The 2020-2021 NHL season begins Wednesday with five games scheduled, including Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Chicago Blackhawks.
[PROJECTED LINEUPS FOR TODAY’S GAMES]
PENGUINS (0-0-0) to FLYERS (0-0-0)
17:30 ET; NBCSN, SN1
The regular season begins with the first of eight Battle of Pennsylvania games scheduled in the MassMutual East Division. The Philadelphia Flyers have won their last four seasons since 2016-17, including a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2019 NHL Global Series at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, on October 4. of 2019. Carter Hart, The 22-year-old Philadelphia goalkeeper, i Tristan jarry, a 25-year-old who is the Pittsburgh Penguins’ new No. 1 goalie, could face off in this rivalry for a long time. Centers Evgeni Malkin (15 points; five goals, 10 assists) and Sidney Crosby (14 points; six goals, eight assists) are third and fourth, respectively, in Penguins history by points in the season openers behind Mario Lemieux (20 points; six goals, 14 assists) and Jaromir Jagr (16 points; three goals, 13 assists).
Status report
Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen and Flyers advocate Shayne Gostisbehere they are not available due to the COVID-19 protocol.
CANADIANS (0-0-0) to MAPLE LEAFS (0-0-0)
19:00 ET; SN, TVAS, SN, NHL.TV
Joe Thornton will begin his 23rd NHL season and first in the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the 41-year-old could make his left-wing debut on a line with Auston Matthews i Mitchell Marner. Matthews has scored 11 points (nine goals, two assists) in four games that have opened the season and is one of four players to have started his NHL career scoring a goal in his team’s openers in four consecutive seasons. Clapper, Dave Andreychuk and Sergei Fedorov). The Montreal Canadiens present a renewed list with the additions of strikers Tyler Toffoli i Josh Anderson, defender Joel Edmundson and goalkeeper Jake Allen, which will back up Carey Price.
Status report
The Maple Leafs held an optional morning skate … The Canadians had a full morning skate.
BLACKHAWKS (0-0-0) and LIGHTNING (0-0-0)
20.00 ET; NBCSN
Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning will be without a striker Nikita Kucherov during the season due to hip surgery. Come in Steven Stamkos will be in training after recovering from a central muscle injury that has kept him out of all but one of the Stanley Cup 2020 finals. The Blackhawks begin the season without a captain. Jonathan Toews (medical problem), which is out of time indefinitely, and center Kirby Dach (right wrist surgery), which is out 4-5 months. Come in Patrick Kane has scored 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 13 players who have opened the season in the NHL, tied with the Washington Capitals striker Alex Ovechkin (18 points; 11 goals, seven assists) for most active NHL players.
Status report
Center Blackhawks Carl Soderberg he had his visa issues cleared and spends a mandatory seven-day quarantine in Chicago. … A lightning forward Tyler Johnson and defender Luke Schenn they are expected to return to training on Friday after clearing resignations.
CANUCKS (0-0-0) to OLIERS (0-0-0)
22:00 ET; SN, SN1, TVAS2, NHL.TV
The Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers open up against each other for the second consecutive season after the Oilers defeated the Canucks 3-2 on October 2, 2019. Vancouver is led by a 22-year-old center. Elias Pettersson and 21-year-old defender Quinn Hughes. They also have Thatcher Demko, a 25-year-old goalkeeper with whom the season is expected to start in timeshare Braden Holtby. Leon draisaitl, voted Hart Trophy winner last season as NHL MVP, and Connor McDavid leading the Oilers after the Centers finished first and second in the NHL by scoring last season (Draisaitl, 110 points; McDavid, 97 points).
Status report
Porter Mikko Koskinen with exit for the Oilers … Coach Travis Green did not reveal if Holtby or Demko will start at the Canucks. … Edmonton signed the advanced Devon Shore with a $ 700,000 one-year contract and put him on exemptions.
BLUES (0-0-0) to AVALANCHE (0-0-0)
22:30 ET; NBCSN
Two of the best teams in the Western Conference last season faced off in their first of eight scheduled games in the Honda West Division, starting with the opening at Ball Arena. Torey krug will debut at St. Louis Blues after the defender played seven full seasons for the Boston Bruins. The Blues also added forward Mike Hoffman, who has scored at least 20 goals in six straight seasons and named center-back Ryan O’Reilly after defender Alex Pietrangelo signed with the Golden Knights. The Colorado Avalanche are considered the best contenders for the Stanley Cup and center Nathan MacKinnon, a Hart Trophy finalist last season, said he believes they are more than capable of winning it.
Status report
The blues in front Vladimir Tarasenko to LTIR and promoted forwards Jordan Kyrou i Mackenzie MacEachern from the taxi staff to the active list. … said avalanche coach Jared Bednar Erik Johnson did not participate in the camp because the defender tested positive for COVID-19. He will be back on Saturday if all goes well.