With Halloween weekend in the rearview mirror, the next major event on the calendar is American Thanksgiving — and all the important clues that will give us in the race for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
To get the week started, it’s a four-pack of games Monday, with a wide array of storylines.
Read on for a look at what you need to know for each game, including betting info and broadcast details.
Odds are provided by DraftKings and subject to change.
Vegas Golden Knights at Boston Bruins
7 p.m. ET (NHL Network) | VGK -112, O/U: 6.5
In Monday’s marquee matchup, the defending Western Conference champs take on the current Atlantic Division leaders. Stathletes gives this matchup a 0.76% chance of occurring as the 2027 Stanley Cup Final, which ranks 40th.
This will also be a homecoming for Vegas center Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and Boston University) and defenseman Noah Hanifin (Boston and Boston College). Eichel has nine goals and 15 assists in 22 career games against the Bruins (with Buffalo and Vegas), and Hanifin has five goals and 12 assists in 22 games (with Carolina, Calgary and Vegas).
Thanks in large part to Jeremy Swayman — Eichel’s and Hanifin’s Olympic teammate — the Bruins are allowing the fourth-fewest goals per game in the league (2.40), and they are a perfect 9-0-0 in games in which they score three or more goals.
Detroit Red Wings at Florida Panthers
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | FLA -175, O/U: 5.5
The Panthers, who are on a three-game winning streak, welcome the Red Wings to Sunrise. Although they are 8-4-2 overall, they have yet to win against an Atlantic Division opponent, going 0-2-0 thus far. Florida has two players in the top 15 in scoring: Matthew Tkachuk (tied for ninth with 20 points through 14 games) and Seth Jones (tied for 14th with 18 through 14).
One has to scroll down a bit farther to find Detroit’s leading scorer, Alex DeBrincat, who is tied for 35th with 15 points in 14 games.
The Wings have a 3-1-0 record in games in which they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent. This will be a factor, given that the Panthers have the NHL’s ninth-ranked power play, clicking along at a 24.2% rate.
Colorado Avalanche at Chicago Blackhawks
8 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | COL -230, O/U: 5.5
On paper, this one doesn’t appear to be the most competitive pairing. But, the Bruins were minus-225 against the Blackhawks on Saturday and narrowly escaped with an OT win.
This is the first of four matchups between these clubs this season, and they won’t meet again until Feb. 28 — when, presumably, each team will have a different makeup thanks to trade season.
The Avs are paced offensively by Nathan MacKinnon (24 points through 14 games), Martin Necas (18 through 14) and Artturi Lehkonen (17 through 14), while the Blackhawks have a tie atop their stat sheet between Connor Bedard (nine points through eight games) and Patrick Kane (nine through 14).
Calgary Flames at San Jose Sharks
9 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | SJ -135, O/U: 6.5
This was supposed to be the season in which the Sharks return to the playoffs — and it still might be, but games against seemingly outmatched opponents have slipped away from them.
San Jose will want to stay out of the penalty box as much as possible; Calgary brings the NHL’s No. 2 power play (33.3%) to the SAP Center, including three power-play goals apiece already for Matvei Gridin and Morgan Frost.
The Sharks are led in scoring by Macklin Celebrini (16 points through 13 games) and Will Smith (10 through 15), their dynamic duo.
Reminder: Fans can catch all the action in the NHL streaming hub and on the ESPN App.
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Last night’s scores
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Today in hockey history
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Here’s what you need to know:
Sunday’s scoreboard
Carolina Hurricanes 7, Winnipeg Jets 0
Minnesota Wild 5, Washington Capitals 1
Philadelphia Flyers 6, Utah Mammoth 3
Edmonton Oilers 4, New York Rangers 1
Anaheim Ducks 6, Ottawa Senators 3
NHL scoring leaders
Click here for full list of stats leaders.
NHL goaltending leaders
Click here for the full list of goaltender stats.
Today in hockey history
You might hear an NHL GM invoke Wayne Gretzky’s name in reference to the idea that there’s no such thing as an “untradable player.” The Great One was swapped twice during his NHL career, including one trade that was so shocking there is a 30 for 30 documentary about it.
But prior to playing in the NHL, Gretzky and the Oilers were in the WHA. And he made his way to Edmonton thanks to a trade.
On Nov. 2, 1978, Gretzky was traded (along with goalie Eddie Mio and forward Peter Driscoll) to the Oilers from the Indianapolis Racers. He ended the 1978-79 season with 110 points, winning WHA Rookie of the Year. That was the last time someone would win that award, because the league folded in the summer of 1979, and the Oilers (along with the New England Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets) joined the NHL.
