Each Monday throughout the 2023-24 NHL season, NHL.com will provide fans with a guide of games that will be nationally televised that week. Today, a look at games for the 12th week of the season.
In total, 13 games will be carried nationally by ESPN, TNT, Sportsnet, TVA Sports and/or RDS this week.
All games lead to the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic for the Seattle Kraken and the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 1. The Kraken and Golden Knights each play two games before meeting at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
The Kraken will play at the Calgary Flames on Wednesday and host the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday before facing the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights in the 39th NHL regular-season outdoor game.
The Golden Knights are at the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday and host the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday before heading to Seattle.
Three games will be aired nationally Wednesday when the NHL resumes play following the Christmas break, with 28 teams in action.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 27
Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN): Auston Matthews will attempt to extend a seven-game goal and point streak, during which the Maple Leafs forward has 16 points (12 goals, four assists). Matthews leads in the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy with 28 goals in 30 games this season. The Senators won their first game with Jacques Martin as interim coach, 5-4 in overtime against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. Martin took over when D.J. Smith was fired Dec. 18. He had last coached Ottawa during the 2003-04 season. The Senators lost their first two games with Martin in charge before the overtime win against Pittsburgh, which ended a six-game losing streak.
Seattle Kraken at Calgary Flames (9:30 p.m.; TVAS, SN360, SNW, ROOT-NW): Seattle will try to continue generating momentum heading into the Winter Classic as the Kraken go for their third consecutive win. Seattle has points in seven of its past eight games (4-1-3), including a 3-2 win at the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday that was keyed by defenseman Vince Dunn with a goal and two assists. It was his second three-point game this season (also Oct. 19). Calgary has gotten a boost with the return of goalie Jacob Markstrom, who fractured a finger during practice Dec. 4, and made his return Dec. 18. The Flames won their first two games with Markstrom in net but lost 5-3 at the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
SATURDAY, DEC. 30
Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET; BSW, TVAS2, CITY, SN, CBC): The Oilers and Kings meet for the first time since Edmonton eliminated Los Angeles in six games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; the Oilers also had eliminated the Kings in the first round of the playoffs in 2022. Four of the six games last season saw a team erase a multigoal deficit to at least tie the score, one shy of the most in any NHL playoff series. Edmonton forward Connor McDavid has multiple points in eight of his past 11 games in Los Angeles (including playoffs), dating to Feb. 23, 2020. He has 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in those eight games. It's expected to be McDavid's 600th NHL game. He has 894 points (315 goals, 579 assists) in 598 games; he'll rank at least fifth in points after 600 games, behind Wayne Gretzky (1,451), Mario Lemieux (1,215), Mike Bossy (921) and Peter Stastny (901). McDavid is approaching the 900-point mark, which would make him the sixth fastest player to the milestone behind Gretzky (385 games), Lemieux (463 games), Bossy (582 games), Stastny (599 games) and Jari Kurri (632 games).
Sunday Dec. 31
Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, TSN2, RDS): Lightning captain Steven Stamkos played his 1,035th game in a 2-1 shootout win at the Washington Capitals on Saturday. If he stays healthy, he'll play game No. 1,038 against the Canadiens, passing Vincent Lecavalier (1,037) as the franchise leader. Stamkos went into the Christmas break with 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists) in 32 games. Teammate Nikita Kucherov leads the NHL with 57 points (23 goals, 34 assists) in 34 games. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper, who has 497 wins in 832 games, can become he second-fastest coach to 500 victories, behind Scotty Bowman (825 games), and the fastest ever with one franchise.
Monday, Jan. 1
Vegas Golden Knights at Seattle Kraken (3 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS): The Kraken will host their first outdoor game, at T-Mobile Park, home of Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners. Seattle is the most recent NHL expansion franchise, joining the NHL for the 2021-22 season. The Kraken qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season and eliminated 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round before losing to the Dallas Stars in the second round. The Golden Knights are the defending Cup champions, winning in their sixth season. Vegas made it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017-18, its inaugural season, losing to the Washington Capitals. The Golden Knights will be playing their second outdoor game, but first in front of fans. Vegas lost 3-2 to the Colorado Avalanche at the NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe on Feb. 20, 2021. Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel comes out of the Christmas break with 195 goals and can become the fourth player to hit a century milestone goal outdoors. Kris Versteeg scored his 100th goal in the Chicago Blackhawks' 5-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2014 Stadium Series at Soldier Field in Chicago, Andrew Cogliano scored his 100th goal in the Anaheim Ducks' 3-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings at the 2014 Stadium Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angles, and Rene Bourque scored his 100th goal in the Calgary Flames' 4-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens in the 2011 Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.
