NHL On Tap: Maple Leafs, Jets clash in battle of Olympic teammates

See you in Milan

Auston Matthews, Kyle Connor and Connor Hellebuyck will be teammates for the United States at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 next month. Before that, however, they'll square off for the final time in NHL competition this season when Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs (23-16-8) play Hellebuyck, Connor and the Winnipeg Jets (19-22-5) at Canada Life Centre (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, NHLN) in one of the featured matchups on Hockey Day in Canada. Matthews has 38 points (23 goals, 15 assists) in 41 games this season. Connor has 55 points (22 goals, 33 assists) in 46 games, and Hellebuyck is 12-12-4 with a 2.73 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 28 starts.

Assist machine

Leon Draisaitl enters the Edmonton Oilers game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, CITY) one assist shy of becoming the fourth player in Oilers history to reach 600 in his career. Draisaitl, who will suit up for Team Germany at the Olympics, has 67 points (25 goals, 42 assists) in 48 games this season for the Oilers (23-17-8), who have lost two straight. He could join Wayne Gretzky (1,086), Connor McDavid (773) and Mark Messier (642) in the exclusive club. Vancouver (16-26-5) has lost nine straight games (0-7-2).

Super Sabres

The good times just keep coming for the Buffalo Sabres (26-16-4), who have won two in a row and 15 of their past 17 games. They're also 16-6-2 at home and will look to improve that record against the Minnesota Wild (26-13-9) at KeyBank Center (12:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, NHLN, MSG-B). Tage Thompson, who will play for Team USA at the Olympics, had five points (three goals, two assists) in a 5-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday and has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in a six-game point streak. The Wild will try to get back on track, having lost three in a row (0-2-1) and five of their past six (1-3-2) and will be without forwards Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek, who were placed on injured reserve Friday.

Schaefer thriving

Matthew Schaefer will look to improve upon his rookie season when the New York Islanders continue their seven-game road trip at the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome (3 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, MSGSN). The rookie defenseman has 13 goals this season and needs one more to pass Bobby Orr for the second-most by an 18-year-old defenseman (Phil Housley has the most with 17). Schaefer has 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 47 games for the Islanders (26-16-5), third among rookies behind Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov (40) and Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke (35), entering Friday. The Flames (20-23-4) begin a five-game homestand.

O captain, my captain

It will be the 29th head-to-head matchup of their NHL careers when Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki and Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk meet at Canadian Tire Centre (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE). Thus far, Tkachuk holds the advantage with 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) and a record of 17-8-3 in those games. Suzuki has 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) and is 11-13-4. Tkachuk, who will play for Team USA at the Olympics, is coming off a four-point game in an 8-4 win against the New York Rangers on Wednesday, and hopes to help Ottawa (22-19-5) win its third game in a row. Suzuki, who was named to Team Canada, leads Montreal (26-15-7) with 52 points (15 goals, 37 assists) in 48 games this season.

The schedule

Minnesota Wild at Buffalo Sabres (12:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI FDSNNO, NHLN, MSG-B)

New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers (1 p.m. ET; NBCSP, MSG)

New York Islanders at Calgary Flames (3 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, MSGSN)

Seattle Kraken at Utah Mammoth (5 p.m. ET; Utah16, KHN/Prime, KONG)

Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE)

Carolina Hurricanes at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSGSN)

Columbus Blue Jackets at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, SN-PIT)

Florida Panthers at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MNMT)

Toronto Maple Leafs at Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, NHLN)

Boston Bruins at Chicago Blackhawks (8 p.m. ET; CHSN, NESN)

Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, CITY)

Nashville Predators at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SCRIPPS)

Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; FDSNW, Victory+)