This Week in the NHL: Fedorov’s, Chara’s numbers rise to the rafters
With 32 teams, games every night and countless narratives emerging, the NHL season can make one’s head spin, and it’s easy to miss out on the weekly storylines. Not to worry; every Monday from October to April, I’ll map out the major events, games, plotlines and milestones on tap for the next seven days.
So what’s happening the week of Jan. 12-18?
Jan. 12: Sergei Fedorov’s number retirement
Carolina Hurricanes @ Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 p.m. ET
He was smooth. He was phenomenally talented at both ends of the ice. He’s still the only player to win the Hart and Selke Trophies in the same season. He won three Stanley Cups with Detroit. Heck, he even played defenseman in a pinch. Fedorov was one of a kind, and the Wings will honor him by raising his No. 91 to the rafters of Little Caesars Arena on Monday night.
Jan. 13: NHL Central Scouting mid-term rankings
We’ll get an updated look on where the top prospects stand five and a half months out from the 2026 NHL Draft. It’s safe to say Ivar Stenberg will top the international skater on the board after helping Sweden to gold at the 2026 World Juniors, but the big question is: will Keaton Verhoeff leapfrog Gavin McKenna for the top spot among North American skaters?
Jan. 15: USA Hockey All-American Game
USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., hosts the annual prospect contest featuring NHL Draft hopefuls from the under-18 team of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program and the USHL. The highest ranked 2026 prospects from Steven Ellis’ most recent Draft rankings participating are No. 21 Jack Hextall (Team Blue) and No. 36 Casey Mutryn (Team White).
Jan. 15: Zdeno Chara’s number retirement
Seattle Kraken @ Boston Bruins, 8:00 p.m. ET
Chara makes it two number retirements this week. Fedorov earned his Hall of Fame call as part of the class of 2015, Chara a decade later, and he’s just as deserving. The beastly longtime Bruins captain won a Norris Trophy in 2008-09 and finished as a finalist six times. He led Boston to a Stanley Cup in 2010-11 and policed his zone all the way to age 44, finishing his career as the NHL’s all-time games leader among defensemen. The ovation will be loud at TD Garden when his No. 33 rises up.
Jan. 15: Leafs, Mitch Marner face off for first time as opponents
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Vegas Golden Knights, 9:30 p.m. ET
We all know the real climax comes next week when Marner returns to Toronto for the first time. But he and the Leafs get a warmup as first-time opponents at T-Mobile Arena for an affair that should be an awkward but less emotional than the circle-your-calendar Jan. 23 contest at Scotiabank Arena.
Jan. 17: Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada
The tradition continues. All seven Canadian franchises are in action Saturday, with all but one playing a one-anthem contest. #BecauseNHL, the schedule isn’t exactly viewer-friendly. The Calgary Flames host the New York Islanders at 3:00 p.m. ET, then the Ottawa Senators host the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets host the Toronto Maple Leafs in simultaneous 7:00 p.m. starts. After that, the Edmonton Oilers visit the Vancouver Canucks to finish off the “day” at 10:00 p.m ET.
Jan. 18: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ 1,000th game
St. Louis Blues @ Edmonton Oilers, 8:00 p.m. ET
Wasn’t he just a rookie? Wow. ‘Nuge’ never became a superstar worthy of his No. 1 overall draft status, but he’s enjoyed a solid, reliable career as a versatile top-six forward you can trust in all situations, reaching a pair of Stanley Cup Finals. He sits fourth among 2011 draftees in points and should reach Game No. 1,000 by Sunday, health permitting.