Interesting matchups
Edmonton Oilers - New Jersey Devils (Tuesday, November 3)
Last week, Connor Hellebuyck was acquired by the New Jersey Devils, ending his long tenure with the Winnipeg Jets, and in his first game with his new team, he stopped 17 of the 18 shots he saw as the team took down the Dallas Stars.
He backed it up with another great performance in his second game, and on Tuesday, he faces the NHL’s best offensive unit, as the Oilers currently lead the league in goals per game at 4.23. The Devils aren’t slouches either, as they rank 11th in the NHL at 3.43 goals a night, and given how all the top stars on both teams have performed, this matchup will be one for fans to not miss.
Toronto Maple Leafs - Montreal Canadiens (Saturday November 7)
This is the oldest and one of the best rivalries in the National Hockey League, and given that both teams are genuine post-season contenders in 2026/27, any matchup between them adds that much more to the rivalry. While Montreal sit fourth in the Atlantic and Toronto sit seventh, there are just two points separating them in the standings, meaning that as we head further into the season, every point will become that much more crucial.
With William Nylander, Auston Matthews, Cole Caufield, Jacob Fowler and so many other stars all over the ice, hockey’s oldest rivalry is reignited once again on a Saturday night, with the conditions set up for it to be a true blockbuster.
Who's hot?
Connor McDavid
It’s been arguably the biggest individual story in the NHL this season, but Connor McDavid has been red-hot throughout the 2026/27 campaign, and after their latest win, he’s climbed 11 points ahead of teammate Leon Draisaitl for the league lead with a ridiculous 8 goals and 37 points in 14 games played.
Jacob Fowler
In net, there’s been no better player per game this year than Montreal Canadiens star Jacob Fowler, who has emerged as their starter through eight appearances in 2026/27. In that time, he’s posted a 7-1-0 record with a 1.84 GAA and a .932 save percentage, and while it’s still early in his career, the 21-year-old is looking almost unbeatable early in the year.
Who's cold?
Winnipeg Jets
With new goaltender Stuart Skinner, the Winnipeg Jets started 2026/27 red-hot, but since then, they’ve cooled off much more than anyone in the NHL, as the team have now officially dropped eight straight games as they now sit just two points clear of last place in the Central Division.
The talent is still there for them to be a potential Wild Card squad, but after dealing Connor Hellebuyck, this team is spiralling, and if they don’t turn it around soon, it could derail their entire campaign.
Milestones
Mikko Rantanen has been one of the NHL’s most consistent wingers for a long time now, and while he’s not been able to put up superstar level numbers, he’s been ever reliable with Colorado and Dallas.
Through 729 games played, Rantanen now has 323 goals and 799 points, putting him just two points back of 800 in his career, and at just 30-years-old, he’s got a very good shot at passing 1,000 before his career comes to an end.
Sidney Crosby
Sidney Crosby has started slowing in 2026/27, but with a three-point game on Saturday night, he brought himself tied with Marcel Dionne for sixth all-time in the NHL’s point leaderboard.
With 1,771, Crosby is now tied with sixth all time, so this week with a single point he’ll move into sole ownership of sixth, and with Ron Francis just 27 points ahead in fifth place and Gordie Howe 79 points away in fourth, we could potentially see two other milestones this season.
Talking points
Dylan Larkin, Nikita Kucherov Future
This off-season, we saw plenty of speculation about stars around the NHL, and after Connor Hellebuyck was traded, there’s only one US Olympian remaining on his team that wants to be dealt. That’s former Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin who recently refused to play for the team, and while nothing is clearly imminent, there’s a chance Detroit may want to finish up this saga soon.
Then, this past week, Nikita Kucherov requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning, and like Larkin, there’s no desperation to get a deal done soon, but with speculation heating up, there’s plenty to keep an eye on regarding trades.
Brutal Atlantic Division battle
On the ice, there’s been plenty of great performances, and the one to watch closely as the year rolls on is the Atlantic Division, as all eight teams are currently over .500. At the top are the Boston Bruins with a 10-4-1 record, and in 8th is the Red Wings with a 6-5-3 mark, and while Detroit likely aren’t going to contend this year, the other seven are all major threats, making every game for all seven incredibly important as the season rolls along.