* The NHL returns to action after a one-day break for U.S. Thanksgiving, with every team in the League still in the hunt for a playoff spot. Last season, the Oilers sat 10 points out of a playoff position at U.S. Thanksgiving and rallied all the way to Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Entering play today, every team in the East is within five points of a playoff spot, and the largest gap in the West between the final playoff spot and the lowest-seeded team is seven points.
* The Thanksgiving Showdown doubleheader on NHL on TNT opens with 4 Nations Face-Off teammates Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand facing off at TD Garden before shifting to Dallas, where the Avalanche will contest a rematch of the 2024 Second Round against the Stars.
* A busy 14-game slate features a plethora of noteworthy storylines and streaks to watch out for, including Victor Hedman looking to claim the Lightning all-time record for assists. For that and more, check out Friday’s #NHLStats: Live Updates.
BACK FOR SECONDS: NHL ON TNT SET FOR SECOND DOUBLEHEADER OF THE WEEK
After a one-day break for U.S. Thanksgiving, a doubleheader on NHL on TNT and Max highlights a 14-game slate with the annual Thanksgiving Showdown when Sidney Crosby and the Penguins visit Brad Marchand and the Bruins before a rematch from the 2024 Second Round when Matt Duchene and the Stars host Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche.
* Crosby and Marchand, longtime Eastern Conference rivals and soon-to-be teammates for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, are set to contest their 43rd regular-season meeting against one another – Crosby (14-35—49 in 42 GP) paces Marchand (20-22—42 in 42 GP) in points in those contests, while the latter leads in goals and wins (BOS: 24-14-4, PIT: 18-19-5). Overall, Marchand’s 22 career goals against Pittsburgh are his second most against a single franchise, behind only Buffalo (25). Meanwhile, the Bruins can become the 13th club Crosby (19) has scored 20 goals against.
* The Stars and Avalanche will be meeting for the first time since Duchene scored the double-overtime series-clinching goal in Game 6 of the 2024 Second Round. Duchene (12-14—26 in 21 GP) leads Dallas in goals, assists and points in 2024-25 and is on pace for his first 100-point season and the sixth in franchise history – he can become the third player in Stars/North Stars history to lead the team in scoring at the end of a season at age 34 or older (Joe Pavelski: 2021-22, 2020-21 & Mike Modano: 2005-06).
* MacKinnon (7-28—35 in 23 GP) is coming off a contest in which he skated 4.67 miles, the most by a forward this season, and leads the League in assists. He will have another shot at reaching the 30-assist mark Friday and can match teammate Mikko Rantanen (24 GP in 2018-19) as both the fastest player in franchise history and fastest active player to reach the mark in a season. In fact, MacKinnon can become the first active player to reach 30 helpers in 25 or fewer games in multiple campaigns (also 25 GP in 2021-22).
FRIDAY SLATE STUFFED WITH STORYLINES AND STREAKS
A busy 14-game Friday features 10 matinee matches and is stuffed with notable storylines and streaks to keep an eye out for, a selection of which can be found below. For more notes ahead of the action, check out Friday’s #NHLStats: Live Updates.
* The Rangers have won six consecutive road games against the Flyers dating to Jan. 15, 2022, which marks their longest active road winning streak versus a single franchise. The only franchise with a longer active road win streak versus Philadelphia is Carolina (7-0-0 dating to Nov. 26, 2021).
* Connor Bedard enters Friday’s contest against the Wild with 26-51—77 in 90 career games and can break his tie with Bobby Hull (24-53—77 in 106 GP) for the third-most points by a Blackhawks teenager. Eddie Olczyk (49-80—129 in 149 GP) and Patrick Kane (29-65—94 in 99 GP) top that list.
* Victor Hedman and Filip Forsberg, a pair of confirmed 4 Nations Face-Off teammates for Sweden, will go head-to-head on NHL Network, TVA Sports and Sportsnet programming. Hedman (160-587—747 in 1,073 GP) needs one assist to match Martin St. Louis (365-588—953 in 972 GP) for the most in Lightning history.
* Lucas Raymond has scored in each of his past four games and will look to extend his goal streak to five contests when the Red Wings clash with the Devils – it would be the longest streak by a Detroit player since he had a five-game stretch in 2023-24. The 4 Nations Face-Off hopeful has also scored the winning goal in consecutive games and can become the 10th player in franchise history to do so in three straight contests – the last to achieve the feat was Johan Franzen in 2007-08.
* Macklin Celebrini has scored a goal in two straight games and can become the second 18-year-old in Sharks history to post a run of three contests when San Jose hosts Seattle – he would join Jeff Friesen (5 GP in 1994-95). Celebrini has recorded nine of his 11 points at SAP Center and leads all rookies with a 1.29 point-per-game rate in 2024-25.
* Martin Necas (12-25—37 in 22 GP) and Sam Reinhart (17-15—32 in 23 GP), the League’s leading point and goal scorer, respectively, will go head-to-head when the Hurricanes host the Panthers Friday. Necas can become the third active player to reach 40 points in a season in 23 or fewer games after Leon Draisaitl (2x; fewest: 19 GP in 2021-22) and Connor McDavid (4x; fewest: 21 GP in 2021-22) while Reinhart can become the first player in Panthers history to record a 20-goal season in each of his first four campaigns with the club.
* Necas and Reinhart aren’t the only players in the spotlight during Friday’s Panthers-Hurricanes contest as two of Finland’s top forwards, Aleksander Barkov and Sebastian Aho, are set to go head-to-head before teaming up in February for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Barkov and Aho were among the first six players selected to represent Finland, with the final roster for all four countries set to be announced Dec. 4.
QUICK CLICKS
* Nathan MacKinnon talks hot start with Avalanche, 4 Nations Face-Off in Q&A with NHL.com
* NHL Buzz: Zach Hyman hopeful to return during Oilers road trip
* Sweden projected roster for 4 Nations Face-Off
* 2002 Paralympic Sled Hockey gold medalists join small group of U.S Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
* NHL Draft prospect Michael Misa hoping to follow in John Tavares’ footsteps
NHL PODCASTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP
* La Tasse de Café LNH (Nov. 27): À quoi ressemblera Équipe Canada à la Confrontation des 4 nations?
* NHL Draft Class (Nov. 26): CHL/USA Top Prospects Challenge: Matthew Schaefer & Malcolm Spence
* NHL @TheRink (Nov. 26): Cam Janssen joins; Blues Hire Montgomery, NYR Trade Rumors, Leafs Hot Streak
* NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers (Nov. 26; launching Dec. 5): Trailer
* NHL Fantasy on Ice (Nov. 25): Week 8 pickups; Blues shakeup, Sharks value, goalie streams
* NHL Schlagschuss (Nov. 25): Episode 12 - Holzer: “Zegras würde ein Tapetenwechsel guttun“
