Hockey fans watch 11 games as season turns one month old

The 2026-27 National Hockey League season reached its one-month mark on Thursday, bringing a full slate of 11 games to fans who have already endured a month of volatile performance and heated debate. The schedule offers a mix of rivalry matches, potential record chases, and final appearances for veteran stars.

The Winnipeg Jets face the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Jets have lost six consecutive games, while the Lightning remain undefeated at home. Both Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman are listed as day-to-day injuries for Tampa Bay.

In Pittsburgh, the Utah Mammoth host the Penguins at 7 p.m. ET. The two teams met just 10 days ago in Salt Lake City, where Utah won 5-4. The Penguins may welcome back several injured players, including Evgeni Malkin and Samuel Girard.

The Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings meet at 7:30 p.m. ET, continuing a rivalry that dates back to the 1926-27 season. Patrick Kane returns to his former team, while Connor Bedard and Alex DeBrincat each have strong personal records against their opponents.

Boston visits St. Louis at 8 p.m. ET for a rematch of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. The Bruins lead the Atlantic Division with a 9-3-1 record, while the Blues sit sixth in the Central Division at 5-6-1.

Alex Ovechkin plays his final career game in Nashville on Thursday against the Predators. The Capitals star has scored 20 goals against Nashville in 31 career games. The Nashville team is also seeing a strong season from Steven Stamkos, who has 15 points in 12 games.

The Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars play the marquee matchup at 8 p.m. ET. Both teams are contenders, with Montreal relying on Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson, and Dallas on Mikko Rantanen. Jacob Fowler and Jake Oettinger may face off between the pipes.

Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild needs two goals against the New York Islanders to tie Mario Lemieux's record of 16 goals in a single October. The Wild do not play again until Sunday. Meanwhile, Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer set a new NHL record on Tuesday by playing all five minutes of an overtime period.

The season continues with the Ottawa Senators visiting the Los Angeles Kings at 10 p.m. ET. The Senators have alternated wins and losses since their first six games, while the Kings have won three of their last five after losing their opening six.

The Vancouver Canucks travel to San Jose at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Canucks are on pace for 42 points, a slow start for a team in a rebuild. The San Jose Sharks, who were expected to make the playoffs, are currently on pace for 84 points.