NHL On Tap: Toews returns to Chicago for 1st time

There are 10 games on the NHL schedule for Monday, including two nationally televised in the United States and one in Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Toews back at the 'Madhouse'

Jonathan Toews is expecting an emotional night and should receive a raucous ovation when he returns to United Center with the Winnipeg Jets to play the Chicago Blackhawks for the first time (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, TSN3, TVAS) since his last game with the Blackhawks on April 13, 2023. Toews is a Blackhawks and Chicago sports legend. He had 883 points (372 goals, 511 assists) in 1,067 career games with the Blackhawks, captaining the team to Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The Blackhawks chose not to re-sign Toews following the 2022-23 season. He took the next two years off and returned to the NHL this season with the Jets on a one-year contract. He has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 47 games, including nine points (four goals, five assists) in his past 12. The Jets (19-22-6) had a four-game winning streak end in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Blackhawks (19-22-7) have lost three straight and four of five.

On the prowl again?

It's possible that Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand could return for the Florida Panthers when they play the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center (6 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NBCSCA). Tkachuk and Marchand have been skating regularly, and on Saturday, coach Paul Maurice said they're close to playing. Tkachuk has not played this season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia on Aug. 22. He skated with the Panthers extra players at the morning skate Saturday before a 5-2 win against the Washington Capitals. The Panthers did not practice Sunday. Marchand has missed five straight games with an undisclosed injury. He didn't skate with the extra players Saturday, but that doesn't mean he won't play Monday. Tkachuk will play for the United States at the Olympics, while Marchand will play with Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini on Team Canada at the Olympics. The Panthers (25-19-3) have won three of four. San Jose (24-20-3) has lost two of three since a three-game winning streak.

Start of another streak?

The Colorado Avalanche will try to get back on track at home when they play the Washington Capitals at Ball Arena (4 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, MNMT, truTV, TNT). The Avalanche (33-5-8) had their 22-game home point streak snapped in a 7-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Friday. They have actually lost their last two home games, including a 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime on Jan. 12. But not to worry, the Avalanche are still 19-1-3 at home this season. The Capitals could have Tom Wilson back in their lineup. The forward, who will play for Team Canada at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, has missed the past seven games with a lower-body injury. Washington (24-19-6) has lost two in a row and four of seven without Wilson, who has 42 points (22 goals, 20 assists) in 41 games. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, who will play alongside Wilson for Canada at the Olympics, needs three points to reach 1,100 for his career.

Team USA headlines Prime Monday Night Hockey

Auston Matthews, Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber, a trio of U.S. Olympians, are competing on Prime Monday Night Hockey in Canada. Yes, it's on at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, with Hughes, Faber and the Minnesota Wild going up against a red-hot Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET; Prime, FDSNNO, FDSNWI). Matthews has 10 goals and 17 points in 11 games since Dec. 27. The Maple Leafs (24-16-8) are 9-1-3 in their past 13 games. Hughes helped the Wild stop some bleeding on Saturday, when he had the game-tying goal and an assist in a 5-4 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres that ended a three-game losing streak and gave Minnesota (27-13-9) its third win in nine games since Dec. 31. Hughes has 18 points (two goals, 16 assists) in 17 games with the Wild since they acquired him in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 12. Faber has 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 49 games. Unfortunately, fellow U.S. Olympian and Wild forward Matt Boldy is out with a lower-body injury.

Afternoon hockey in Raleigh

You don't have to wait too long to see some live hockey on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres will get the 10-game slate started with a nationally televised tilt at Lenovo Center (1:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT). The Hurricanes (30-15-4) have scored 13 goals in their past two games; a 9-1 win against the Florida Panthers on Thursday featuring a Nikolaj Ehlers hat trick, and a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, when Andrei Svechnikov had a hat trick. Carolina is 6-1-1 in its past eight games. The Sabres (26-16-5) lost 5-4 in overtime to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, but they're 15-2-1 in 18 games since Dec. 9. Buffalo is starting a five-game road trip. It is 10-10-2 on the road this season, but 8-1-0 in its past nine.

The schedule

Buffalo Sabres at Carolina Hurricanes (1:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT)

Washington Capitals at Colorado Avalanche (4 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, MNMT, truTV, TNT)

Pittsburgh Penguins at Seattle Kraken (5 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, SN-PIT, KONG, TVAS)

San Jose Sharks at Florida Panthers (6 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NBCSCA)

Minnesota Wild at Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET; Prime, FDSNNO, FDSNWI)

Philadelphia Flyers at Vegas Golden Knights (8 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NBCSP+)

Winnipeg Jets at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, TSN3, TVAS)

New Jersey Devils at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SNW, MSGSN)

New York Islanders at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, MSGSN2)

New York Rangers at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, KCOP-13, MSG)