NHL On Tap: Monahan to play Calgary for first time since trade

Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices from 11 games Thursday.

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Monahan returns to Calgary for first time

One game after welcoming back Matthew Tkachuk, now with the Florida Panthers, the Calgary Flames will welcome back Sean Monahan, who spent nine seasons with the Flames before he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on Aug. 18. One of the most respected players in the franchise's history, he had 462 points (212 goals, 250 assists) in 656 regular-season games during nine seasons and 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 30 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Monahan is healthy and has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 22 games for Montreal (11-10-1), which is coming off a 4-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday and begins a four-game road trip. The Flames (10-9-3) have lost three of four but are coming off a 6-2 win against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. -- David Satriano, staff writer

Penguins ready to start winning for 'Tanger'

The raw emotion the Pittsburgh Penguins players and coaches felt Tuesday after learning that defenseman Kris Letang suffered a stroke on Monday have to subside so they can be ready to play an important home game against Vegas Golden Knights at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, SN NOW). It may seem trivial because of the very serious reason Letang is out of the lineup, but the Penguins (11-8-4) have to go on without their best defenseman and one of the most important players in franchise history. They're 0-0-2 without him this season, including a 3-2 overtime loss against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. The good news is the Penguins said Letang's career is not in jeopardy, which of course means his life is not too, and that's the most important thing. But the Penguins can't replace everything he brings, so they have to figure out how to win without him. It won't be easy, particularly against Vegas (17-6-1). Pittsburgh is craving points after giving up too many in a seven-game slide (0-6-1) from Oct. 24-Nov. 5. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

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What can Connor do now?

It's a new month and a new chance for Connor McDavid to dazzle everyone. The Edmonton Oilers forward became the first player in the NHL to reach 40 points on Wednesday with his 12th multipoint game of the season and has a chance to keep adding to his numbers when the visiting Oilers (13-10-0) face the Minnesota Wild (10-9-2) at Xcel Energy Center (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN1, SNO, SN NOW). McDavid leads the NHL with 41 points (18 goals, 23 assists) in 23 games and is tied with Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars for the most multipoint games in the NHL this season. And there's a good chance McDavid will add to those totals Thursday; he is the leader in road points this season with 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists). -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

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Thursday games

Colorado Avalanche at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNP, MSG-B, ALT, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Avalanche (12-7-1) have lost two of their past three games. Forward Nathan MacKinnon (248) is one goal from surpassing injured teammate Gabriel Landeskog for sole possession of sixth place on the franchise's all-time scoring list. After losing eight straight games from Nov. 4-19, the Sabres (10-12-1) now have points in four of their past five games, going 3-1-1, including a 5-4 shootout win against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
Nashville Predators at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Devils (19-4-0) continue to be one of the hottest teams in hockey, having gone 13-1-0 in November. Defenseman John Marino (upper body) did not practice Wednesday and is questionable against Nashville. The Predators (10-9-2) got back on the ice for a 2-1 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday after having two games postponed because of flooding from a water main break at Bridgestone Arena. They are 5-1-1 in their past seven games.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, NBCSP, BSSUN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Lightning (13-8-1) are led by Steven Stamkos, who is on the brink of 1,000 NHL points, after he scored Tuesday to bring his career total to 999. He would become the ninth active player to reach 1,000 points with one franchise. The Flyers (8-10-5) got their first win since Nov. 8 on Tuesday, ending an 0-7-3 run.
Vegas Golden Knights at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Golden Knights are trying to raise their level again. They've come back to the pack a bit after a red-hot start, going 4-4-1 in their past nine games since a 13-2-0 start and will be without defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (personal reasons) on Thursday. The Penguins have lost their past two games (0-1-1) after winning five straight and seven of nine (7-1-1). They're 0-for-14 on the power play in their past six games, but are also 19-for-19 on the penalty kill in their past eight games.
Carolina Hurricanes at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Defenseman Brett Pesce has scored consecutive game-winning goals for the Hurricanes (12-6-5), who have won two straight games since losing five straight (0-1-4). Pesce is the fourth defenseman in Hurricanes/Whalers history to do so. Robert Thomas could return for the Blues (11-11-0) after the forward practiced Tuesday and Wednesday after missing a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Monday.
Edmonton Oilers at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN1, SNO, SN NOW)
Jonas Brodin is not expected to play for the Wild. The defenseman, who leads the team in average ice time per game (22:00) has a lower-body injury, which occurred in a 4-3 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday. The Oilers have won three straight games. Leon Draisaitl has four goals in a three-game goal streak and six goals in his past six games.
Anaheim Ducks at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSWX, BSSC, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Jason Robertson has a 16-game point streak for the Stars (13-6-4), with 29 points (17 goals, 12 assists) in that time. It's the second-longest streak in Stars/Minnesota North Stars history, behind Brian Bellows (20 in 1985-86). The Ducks (6-15-2) have lost three straight games (0-2-1) and six of seven (1-5-1), including 2-1 in overtime to the Predators on Tuesday. Defenseman Cam Fowler has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in his past eight games.
Montreal Canadiens at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SNW, RDS, TSN2, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki each has 12 goals for the Canadiens (11-10-1); no other player has more than five. Montreal is 5-4-1 on the road, including wins in each of its past two games. Tyler Toffoli, Elias Lindholm and Rasmus Andersson each lead the Flames with 16 points; that is the fewest points by a team leader in the NHL. Calgary is 3-0-1 in its past four home games.
Florida Panthers at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, BSFL, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Panthers (10-9-4) have been without forward Aleksander Barkov for three straight games (0-1-2) because of an illness. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad has a five-game point streak, with seven points (three goals, four assists) including the 200th assist of his NHL career. The Canucks (9-11-3) lost to the Capitals 5-1 on Tuesday, ending a three-game winning streak. J.T. Miller has a nine-game point streak, with 11 points (four goals, seven assists).
Washington Capitals at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, NBCSWA, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Kraken (14-5-3) are on a six-game winning streak after scoring nine goals in a 9-8 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, capping a 10-1-1 November. Alex Ovechkin is coming off a two-goal game for Washington (10-11-3), in which he passed Wayne Gretzky (402) on the all-time road goals list, with 403. He is now seven goals from 800, where he would join Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801) as the only players to accomplish the feat.
Arizona Coyotes at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Kings (12-9-4) lost a game in which they scored eight goals Tuesday, in the 17-goal thriller with the Kraken, which was just the 12th regular-season game in the past 35 years to have that many goals scored. Nick Schmaltz is on a three-game goal streak, in which he has four points. The Coyotes (7-10-3) are 1-4-2 in their past seven games.