Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices from the 12 games on Thursday.
Devils move on with Green
It's been a frustrating season for the New Jersey Devils (30-28-4), who are eight points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Coach Lindy Ruff was fired on Monday and associate Travis Green was named his replacement the same day. But the Devils got off to a tough start with Green, losing 5-3 to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. They take a three-game losing streak into their game against the St. Louis Blues at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET; ESPN). The Devils have struggled in what they've given up, allowing 3.52 goals per game, fifth-most in the NHL. The Blues (32-27-3) are six points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. Their three-game point streak (2-0-1) ended in a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
Tarasenko to make Panthers debut
Vladimir Tarasenko will play in his first game with the Florida Panthers when they host the Philadelphia Flyers at Amerant Bank Arena (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, NBCSP). Florida acquired Tarasenko in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a third-round choice in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 32-year-old forward has 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 57 games this season and adds another experienced weapon to a potent Panthers attack that includes Sam Reinhart (45 goals), Carter Verhaeghe (30) and Matthew Tkachuk (21 goals). A Stanley Cup winner with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Tarasenko has scored 44 goals in 97 playoff games in his 12 NHL seasons. The Panthers (43-16-4) lead the NHL with 90 points, have won six in a row and are 12-1-0 in their past 13 games. The Flyers (32-23-8) are third in the Metropolitan Division, six points behind the second-place Carolina Hurricanes and four points ahead of the New York Islanders. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
Bruins face Maple Leafs again, need to get it going
The Boston Bruins won 4-1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday. It was one of five wins they have in 15 games since coming back from the All-Star break. And that's the problem for the Bruins (36-13-15), who play the Maple Leafs again on Thursday at TD Garden (7 p.m. ET; NESN, TSN4). They have points in 11 of the 15 games, albeit through four losses in overtime and two more in the shootout. But the Bruins are not scoring nearly enough to win enough. They're averaging 2.60 goals per game since the break with a power play that is operating at just 14.0 percent. They scored 3.49 goals per game and were 26.0 percent on the power play in 49 games before the break. David Pastrnak has five goals, Charlie Coyle three, Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk two each in the 15 games. But Boston scored four against Toronto on Monday. Pavel Zacha has three in the past two games, including Boston's lone goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. The Bruins, though, should be confident against the Maple Leafs (36-18-8) in what could also be a preview of an Eastern Conference First Round series. They are second (Boston) and third (Toronto) in the Atlantic Division. Toronto is coming off a 2-1 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres courtesy of an Auston Matthews goal with 40 seconds left in the extra session. The Maple Leafs have won three of four and 10 of 12. And they want to pay the Bruins back too. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer
Thursday games
Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, TSN4)
Matthews scored his NHL-leading 54th goal of the season on Wednesday and is on pace for 71 goals this season. Pastrnak needs two goals to get to 40 this season for the third straight season. He has not scored in his past four games.
Montreal Canadiens at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, TSN2, RDS)
This is the end of a four-game road trip for the Canadiens (24-28-10), who are 1-0-2 thus far. They've had 36 games decided by one goal (16-10-10), most in the NHL. Forward Nick Suzuki has 100 goals in 353 career NHL games. The Hurricanes, second in the Metropolitan Division, six points behind the first-place New York Rangers, are 6-2-1 in their past nine games. Center Martin Necas has 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in his past 19 games.
Edmonton Oilers at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, SNW)
The Oilers (38-20-2) have won five in a row and are second in the Pacific Division, nine points behind the first-place Vancouver Canucks. Forwards Adam Henrique and Connor Carrick were acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-team trade on Wednesday and could play. Connor McDavid is one point away from a 100-point season, which would be his fourth straight and seventh overall. The Blue Jackets (21-31-10) have won two of their past three games.
Philadelphia Flyers at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, NBCSP)
The Flyers traded defenseman Sean Walker along with a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday for forward Ryan Johansen and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Philadelphia is 3-4-2 in its past nine games. Reinhart has six goals during a four-game goal streak for Florida and is second in the NHL with 45 goals in 63 games this season.
St. Louis Blues at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; ESPN)
It's the third of a five-game road trip for the Blues, who are 14-16-2 away from Enterprise Center this season. Forward Robert Thomas leads St. Louis with 69 points (20 goals, 49 assists) in 62 games this season. Devils forward Timo Meier has goals in three straight games.
Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MNMT)
The Capitals (28-23-9) have lost two of their past three and are seven points behind the Lightning for the second wild card from the East. Washington has scored a power-play goal in five straight games, and has eight power-play goals over that span. Forward Alex Ovechkin needs one point to tie Paul Coffey (1,531) for 15th on the NHL's all-time scoring list. The Penguins (28-24-8) ended their three-game losing streak with a 5-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Forward Evgeni Malkin has two goals in his past two games after having two goals in his previous 24 games.
Calgary Flames at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, SNP, SN360)
It's the first of a three-game road trip for the Flames (30-26-5), whose five-game winning streak ended in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Monday. They're eight points behind the Predators for the second wild card in the West but are now moving forward without defenseman Noah Hanifin, who was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. The Lightning (33-24-6) hold the second wild card in the East. Forward Brayden Point has scored a goal in seven of his past nine games.
Buffalo Sabres at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, MSG-B)
This is the second half of back-to-back road games for the Sabres (29-29-5), who lost 2-1 in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Center Victor Olofsson, a healthy scratch for nine games who was back in the lineup after Casey Middlestadt was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, scored his first goal since Dec. 7. The Predators (35-25-3), who hold the second wild card in the West, are 8-0-1 in their past nine games. Forward Filip Forsberg has 30 goals this season, the fourth time in his career he's reached that mark.
Minnesota Wild at Arizona Coyotes (9 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSNX, BSWI)
It's the first of back-to-back games for the Wild (29-27-6), who are nine points behind the Predators for the second wild card in the West. Forward Kirill Kaprizov has three hat tricks this season, his latest coming in a 4-3 win against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. The Coyotes (25-32-5) have lost six in a row at home and 15 of their past 17 overall (2-13-2). Forward Jason Zucker was held out of a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday for trade-related reasons.
Vancouver Canucks at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SNP)
The Canucks (40-17-7), who lead the Pacific, have won two in a row and three of their past five (3-1-1). Defenseman Quinn Hughes does not have a goal in his past 17 games, but has 16 assists in that span. The Golden Knights (33-22-7) hold the first wild card into the playoffs from the West but have lost three in a row and six of seven (1-5-1). Vegas acquired defenseman Noah Hanifin from the Calgary Flames in a three-way deal that included the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. It's unknown if Hanifin will be available to play against the Canucks.
Ottawa Senators at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, TSN5, RDS)
The Senators (25-32-3) have lost five in a row and will move on without Tarasenko after he was traded to the Panthers on Wednesday. Center Tim Stutzle leads Ottawa with 56 points (14 goals, 42 assists) in 60 games. The Kings (31-19-11) are third in the Pacific, five points behind the Oilers. They're 6-3-1 in their past 10 games. Forward Trevor Moore has five points (two goals, three assists) during a three-game streak.
New York Islanders at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NBCSCA, SNW, SNO, SNE, TVAS)
The Islanders (27-20-14) have won four in a row and are four points behind the Lightning for the second wild card in the East. Forward Kyle Palmieri is on a three-game point streak (four goals, two assists) and forward Mathew Barzal is on a five-game streak (two goals, four assists). The Sharks (15-39-7) have lost eight in a row (0-6-2).
