NHL On Tap: Hughes expected to debut for Wild against Bruins

There are six games on the NHL schedule for Sunday, including two nationally televised in the United States and two in Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Hughes debut

Quinn Hughes is expected to make his debut for the Minnesota Wild (18-9-5) when they host the Boston Bruins (19-13-0) at Grand Casino Arena (6 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE). Minnesota acquired the 2024 Norris Trophy Winner in a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Friday for forwards Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium and a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Hughes, the Vancouver captain, led the Canucks with 23 points (two goals, 21 assists) in 26 games prior to the trade. He signed a six-year, $47.1 million contract ($7.85 million average annual value) with the Canucks on Oct. 3, 2021, and can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season. Hughes will be the first Norris Trophy winner to play for the Wild. Minnesota has won three straight and is third in the Central Division.

Closing in on 1,000

Leon Draisaitl needs one point to reach 1,000 and can join the exclusive club when the Edmonton Oilers (15-11-6) travel to play the Montreal Canadiens (16-11-4) at Bell Centre (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, SNW, NHLN) in the second game of a back to back. Draisaitl had three assists in a 6-3 win at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday to begin a five-game road trip. He has 999 points (416 goals, 583 assists) in 822 games and can be the 103rd player in NHL history to reach 1,000 points. If he gets a point against the Canadiens, he would also be the 21st fastest to the milestone behind Mark Messier (822). Draisaitl has 43 points (17 goals, 26 assists) in 32 games. Edmonton has an opportunity to win three games in a row for the first time this season.

Chasing Mario

Sidney Crosby is three points from becoming the all-time leading scorer for the Pittsburgh Penguins, surpassing Mario Lemieux. Crosby has an opportunity to close in on the record when the Penguins (14-8-8) host the Utah Mammoth (15-15-3) at PPG Paints Arena (3 p.m. ET; Utah16, SN-PIT, SN1, SN, TVAS). Crosby has 1,721 points (644 goals, 1,077 assists) in 1,382 games. Lemieux had 1,723 points (690 goals, 1,033 assist) in 915 games. The current Penguins captain has 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists) in 30 games this season. He had a goal and an assist in a 6-5 overtime loss against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday to extend his point streak to four games (one goal, four assists).

The new guys

Buium, Ohgren and potentially Rossi will be in the lineup for the Vancouver Canucks (11-17-3) when they face the New Jersey Devils (18-13-1) at Prudential Center (12:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, SN). Rossi was activated from injured reserve Sunday, when forward Elias Pettersson was placed on IR retroactive to Dec. 5, and has been sidelined since Nov. 11 with a lower-body injury. All three players practiced with the Canucks on Saturday. Vancouver is playing the first game of a five-game road trip.

Record start

Brandon Bussi can continue to make history when the Carolina Hurricanes (20-9-2) host the Philadelphia Flyers (16-9-5) in the second half of a home-and-home series at Lenovo Center (5 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NBCSP). Bussi became the fastest goalie in NHL history to reach 10 wins with a 3-2 shootout victory at the Washington Capitals on Thursday. The 27-year-old is 10-1-0 and can be the fastest to 11 wins. Bussi was the odd-man out for Carolina in a 4-3 shootout win at the Flyers on Saturday with Pyotr Kochetkov started a 4-3 shootout win at the Flyers on Saturday with Frederik Andersen as the backup. The Hurricanes are carrying three goalies on their roster. Carolina is first in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the New York Islanders.

The schedule

Vancouver Canucks at New Jersey Devils (12:30 p.m. ET: MSGSN, NHLN, SN)

Utah Mammoth at Pittsburgh Penguins (3 p.m. ET; Utah16, SN-PIT, SN1, SN, TVAS)

Philadelphia Flyers at Carolina Hurricanes (5 p.m. ET: FDSNSO, NBCSP)

Boston Bruins at Minnesota Wild (6 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE)

Edmonton Oilers at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, SNW, NHLN)

Buffalo Sabres at Seattle Kraken (8 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, KONG, MSG-B, SN360)