Ovechkin record hunt, highlight of post-holiday Winter Classic hockey schedule

Winter Classic returns to Wrigley

Wrigley Field will host the Discover NHL Winter Classic for the second time when the Chicago Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues on December 31 (5:00 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS). Wrigley, home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs, was also the site of the 2009 Winter Classic, where the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks 6-4. This time, the Blackhawks will be led by 19-year-old forward Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and forward Teuvo Teravainen, who will play for Finland in the four-nation duel. The Blues will be represented at 4 Nations by goalkeeper Jordan Binnington and defender Colton Parayko, who will each play for Canada.

Quarter Century Teams Revealed

The Blues and Blackhawks (December 31) will be the first two to have their Quarter Century teams announced. Each club’s first and second teams, each consisting of three forwards, two defensemen and a goalkeeper who have played in at least one game for the franchise since January 1, 2000, were selected by a panel of media, retired players and executives Association. A Quarter Century team will be announced each day through January 31st, the Utah Hockey Club. Following the announcements of the club’s Quarter-Century team, a league-wide fan vote will be held February 12-26 to determine the NHL Quarter-Century team. Century Team presented by SAP. Voting conducted on NHL.com and

Retirement of Eric Staal’s jersey

Eric Staal will become the fourth player to have his number retired by the Carolina Hurricanes in a ceremony before they host the Anaheim Ducks on January 12th. Staal, whose No. 12 will join Glen Wesley’s No. 2, Ron Francis’ No. 10, and Rod Brind’Amour’s No. 17 in the Lenovo Center rafters, played 12 of his 18 NHL seasons with Carolina, which drafted him No. 2 in the NHL selected in the 2003 NHL Draft. The 40-year-old was captain of the Hurricanes for seven seasons (2009-16). Since the franchise moved to North Carolina in 1997, Staal has been the Hurricanes’ all-time leader in games (909), goals (322), assists (453) and points (775), and is tied for 43 points (19 goals) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs ) second place, 24 assists) in 43 games. That includes an NHL-leading 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 25 games when Carolina won the Stanley Cup in 2006.

Crosby climbing points list

Sidney Crosby should pass Joe Sakic for ninth place on the NHL points list when he represents Canada at the 4-Nation Face-Off. The Pittsburgh Penguins forward scored four points (one goal, three assists) in Monday’s 7-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers and now has 1,635 points (602 goals, 1,033 assists) in 1,308 games, six points away from that goal is to overtake Sakic (1,641). The 37-year-old also needs an assist to pass Mario Lemieux and take the Penguins’ all-time lead.