NHL On Tap: DeBrincat, Red Wings host Mammoth, go for 3rd straight win

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

First-place Red Wings surging

The Detroit Red Wings will try for their third straight win when they host the Utah Mammoth in the opening game of an NHL on TNT doubleheader (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT). Detroit (19-12-3) is 6-1-2 in its past nine games to climb from two points out of a playoff spot on Nov. 28 into first in the Atlantic Division. The Red Wings will be without forward Patrick Kane for the second straight game because of an upper-body injury. Forward Alex DeBrincat scored two goals for the third time in four games in Detroit's 3-2 victory against the New York Islanders on Tuesday to reach 20 goals for the season. Utah (16-16-3) will complete a three-game road trip in which it split the first two games. Forward Dylan Guenther leads the Mammoth with 15 goals, but he had a four-game goal streak (five goals) end in 4-1 loss at the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

Two-time champs heating up

The Florida Panthers still are missing a host of players, including forwards Matthew Tkachuk (groin/adductor surgery) and Aleksander Barkov (knee surgery), but have been looking more like the team that won the Stanley Cup the past two seasons heading into the opener of a three-game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings (7 p.m. ET; FDSNW, SCRIPPS, TVAS). The Panthers (17-13-2) have won five of their past six (5-1-0), including going 3-1-0 on their just-completed road trip. Florida forward Sam Reinhart has eight points (three goals, five assists) in the past six games. Forward Carter Verhaeghe has eight goals in his past 10 games after scoring two in his first 21 games. The Kings (14-9-9) opened a three-game road trip with a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Monday, and have lost three straight (0-1-2). Goalie Darcy Kuemper was placed on injured reserve Tuesday after sustaining an upper-body injury in a collision with Stars forward Mikko Rantanen.

Another Binnington-Hellebuyck rematch

Jordan Binnington and Connor Hellebuyck could face each other for the first time since the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs when Binnington and the Blues host Hellebuyck and the Jets (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, SN). The Jets rallied to defeat the Blues 4-3 in double overtime in Game 7 of their first-round series last season, with Hellebuyck making 26 saves. That was a small measure of revenge for Hellebuyck after Binnington made 31 saves to help Canada prevail 3-2 in overtime against Hellebuyck and the United States in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off last season. The goalies could meet on the international stage again in February, with each vying to be selected to play in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The Jets (15-15-2) have lost four of their past five games (1-3-1). The Blues (12-15-7) have lost three of their past four (1-3-0).

Taking care of Bussi-ness

Brandon Bussi could set a Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers record with his 10th straight win when they visit the Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, FDSNSO). Bussi (11-1-0, 2.05 goals-against average, .911 save percentage, one shutout) has won 11 of his first 12 NHL starts since being claimed off waivers from the Boston Bruins on Oct. 5, including his past nine, to tie Cam Ward (2008-09) for the longest winning streak in franchise history. Carolina (21-9-2) has won four in a row to move into first in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference. Nashville (13-15-4) is 7-3-0 in its past 10 games. Filip Forsberg has five goals in the Predators' past five games, including his 11th NHL hat trick in a 5-2 win against the Blues on Monday.

Eichel on a Vegas roll

Jack Eichel can extend his point streak to six games when the Vegas Golden Knights host the New Jersey Devils to wrap up the NHL on TNT doubleheader (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1, TVAS). The forward had nine points (one goal, eight assists) to help the Golden Knights (16-6-9) go 4-0-1 on their five-game road trip. That included two assists in a 3-0 victory at New Jersey on Dec. 5. Vegas has points in seven straight games overall (6-0-1). Forward Mark Stone, who has 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) in 15 games, is third in the NHL with average of 1.60 points per game (1.60). Stone, who missed 16 games (Oct. 20-Nov. 24) because of an upper-body injury, was held without a point for the first time this season in a 3-2 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. The Devils (18-14-1) expect to get defenseman Brett Pesce back from a hand injury that has sidelined him since Oct. 26. New Jersey is 2-7-0 in its past nine games.

The schedule

Los Angeles Kings at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; FDSNW, SCRIPPS, TVAS)

Utah Mammoth at Detroit Red Wings (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT)

Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, SN)

Carolina Hurricanes at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, FDSNSO)

New Jersey Devils at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1, TVAS)