Ovechkin's Final Show in Nashville and Kane's Return to Detroit Define Thursday's NHL Slate

The 2026-27 NHL season enters its second month with a slate of eleven games that pits record chasers against rebuilding teams and old rivals against each other. The most notable fixtures include a final appearance by Alex Ovechkin in Nashville and the return of Patrick Kane to Detroit. These matchups offer a snapshot of the league's current dynamics one month after Opening Night.

In Washington, Ovechkin plays his last career game in Nashville. He has scored 20 goals in 31 career games against the Predators, including seven in his last ten. The home team is led by Steven Stamkos, who has 15 points in 12 games and is on pace for a point per game. In Detroit, the Blackhawks host the Red Wings in a rivalry that dates to 1926-27. The teams have met 838 times, with Detroit holding a 378-278-84-17 regular season record advantage. Kane returns to the team where he spent his last three seasons, while Connor Bedard has six points in five career games against Detroit.

Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild has 14 goals in October and needs two more to tie Mario Lemieux's record of 16 for the single-month mark. This game against New York is his last chance before the next matchup on Sunday. Meanwhile, the 2019 Stanley Cup Final rematch pits the Boston Bruins against the St. Louis Blues. Boston holds a 9-3-1 record and leads the Atlantic Division, while St. Louis sits at 5-6-1. The Bruins average 3.77 goals per game, compared to 2.92 for the Blues, and allow 2.15 per game, compared to 3.08 for St. Louis.

The Montreal Canadiens host the Dallas Stars in the marquee matchup at 8 p.m. ET. Both teams are considered Stanley Cup contenders. The Canadiens rely on goaltender Jacob Fowler, while Dallas counts on Jake Oettinger. Offensively, Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield lead Montreal, while Mikko Rantanen drives the attack for Dallas. In another high-profile game, the New York Islanders face the Minnesota Wild. Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer recently set an NHL record by playing all five minutes of an overtime period. He is fourth in average ice time with 26:43 per game, trailing Owen Power, Zach Werenski, and Quinn Hughes.

Other games include the Winnipeg Jets visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning, where the Jets are seeking to end a six-game losing streak. Tampa Bay is undefeated at home but has injuries to Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman. The Utah Mammoth face the Pittsburgh Penguins, with several injured Penguins players, including Evgeni Malkin and Samuel Girard, potentially returning. The Columbus Blue Jackets, who have won three of their last five in overtime, play the Carolina Hurricanes, who have won ten of their last twelve. Carolina goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov has an 8-0-0 record and a 1.62 goals-against average.

The Buffalo Sabres travel to Anaheim, where both teams allow among the most goals in the league. Buffalo allows 3.33 per game, ninth most, while Anaheim allows 3.58, fourth most. Tage Thompson of the Sabres has five goals and five assists in 12 games, down from his previous season totals of 40 and 41. In the Pacific, the Ottawa Senators play the Los Angeles Kings. Ottawa has won five of its first six games but has alternated results since. The Kings, who lost their first six games, have won three of their last five. The Vancouver Canucks face the San Jose Sharks, with the Sharks aiming to improve their 84-point pace that was considered insufficient for a playoff spot earlier this season.