Once again, NHL fans will have to watch a hockey world without the talents of

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Once Friday’s four games were decided, 282 NHL games had been played this season. Of that 282, 28% of them (80) went to the extra frame — that’s also the highest percentage at this point in the season in NHL history.

And on the history-making Friday night, the history-making rookie made even more of it. One of the biggest stories of the season has been 18-year-old New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer setting records. This time, he scored his seventh goal of the season, winning the game for the Islanders against the Utah Mammoth, and becoming the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal (and giving the Isles a four-game win streak in the process).

On the poetic side, earlier that day the Global Series took place in Sweden between Erik Karlsson‘s Pittsburgh Penguins and Filip Forsberg‘s Nashville Predators. With 70 seconds left and the Preds down a goal, Forsberg scored to tie it up, getting an incredible reaction from the fans in Stockholm. Forsberg’s teammate Steven Stamkos scored the overtime winner, giving the Swedish fans another opportunity to cheer.

Hart Trophy candidates if the season ended today

Nathan MacKinnon cannot be denied. Now with 33 points and 14 goals, he leads the league in both categories outright. He stays on the Hart Finalist list.

Last week it was fun to put Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini in as finalists, because they were 1-2 on the points list at one point last weekend. But since that’s no longer the case, they are both on the outside looking in. Instead, I’m going to tip my cap to another young standout, Leo Carlsson. He could have easily been a Hart Finalist last week too — the “three young superstars” angle would have been a good one in hindsight. So to rectify it — and to curry favor with all the Ducks fans that flooded my mentions because I left Carlsson out — he’s getting a Hart Trophy finalist nod this week. Uncle Leo is in!

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Leo Carlsson tallies goal vs. Avalanche

Leo Carlsson tallies goal vs. Avalanche

I’m keeping an eye on Logan Thompson because he’s still sitting at a .925 save percentage despite the Capitals being four points out of the playoff spot. But, Connor McDavid has eight points this week and is now second behind MacKinnon. And if you were to guess, Mac and Mc would definitely be easy picks to be Hart Trophy finalists at the end of the season.

But it’s not the end of the season. And there’s plenty of time to throw flowers at McDavid (like when he probably inevitably takes over the points race lead). We haven’t had a goalie in here for a while, so I want to shine a spotlight on a tendy. Why not, it’s my list after all! Spencer Knight definitely deserves it. He has a .924 save percentage, 7-3-3 record, and the Blackhawks are in a playoff position. This week, Spencer Knight is a Hart Trophy finalist!

For the record, I don’t subscribe to the “goalies have their own award” chatter. Connor Hellebuyck won just last year, and Igor Shesterkin should absolutely have a Hart Trophy in his cabinet before he retires.

Social media post of the week

Columbus Blue Jackets netminder Elvis Merzlikins has a new mask design, and it’s Sonic the Hedgehog-themed. Nothing else needs to be said. You win the week, good sir.

Stick taps

Stick taps to Sarah Thompson, who won a CHA championship at Syracuse, as well as under-18 World Championship gold with Canada. Last season, while playing for St. Lawrence, Thompson was awarded the 2025 Hockey Humanitarian Award, given annually to “college hockey’s finest citizen,” recognizing a student-athlete making significant contributions to both team and community as a volunteer.

Thompson founded Sticks Together, an organization that aims to give kids the opportunity to learn to play and love hockey in disadvantaged areas of the world. So far, Thompson has brought sticks, nets and pucks to Kenya, the Philippines, South Africa and Argentina. Thompson’s immediate goal is to return to Kenya to bridge the gap between ice and street hockey — to skate with the Ice Lionesses and teach street hockey in girls’ private schools around Nairobi.

“I hope that we can encourage more girls to play for the Lionesses and further develop the players in the program,” Thompson told ESPN.

As for the long-term vision for her program?

“To create a global network of girls’ and women’s hockey programs where access to the game means access to education and opportunity,” Thompson replied. “Hockey gave me the opportunity to go to university on a scholarship and build a career of my dreams, and I hope to create these opportunities for girls around the world.”