NHL On Tap: Bedard travels to Boston for 2nd game, start of Bruins' 100th season
Dubois debuts for Kings; Matthews 1 goal from 300 with Maple Leafs
Bruins begin 100th season against Bedard
The Boston Bruins will celebrate their history and kick off a new era without Patrice Bergeron when they host Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks in their season opener at TD Garden (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT). Several of Boston's legendary alumni are expected to take part in the "Rafters Reunion" pregame ceremony to begin the team's centennial season. Bergeron, who retired after 19 seasons with the Bruins, and David Krejci, who retired after playing all 16 of his NHL seasons for Boston, join the alumni this season. Brad Marchand will play his first game as Bruins captain after replacing Bergeron. Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, will play his second NHL game after debuting in Chicago's 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in its season opener Tuesday. The 18-year-old center assisted on a second period goal by Ryan Donato for his first NHL point. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
AM34 + 1 = 300
"Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey" on Sportsnet opens with a generational player one goal from 300 in the NHL. Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs are home against the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN). The 26-year-old forward enters his eighth season and is in Toronto for the long haul, signing a four-year contract Aug. 23 that kicks in next season. Matthews scored 60 goals in 2021-22, the first in the NHL to do so since Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning (60 in 2011-12), and with No. 300 will pass Rick Vaive (299) for fifth in Maple Leafs history. The Canadiens are rebuilding around forwards Cole Caufield, 22, and Juraj Slafkovsky, 19. Caufield signed an eight-year contract on June 5. He's recovered from shoulder surgery and will play his first game since Jan. 19. -- Jon Lane, staff writer
Dubois debuts with Kings
Pierre-Luc Dubois will play his first game for the Los Angeles Kings when they host the Colorado Avalanche at Crypto.com Arena (10 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT). The 25-year-old forward was traded to the Kings by the Winnipeg Jets on June 27 for forwards Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari, and then signed an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million average annual value). Ryan Johansen makes his regular-season debut for the Avalanche after he was acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on June 24. The 31-year-old forward adds depth to a core that features Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin. Colorado, which had 463 man-games lost to injury last season, won't have forward Gabriel Landeskog for the second straight season. The captain is recovering from cartilage transplant surgery on his right knee. -- William Douglas, staff writer
Wednesday games
Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN)
Slafkovsky, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, plays for the first time since a knee injury ended his rookie season Jan. 15. He had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 39 games. Forwards Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi and Ryan Reaves, and defenseman John Klingberg, are expected to debut for the Maple Leafs after each signed a free agent contract. Defenseman Morgan Rielly has a point in each of Toronto's past seven season openers (one goal, six assists), tied for the longest active such point streak with Patrik Laine, Filip Forsberg and Leon Draisaitl.
Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, SN1)
Joonas Korpisalo, Dominik Kubalik and Vladimir Tarasenko each play their first game for the retooled Senators and their attempt to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017. Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk is one overtime goal from tying Mike Fisher (seven) for most in team history. Sebastian Aho needs one goal to tie Blaine Stoughton (219) for fourth in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history. Brent Burns is one game-winning goal from tying Paul Coffey (43) for fifth among NHL defensemen. The 38-year-old has played 761 consecutive games, second among active players behind unrestricted free agent Phil Kessel, whose 1,064 are first in NHL history.
Chicago Blackhawks at Boston Bruins (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, MAX)
Chicago looks to win its first two games for the first time since 2018-19 and continues a season-opening five-game road trip. Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle take over as Boston's top two centers following the retirements of Bergeron and Krejci. Matthew Poitras, a 19-year-old center selected by the Bruins in the second round (No. 54) of the 2022 NHL Draft, is expected to make his NHL debut.
Colorado Avalanche at Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET; TNT, MAX)
Ross Colton, Jonathan Drouin, Tomas Tatar and Miles Wood each make their Avalanche debut. Colton was traded to the Avalanche by the Lightning for a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Drouin, Tatar and Wood each signed as free agents. Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon needs one multigoal game to pass Peter Forsberg (39) for sole possession of fifth place in franchise history. Cale Makar is one multipoint game from passing Sandis Ozolinsh (63) for most among team defensemen. Forward Anze Kopitar begins his 18th season, tying Dustin Brown for most in Kings history. He's four games away from Brown's team record of 1,296.
Winnipeg Jets at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; SNW)
Vilardi, Iafallo and Kupari will debut for the Jets. They join franchise stalwarts Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck, who each signed a seven-year, $59.5 million contract Monday that begins next season. Ryan Huska makes his NHL coaching debut for the Flames, one of six teams with a new hire at the position (Greg Cronin, Anaheim Ducks; Pascal Vincent, Columbus Blue Jackets; Andrew Brunette, Predators; Peter Laviolette, New York Rangers; Spencer Carbery, Washington Capitals).
Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SN1, SNE, SNO, SNP)
Penguins center Sidney Crosby said Sept. 24 that he won't bet against Connor McDavid passing 170 points, which no NHL player has done since Mario Lemieux had 199 for Pittsburgh in 1988-89. The Oilers captain had 153 points (64 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games last season, most in one season since Lemieux's 161 in 1995-96. Quinn Hughes will play his first game since the 23-year-old defenseman was named the 15th captain in team history Sept. 11. He enters the third season of a six-year contract he signed Oct. 3, 2021.
