What Christmas gifts do NHL teams need heading into the second half of the season?

If you’re reading this, let me remind you that you still have some last-minute shopping to take care of. But back to the hockey: if you could get your favorite team one gift for the holiday season, what would it be?

On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton get ready for the holidays and think on what Christmas gifts some teams could use as we head into the second half of the 2025-26 regular season.

Carter Hutton: There’s so many teams at Christmas who could really use a gift right now. For me, it’s the Buffalo Sabres. I’m going to give them a free pass of cutting one goalie and trading someone out. I think we’re at a point now where the three-goalie monster has been bad; they’ve been on a winning streak, but let’s get to the point where Jarmo Kekalainen — who has already moved off an assistant GM — knows it’s time to move off of a goalie.

Tyler Yaremchuk: The results are what they are. I think Alex Lyon has complicated it by winning a whole bunch of starts in a row, and the Sabres are on a hot streak. They’re looking to stay hot heading into the Christmas break, but I do think Kekalainen has had some time bought for him with this little winning streak.

For me, I want to give a Disneyland-style fast-pass to the Colorado Avalanche. They are very clearly the best team in the NHL, and maybe you can just cut their schedule down. Let’s take 20 games off for the Avs: they don’t need to get hurt, we know they’re going to finish first, they’re a lock to win the Presidents’ Trophy, so let’s save some teams the embarrassment.

I just think, as a whole, all 31 other fanbases can put their hands up and say “that team is better than the rest of the us,” and let the Avs get ready for the playoffs.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…