NHL Hockey 24-Hour Briefing

Last updated: October 18, 2026, 8:10 PM ET

Panthers Make History

The Florida Panthers became the first team in NHL history to record natural hat tricks in three straight games, with Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett each scoring three goals in the streak. Brady Tkachuk added another natural hat trick, becoming the third player in league history to post back-to-back of them.

Power Rankings

The Carolina Hurricanes returned to the top of ESPN's 1-32 poll, with the latest rankings also highlighting each team's biggest surprise of the 2026-27 season.

Jets Await Hellebuyck

Winnipeg is still awaiting a trade for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and his suspension is nearing its end, which could return him to the Jets lineup.

Tonight's Slate

Sunday's action features just two games, Blue Jackets at Wild and Hurricanes at Flames, and ESPN has previewed both matchups with stats and betting information. Saturday's slate was even larger, with 14 games, as covered in ESPN's preview.

Coming Up

Blue Jackets and Wild face off Sunday, with Hurricanes and Flames meeting on the same day.