18 games to be nationally televised this week

Each Monday throughout the 2024-25 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 first week of the season.

In total, 18 games will be carried nationally by ESPN, TNT, Sportsnet and/or TVA Sports. The season begins with the St. Louis Blues visiting the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena, where Kraken assistant Jessica Campbell will be the first woman to work behind an NHL bench. The Utah Hockey Club will open its inaugural season when it hosts the Chicago Blackhawks at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. "NHL Coast to Coast," the League's new whip around show, debuts on Prime Video in Canada on Thursday.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8

St. Louis Blues at Seattle Kraken (4:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN360, TVAS): Campbell will become the first woman to work behind an NHL bench as an assistant, associate or head coach. She's an assistant to Kraken coach Dan Bylsma, who will work his first NHL game since he guided the Buffalo Sabres in a 4-2 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 9, 2017. The Blues begin their first full season under coach Drew Bannister and Doug Armstrong mentoring Alexander Steen as part of their succession plan for Steen to take over the general manager role after next season. St. Louis hopes for a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2021-22.

Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS): The Panthers begin defense of their first Stanley Cup championship since joining the NHL for the 1993-94 season against the team they've eliminated in each of the past two postseasons. Florida is looking to become the first team to repeat since the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and '21 and first to compete in three straight Stanley Cup Finals after Tampa Bay did so from 2020-22. The Bruins have won five consecutive season openers, tied with the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights for the longest active run. Captain Brad Marchand is one goal from tying Rick Middleton (402) for the fourth most in Bruins history behind Johnny Bucyk (545), Phil Esposito (459) and Patrice Bergeron (427).

Chicago Blackhawks at Utah Hockey Club (10 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS): The NHL begins play in a new city for the third time in eight seasons when Utah opens its inaugural season against the Blackhawks at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Utah will be the 40th different NHL franchise to play a game, the 27th different state to host an NHL game and Chicago's 31st different opponent in a season-opening game, most in the League. Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard begins his second season after winning the Calder Trophy voted as NHL rookie of the year. He can become the first player in Blackhawks history to lead them in points in each of his first two seasons after he had 61 points (22 goals, 39 assists) in 68 games as a first-year player.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9

Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN): Auston Matthews debuts as Maple Leafs captain and can become the first player in NHL history to get a hat trick in three season openers (2016, '23). The game will be Toronto's first under coach Craig Berube and begins another season with it looking to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1967. Captain Nick Suzuki can be the first Canadiens player to lead the team in points in four consecutive seasons since Max Pacioretty (six from 2011-12 to 2016-17).

New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT): Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin are skating in their 19th season together as teammates -- the longest for three players in the NHL. Crosby is four points from 1,600 and Malkin two goals from 500. The Rangers can be the first team to win the Presidents' Trophy in back-to-back seasons since the Washington Capitals (2015-16 and 2016-17). Artemi Panarin had an NHL career-high 120 points last season, has least 90 in three consecutive seasons and can become the first Rangers player with multiple 100-point seasons. His 1.32 points per game with New York is the highest of any player in team history.

Winnipeg Jets at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNW): The Oilers try to return to the Stanley Cup Final after losing Game 7 to the Panthers last season. Captain Connor McDavid is 53 assists shy of 700 and 18 points from 1,000 in the NHL. Like Matthews, McDavid has hat tricks in two season openers (2016, '23). The Jets play their first game since Scott Arniel replaced the retired Rick Bowness as coach. They're led by two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck and forward Kyle Connor on a six-game goal streak in season openers.

Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SN1, SNP): The Canucks come off a season when they won their first division title since 2012-13 and are guided by reigning Jack Adams Trophy winner Rick Tocchet voted as NHL coach of the year. Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes can be the first to repeat as leading scorer among defensemen since Erik Karlsson for the Ottawa Senators from 2013-14 to 2015-16. Nazem Kadri has more goals (53) and points (131) than any Flames skater since joining them for the 2022-23 season, with his 75 points in 2023-24 the second-highest total of his 15-season NHL career. Yegor Sharangovich (31 in 2023-24) and Blake Coleman (30 in 2023-24) will each look to build on their first 30-goal seasons in the League, though Sharangovich is week to week with a lower-body injury.

Colorado Avalanche at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT): Reigning Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon, voted as NHL most valuable player, is one point from 900 and becoming the fourth player in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history to reach the milestone (Peter Stastny, Joe Sakic, Michel Goulet). The Golden Knights are led by Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl and William Karlsson after Jonathan Marchessault (Nashville Predators), Chandler Stephenson (Kraken) and Alec Martinez (Blackhawks) left as free agents. Vegas has made the playoffs six times in seven seasons since joining the NHL in 2017-18.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10

NHL Coast to Coast: The new weekly whip around show premieres on Prime Video in Canada from the first puck drop until the final buzzer and could feature the NHL debut of Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, when the San Jose Sharks host the Blues at SAP Center (10:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SN1). Celebrini will be 18 years and 120 days on this date and can be the second-youngest player to make his NHL debut with the Sharks behind Patrick Marleau (18 years, 16 days on Oct. 1, 1997). Goalie Evgeni Nabokov is the only player in team history to have won the Calder Trophy (2000-01).

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12

Pittsburgh Penguins at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, NHLN, SN-PIT): Crosby and Matthews have gone head-to-head 16 times in the League since the latter debuted in the 2016-17 season. Matthews (15 points; six goals, nine assists) is 9-7-0. Crosby (16 points; six goals, 10 assists) is 7-8-1.

Chicago Blackhawks at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS-D, CHSN): Bedard and McDavid are expected to go head-to-head for the second time in the NHL. Bedard scored and McDavid had two assists in Edmonton's 4-1 victory at Rogers Place on Dec. 12, 2023. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl has points in 15 straight games (12 goals, 18 assists) against the Blackhawks, tied with McDavid's 15 against the New Jersey Devils for the longest active streak against one team.

OTHER NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES

THURSDAY

Dallas Stars at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

Steven Stamkos will debut with the Predators. He signed a four-year, $32 million contract (average annual value of $8 million) with the Nashville Predators on July 1 after playing his first 16 NHL seasons with the Lightning.

FRIDAY

Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNP)

The Lightning begin the post-Stamkos era with Victor Hedman's debut as captain and Jake Guentzel’s first game against the Hurricanes since they traded him to Tampa Bay on June 30. The forward signed a seven-year, $63 million contract the next day.

St. Louis Blues at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SN360)

SATURDAY

Los Angeles Kings at Boston Bruins (1 p.m. ET; NESN, SN)

Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE)

Philadelphia Flyers at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CITY, SNW, NBCSP)

The Flames will pay tribute before their home opener to Johnny Gaudreau, who with his brother, Matthew, was struck and killed while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey on Aug. 29. Johnny was selected by the Flames in the fourth round (No. 104) of the 2011 NHL Draft and had NHL career highs of 40 goals, 75 assists and 115 points for them in 2021-22.

SUNDAY

Calgary Flames at Edmonton Oilers (8 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN)