The Hockey News Morning Skate: Tkachuk Brothers Breakout, DeBrincat Extends In Motown, And More

James Guillory-Imagn ImagesJames Guillory-Imagn ImagesOct 14, 2026 2:12 PMPublished Oct 14, 2026 2:12 PMUpdated Oct 14, 2026 2:40 PMIn this edition of The Hockey News Morning Skate, Eric Cruikshank and Michael Traikos break down the biggest storylines from the NHL's Frozen Frenzy, including Brady and Matthew Tkachuk's standout performance, Alex DeBrincat's seven-year extension, and more.Welcome to The Hockey News Morning Skate, where we give a quick recap of all the action from the NHL every weekday morning so you stay up to date.All 32 teams were in action for 16 games on Tuesday for the NHL's Frozen Frenzy, providing an action-packed night of hockey for fanbases around the league to tune in.Let's run through the biggest storylines that emerged from last night, and make sure to check out the video version of this story above.Tkachuk Brothers BreakoutRelated storiesOn the other side of this matchup, Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness voiced his frustrations in a post-game press conference, saying "If they're not embarassed by that, we don't want them on the team." As we learned at the conclusion of last season, Bowness is not afraid to ruffle feathers, and his passion and patience is being tested early this year.Lafreniere Stays Hot This might be the Alexis Lafreniere breakout season everyone was waiting for. The 25-year-old scored twice in a 4-1 win for the New York Rangers over the Tampa Bay Lightning to give him seven goals and 10 points in eight games.The Rangers also improved to 5-0-0 at home with this win. Last season, it took all the way until March 27 to record their fifth win at Madison Square Garden, their 35th home game of the season. Things are truly turning around in the Big Apple.MacKinnon Drops The Mitts AgainWhen you think of who usually leads the NHL in fighting majors, it's usually not the same guy who just won the 'Rocket' Richard. Although, that's the reality for Nathan MacKinnon right now. Before securing a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars the 31-year-old Colorado Avalanche forward dropped the gloves with Roope Hintz and was left bloody.MacKinnon's intensity and dogged style of play is what makes him one of the most valuable players in the world, but keeping him off the ice for at least five minutes with each major he takes could prove to be devastating. This isn't to say MacKinnon will make a habit out of this, but any time your star player can't take a regular shift, it's concerning.DeBrincat Extends Amid Madness In MotownAfter a turbulent off-season, the Detroit Red Wings got a positive piece of news with forward Alex DeBrincat committing to a seven-year, $91-million extension ($13 million AAV) that will keep him under contract until 2034.For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.