This Week in the NHL: Will Quenneville become second member of 1,000-win club?
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 Feb. 23 – March 1?
Feb. 25: NHL regular-season schedule resumes after Olympic break
It’s back. After going dark for three weeks, the NHL calendar resumes with 16 teams in action, beginning with the Buffalo Sabres continuing their quest to end their playoff drought at 15 years as they visit the New Jersey Devils.
Feb. 28: McDavid, Celebrini switch from linemates to opponents
Edmonton Oilers @ San Jose Sharks, 4:00 p.m. ET
It was truly magical watching superstars Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini buzz around the ice for Team Canada in Milan, even though their efforts fell just short in the gold medal game. But they’ll put the pleasantries aside to resume their Pacific Division battle in a Saturday matinee, with the Sharks opening the week five points out of a Wildcard spot in the West. The Oilers took the first meeting 4-3 in overtime last month; they face off three more times this season including Saturday.
Joel Quenneville’s 1,000th coaching win
It never seemed possible that ‘Q’ would approach 1,000 wins after he was exiled from the NHL for three years due to his failure to take action over Brad Aldrich’s alleged sexual assault of Kyle Beach in 2010 during Quenneville’s tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks. But the NHL and the Ducks gave Quenneville a second chance one year after his 2024 reinstatement, and his Anaheim Ducks are squarely in the playoff hunt this season. Quenneville opens the week at 999 career wins, with the Ducks playing three times. He’ll become the second bench boss to win 1,000 games, joining Scotty Bowman, who has an incredible 1,244 victories.