Expert recap and game analysis of the Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Dallas Stars NHL game from January 18, 2026 on ESPN.

Forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand are nearing returning from injury, Panthers coach Paul Maurice said before a 5-2 win at the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Tkachuk, who is recovering from surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia on Aug.

The St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers are in the top five of the mid-January NHL mock draft. Who could they choose?

The NHL's annual trade deadline is Friday, March 6, 2026, at 3 pm ET. However, the league's Olympic roster freeze begins on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 3 pm ET until Thursday, Feb. 22, at 11:59 pm ET.

Two of the best teams in the NHL get set to meet on Sunday afternoon, as the Tampa Bay Lightning pay a visit to the Dallas Stars. The Stars had one of the hottest starts in the NHL this season, as they and the Colorado Avalanche put themselves well above the rest of the pack. However, the Stars have fallen back down to Earth.

The road warrior Tampa Bay Lightning make the trip to Dallas on Sunday afternoon for a matchup with the Stars at American Airlines Center.

Hockey will once again be a flagship sport as next month’s Winter Olympics, not least because of the reintroduction of NHL players which will see some of the world’s best stars compete for a medal.

William Nylander did not play against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday because of a lower-body injury. The Maple Leafs forward was injured in the first period of a 6-5 overtime loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.