Welcome to the NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. There are six games on the schedule for Friday, including one televised nationally in Canada.
Games of the day
Detroit Red Wings at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, MNMT, SNP, SN360, TVAS)
The Alex Ovechkin watch continues with the Capitals captain 10 goals from passing Wayne Gretzky for most in NHL history. Ovechkin (49 points; 32 goals, 17 assists) scored to help Washington (40-14-8) to a 3-2 overtime win at the New York Rangers on Wednesday, has six goals in his past six games and is one point from becoming the 11th NHL player to reach 1,600. Washington acquired forward Anthony Beauvillier from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday prior to the NHL Trade Deadline. The Red Wings (30-26-6) will look to end a four-game losing streak and are a point behind the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They're trying to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16.
Winnipeg Jets at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, TSN3)
The Jets (43-16-4) hope to extend their lead atop the NHL standings in the third of a four-game road trip and second of a back-to-back after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 to end an 0-2-1 slide. Forward Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists and has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in his past 10 games. The Devils (33-24-6) hope to have newly acquired defenseman Brian Dumoulin in the lineup. Dumoulin was acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday for forward prospect Herman Träff and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. New Jersey has lost its past two games and is third in the Metropolitan Division, four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Minnesota Wild at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, FDSNNOX, FDSNWI)
The Canucks (28-22-11) can move into the second wild card from the Western Conference with a win. They traded defenseman Carson Soucy to the Rangers on Thursday for a third-round pick in the 2025 draft, one day after he scored the winning goal in a 3-2 victory against the Anaheim Ducks. Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes is day to day with a lower-body injury. The Wild (36-22-4) acquired forward Justin Brazeau from the Boston Bruins on Thursday for forwards Marat Khusnutdinov, Jakub Lauko and a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Brazeau had 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 57 games for Boston. Minnesota is tied with the Colorado Avalanche for third in the Central Division.
