Bruins Brief: Arizona Not Off Table for NHL; Leafs Lose McCabe After Scary Incident

Good morning, my name is Andrew Fantucchio. It’s Tuesday, January 7, and here are the top stories, news items, and highlights surrounding the Boston Bruins and from across the NHL today.

Bruins News:

Bruins Comeback Falls Short in Fourth-Straight Loss: The Bruins have shown plenty of resiliency lately, just not enough. For the second game in a row, the Bruins battled back from a two-goal deficit in the third period only to lose after falling in overtime to the New York Islanders on Sunday for their fourth straight loss.

BHN Notebook: For the first time since his injury, we received a new update on the status of defenseman Hampus Lindholm. Read about it and more in this week’s Bruins notebook.

Arizona Not Off Table for NHL:

The Arizona Coyotes may no longer exist, but a passion for hockey is still alive in the desert.

According to Craig Morgan, newly elected Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom Galvin is forming an advisory committee of political and business leaders dedicated to bringing the NHL back to the Phoenix metro area.

Galvin has already had several meetings with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and says the commissioner “looks forward to working with us to identify an owner and the best location for a world-class building.”

Leafs Place McCabe on IR Following Scary Incident:

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without Jake McCabe for an extended period after placing the defenseman on injured reserve.

McCabe exited during the first period of Toronto’s overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday after he appeared to suffer a head injury in a fight win Garnet Hathaway.

Jake McCabe went to the dressing room following a fight with Garnet Hathaway. pic.twitter.com/iKWQOvG5XE

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 6, 2025

There isn’t an exact timetable for how long McCabe will be out, but he will miss at least three games after being placed on injured reserve.

McCabe has been a big part of the defensive improvements the Maple Leafs have made this year, which currently has them sitting atop the Atlantic Division. In 36 games this year, McCabe has 10 points with one goal while averaging 20:52 of time on ice.

Yesterday’s Scoreboard:

Avalanche: 3, Panthers: 1

Sabres: 4, Capitals: 3 (SO)

Canadiens: 5, Canucks: 4 (OT)

Devils: 3, Kraken: 2

Today’s Schedule:

All Times EST

Edmonton Oilers vs. Boston Bruins, 7 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs. Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m.

Dallas Stars vs. New York Rangers, 7 p.m.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 p.m.

St. Louis Blues vs. Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.

Nashville Predators vs. Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.

Calgary Flames vs. Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.

Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

More From National Hockey Now:

Florida: The Florida Panthers have a few holes to patch on their blue line as they head west for a difficult two-game trip.

Detroit: Yes, Team USA won gold at this year’s IIHF World Junior Championships, but it was the Detroit Red Wings who were the real winners. (+)

NY Rangers: Slowly but surely, the New York Rangers are continuing to reshape their roster after claiming Arthur Kaliyev off waivers.

Pittsburgh: The Pittsburgh Penguins need scoring help. There are four ways they can get it.

Colorado: Seeing Gabriel Landeskog participate in a morning skate last week was a positive sign. But how close is the Colorado Avalanche captain to actually returning?

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