Saturday’s 13-game NHL slate brings captaincy changes in Ottawa, a pair of young blue-line talents in Vancouver and a fast start from Edmonton’s stars. No injury updates were listed, but several clubs arrive with notable roster and leadership developments.
- Ottawa opens in Toronto without former captain Brady Tkachuk, traded to the Florida Panthers on June 21 after eight Senators seasons and five years wearing the “C.” Thomas Chabot was appointed captain Tuesday.
- Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna, the first pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, is seeking his first NHL point in Game 3. Toronto is 1-1-0.
- Calgary heads to Vancouver following Thursday’s 6-1 home loss to Seattle.
- Flames defenseman Zayne Parekh, chosen ninth in the 2024 draft, meets Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium, selected 12th that year by Minnesota. Buium reached Vancouver in the Dec. 12, 2025 trade that sent Quinn Hughes to the Wild.
- Vancouver is 1-1-0 after opening its season with two games against Edmonton.
- Pittsburgh returns to PPG Paints Arena after a 7-0 win at Philadelphia on Wednesday. Sidney Crosby had an assist in that opener and enters his 22nd Penguins season at age 39.
- Montreal, 1-0-0, stays on the road after beating Toronto 3-2 on Tuesday.
- Washington’s Alex Ovechkin is still chasing his first goal of the season and the 930th of his NHL career. He recorded an assist in Friday’s 5-2 victory at Carolina.
- Tampa Bay makes its home debut after a 5-1 defeat against the New York Rangers on Thursday.
- Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard has four goals and four assists through two games. Connor McDavid has one goal and six assists. Seattle arrives after a 6-1 win in Calgary.
What Saturday’s next puck drops mean
Ottawa’s first game without Tkachuk comes immediately in a Toronto building where McKenna is still looking to get on the scoresheet. The Senators will also begin Chabot’s captaincy in a rivalry matchup.
The late game in Vancouver puts Parekh and Buium in the same spotlight. Both are 20-year-old first-round defensemen, while Buium faces Calgary for the first time since the Hughes deal reshaped the Canucks’ blue line.
Pittsburgh gets its home-opening crowd after blanking the Flyers, with Crosby bringing 72 career points against Montreal into the matchup: 26 goals and 46 assists in 55 games. The Canadiens have already shown they can win away from home with their opening-night result in Toronto.
Ovechkin led Washington last season with 64 points, split evenly between 32 goals and 32 assists across 82 games. The Capitals visit a Lightning club looking to settle in after its opening loss.
Edmonton’s game against Seattle carries an early-season scoring wrinkle. Bouchard posted five points in the Oilers’ 6-5 overtime loss to Vancouver on Tuesday, then McDavid supplied five in a 9-7 win in Vancouver two nights later. No NHL club has opened a season with a five-point player performance in each of its first three games.
| Game | Time | Television |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Blackhawks at Buffalo Sabres | 7 p.m. ET | CHSN, MSG-B |
| Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs | 7 p.m. ET | SNO, SNP |
| Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning | 7 p.m. ET | The Spot, MNMT |
| Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers | 7 p.m. ET | HHN, CARNHL, NBCSP |
| Montreal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins | 7 p.m. ET | SN-PIT, SNE, TVAS |
| Utah Mammoth at Columbus Blue Jackets | 7 p.m. ET | CBJHN, CBJNHL, Utah16 |
| Seattle Kraken at Edmonton Oilers | 7 p.m. ET | SNW, NHLN, KONG, Prime Video |
| New Jersey Devils at New York Islanders | 7:30 p.m. ET | MSGSN, MSG |
| Dallas Stars at Nashville Predators | 8 p.m. ET | Prime Video, SCRIPPS |
| Boston Bruins at Minnesota Wild | 8 p.m. ET | Wild+, MINNHL, NESN |
| St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche | 9 p.m. ET | BN+, STLNHL, ALT |
| Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks | 10 p.m. ET | SN, TVAS2 |
| Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks | 10 p.m. ET | ABTV, NBCSCA |
