for the first of three head-to-head meetings in less than two weeks (also Jan. 27 & 29). That’s one of three Metropolitan Division showdowns slated for Saturday, as the Blue Jackets take their six-game winning streak to Madison Square Garden to face the Rangers, while Alex Ovechkin looks to keep The Gr8 Chase rolling at home when the Capitals host Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.
* Philadelphia (20-20-6, 46 points) is looking to improve its standing in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race, while New Jersey (26-15-6, 58 points) is hoping to become the second 60-point team in the East. The only club in the conference with more points than the Devils is the Metropolitan-leading Capitals (30-10-5, 65 points). New Jersey missed the playoffs last year, while Washington clinched the last spot during its final game of 2023-24.
* In Washington, Ovechkin (874) now sits 21 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record (894) thanks to an overtime winner Thursday. Crosby (604-1,040—1,644), meanwhile, looks to continue his pursuit of catching Gordie Howe (1,049) for 10th place on the all-time assists list – the Penguins captain enters tied with Marcel Dionne (1,040) for 11th place.
GOALIE GOAL AND ROOKIE SCORING HIGHLIGHT FRIDAY’S SLATE
Friday’s slate concluded with the two Metropolitan Division teams, the Hurricanes (27-16-3, 57 points) and Penguins (19-20-8, 46 points), picking up victories.
NEDELJKOVIC CAPS FRIDAY NIGHT WITH GOALIE GOAL
Alex Nedeljkovic scored his first NHL goal, collected an assist and made 40 saves to help the Penguins (19-20-8, 46 saves) move within three points of the Bruins (22-19-5, 49 points) for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The 2024-25 campaign became the first in NHL history to feature two goalie goals after Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson scored one on Oct. 15, 2024.
* Nedeljkovic, who became the first goaltender in NHL history to score a goal and record an assist in a game, has made goal scoring a habit in his career to date having scored twice in the AHL (Nov. 17, 2023 & March 10, 2018) and once in the ECHL (Dec. 30, 2016). Last season, he became the first goaltender in AHL history to score two career goals.
* Nedeljkovic became the fifth goaltender in the past 10 years to score a goalie goal, joining Gustavsson (Oct. 15, 2024), Tristan Jarry (Nov. 30, 2023), Linus Ullmark (Feb. 25, 2023) and Pekka Rinne (Jan. 9, 2020). Nedeljkovic and Jarry helped the Penguins become the second franchise in NHL history to feature multiple netminders with a goal, joining the Predators (Rinne & Chris Mason on April 15, 2006).
* Nedeljkovic became the fourth goaltender in Penguins history to record two points in a game, joining Tom Barrasso (0-2—2 on Jan. 5, 1999, April 9, 1993 & April 1, 1989), Wendell Young (0-2—2 on Feb. 20, 1990) and Michel Dion (0-2—2 on Jan. 31, 1983).
DYK? Nedeljkovic’s goal was the second-longest distance travelled by a goalie goal at 184 feet, behind Rinne’s at 185. Click here to view the top five according to NHL Edge.
BLAKE SCORES 10TH CAREER GOAL IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates features more notes from all four teams in action Friday, including Carolina’s rookie Jackson Blake, who scored his 10th career goal en route to helping the Hurricanes earn their 15th comeback win of 2024-25 – the third most this season behind the Golden Knights and Capitals (both w/ 16). Blake tied Emil Heineman for the third-most goals among rookies this season, behind only Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov (both w/ 13).
QUICK CLICKS
* John Klingberg signs 1-year contract with Oilers
* Maxim Tsyplakov of Islanders suspended 3 games for illegal check to head
* Mitch Marner ready to shine for Canada at 4 Nations playing in Montreal
* New rink in Martensville, Saskatchewan conveys Hockey Day in Canada spirit
* Carolina Hurricanes Quarter-Century Teams unveiled
NHL PODCASTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (Jan. 17): Like Father like son: Eddie & Nick Olczyk on their journeys to the broadcast booth
* NHL Fantasy on Ice (Jan. 16): Week 15 mailbag; guest: Carter Hutton
* NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers (Jan. 16): Jesus Lopez shares his incredible story: Mid-season musings, Werenski’s MVP case, and Adnan’s SAG Awards take
* NHL @TheRink (Jan. 15): Nick Cotsonika joins; 4 nations preview, CBJ powers on, McLellan
* La Tasse de Café LNH (Jan. 15): Les Canadiens et les Stars sont en feu!
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (Jan. 15): John Davidson on rebuilding success with the Blue Jackets, Johnny Gaudreau’s legacy
* NHL Draft Class (Jan. 14): Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting; midterm rankings
* NEW Never Offside with Julie and Cat (Jan. 14): Episode 1 – Commissioner Bettman joins; Julie & Cat take NHL HQ & NYC by storm!
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (Jan. 13): Boudreau on his relationship with Ovechkin, Vancouver’s locker room dynamics, & the 2024-25 NHL season
* NHL Fantasy on Ice (Jan. 13): Hold or fold? Week 15 pickups; futures angles
