NHL On Tap: Hurricanes, Kraken open Global Series Finland 

There are 11 games on the NHL schedule for Thursday, including three televised nationally in the United States and two in Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Going global

The NHL takes the world stage in Helsinki, Finland for the first of a two-game series between the Carolina Hurricanes (14-3-2) and Seattle Kraken (9-6-1) in the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland at Veikkaus Arena on Thursday (12 pm ET, HHN, Prime Video, CARNHL, KONG, NHLN, SN+, TVAS). Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho returns to his home country leading the defending Stanley Cup champions with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 19 games, the most among Finnish players in the NHL this season. He needs one goal to tie Olli Jokinen (321) for fourth place among Finnish players in League history. Aho also ranks among the top 10 among Finns for NHL career points (7th) and game-winning goals (3rd; 3 behind Jari Kurri for 2nd) as well as for playoff goals (5th), assists (5th) and points (4th). Aho looks to help Carolina remain undefeated in regular-season games outside North America (2-0-0) after sweeping the Minnesota Wild in the 2010 Premiere Series. Carolina defeated Minnesota, 4-3, in the opening game in Helsinki on Oct. 7, 2010, the same day Taylor Hall made his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers. Now with the Hurricanes, Hall will become the first player in NHL history to play his 1,000th game outside North America.  The Kraken make their overseas debut with Kaapo Kakko, from Turku, Finland, second on the team in assists (10) and tied for second in points (13) in 16 games. Carolina won six of its past seven games before arriving in Helsinki, including a 9-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Seattle has lost two of its past three and will try to rebound from a 4-3 defeat to the New York Rangers on Saturday. The second game of Global Series Finland will be Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN1, HHN, Prime Video, CARNHL, KING, KONG).

Schaefer hits 100 games

Matthew Schaefer will become the 25th defenseman in NHL history to appear in 100 career games as a teenager when the New York Islanders visit the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena (10 p.m., Disney+, HULU, ESPN+, SN, TVAS). The 19-year-old two goals Thursday to get 30 for his career, which would tie Hockey Hall of Famers Brian Leetch and Phil Housley for the second most by a defenseman through 100 games in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44), behind Mark Howe (31). Schaefer, tied for first on the Islanders (7-6-4) with 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 17 games, got his 48th career assist in a 3-2 shootout loss at the San Jose Sharks on Monday and tied Hockey Hall of Famers Bobby Orr and Scott Stevens for seventh-most in League history by a teenage defenseman. It was also his 76th career point, which tied Rick Hampton for the fourth most in NHL history by a teenage defenseman on a list topped by Housley (132), Rasmus Dahlin (84) and Ray Bourque (79). The Kings (5-9-2) look to rebound from a 3-0 loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, their third defeat in four games (1-3-0).

Benn nears 1,000 points

Jamie Benn needs one point for 1,000 in his NHL career when the Dallas Stars (10-5-2) host the Winnipeg Jets at American Airlines Center (8 p.m. ET; Prime Video, KDFI, TSN3). The 37-year-old captain would become just the second player to register 1,000 points with the franchise after Mike Modano (1,359). Benn has 999 points (417 goals, 582 assists) in 1,269 games since he entered the League with the Stars in 2009. He has seven points (three goals, four assists) in 17 games this season including a goal in a 4-3 win against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. The Jets (8-8-3) seek their fifth straight win following an emotional 4-2 victory against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday in Connor Hellebuyck’s return to Winnipeg after a blockbuster trade to New Jersey, though the goalie did not play. Kyle Connor scored twice for his 55th career multigoal game, tying Mark Scheifele for second-most in Jets/Thrashers history, behind Dale Hawerchuk (62). Scheifele had an assist on Tuesday to extend his point streak to four games (two goals, five assists). He’s three points behind Dale Hawerchuck for the most points (929) in Jets history.

Wild on the road

Kirill Kaprizov and the Minnesota Wild (13-3-4) go for their seventh straight road win and try to stretch a nine-game point streak (7-0-2) when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; SN, MINNHL, Wild+). Kaprizov has helped power the run with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) during a nine-game point streak, including an overtime time goal in a 2-1 win at the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday for Minnesota’s longest road winning streak since 2019-20 (6-0-0). The Maple Leafs (8-10-2) will try to halt a four-game losing streak after a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. Toronto forward Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, leads NHL rookies with 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 20 games. He had an assist on Tuesday to become the third 18-year-old in Maple Leafs history with as many through 20 career games behind Ted Kennedy (23 on Dec. 18, 1943) and Bud Poile (15 on Dec. 20, 1942).

Like father, like son

Matthew Tkachuk needs three points to reach 700 when the Florida Panthers host the Detroit Red Wings at Amerant Bank Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; Disney+, HULU, ESPN+, SN+). Tkachuk can become the 10th United States-born player to 700 points in fewer than 700 games (692 entering Thursday) and do it faster than his father, Keith Tkachuk, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday. Keith reached the milestone in 720 games. Matthew has a five-game point streak (seven assists) for Florida (10-7-2), who are 5-5-0 in their past 10. The Red Wings (7-9-3) will try to end a four-game losing streak (4-0-0).

The schedule

Carolina Hurricanes vs Seattle Kraken, 12 p.m. ET; HHN, Prime Video, CARNHL, KONG, NHLN, SN+, TVAS
Montreal Canadiens at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m. ET; NESN, TSN2, RDS
Minnesota Wild at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET; SN, MINNHL, Wild+
Colorado Avalanche at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, ALT
Washington Capitals at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. ET; MNMT, MSGSN
Tampa Bay Lightning at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET; WWHO, CBJHN, CBJNHL, The Spot
Detroit Red Wings at Florida Panthers, 7:30 p.m. ET; Disney+, HULU, ESPN+, SN+
Buffalo Sabres at Chicago Blackhawks, 8 p.m. ET; CHSN, MSG-B
Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m. ET; Prime Video, KDFI, TSN3
St. Louis Blues at Utah Mammoth, 9 p.m. ET; Mammoth+, BN+, STLNHL, Utah16
New York Islanders at Los Angeles Kings, 10 p.m., Disney+, HULU, ESPN+, SN, TVAS