NHL On Tap: Maple Leafs' Matthews, Red Wings' Kane vie for U.S. spotlight

There are 16 games on the NHL schedule Saturday, the first of two days this season when all 32 teams will be in action. Five of the games will be nationally televised. Here are five things to watch:

Americans to duel in Detroit

Auston Matthews and Patrick Kane, potential teammates with the United States at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, will take the stage when Matthews’ Toronto Maple Leafs (1-0-0) visit Kane’s Detroit Red Wings (0-1-0) at Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, SNP, SNW, SNO, CBC) for the first game of a home-and-home series that concludes Monday at Toronto. The two forwards have a knack for putting on a show when they face each other; Matthews had 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) and Kane had 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in their 16 previous meetings. After scoring in Toronto’s 5-2 season-opening win against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, Matthews (402 goals) is 19 away from passing Mats Sundin (420) for most goals in Maple Leafs history. Kane (492) needs eight goals to become the fifth U.S.-born player to reach 500. He didn’t score in Detroit’s 5-1 season-opening loss to Montreal on Thursday.

Ovi seeks 900 in Schaefer’s home debut

Alex Ovechkin returns to the building where he broke the NHL goal record with a chance to become the first player to reach 900 goals when his Washington Capitals (0-1-0) face the New York Islanders (0-1-0) at UBS Arena (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, MSGSN). It will also be the first NHL home game for Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer after he had an assist in his debut, a 4-3 loss at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. Ovechkin scored his 895th goal on April 6 at UBS Arena to overtake Wayne Gretzky (894) for most in NHL history. The 40-year-old left wing enters this game with 897 goals after failing to score in Washington’s 3-1 season-opening loss to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. Ovechkin, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, will share the ice for the first time with Schaefer, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, after Schaefer played against Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, on Thursday.

Brady’s bunch visits Matthew-less Panthers

Normally, the Ottawa Senators’ (1-0-0) trip to take on the Florida Panthers (2-0-0) at Amerant Bank Arena (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SN1) would mean forwards Matthew and Brady Tkachuk squaring off and the additional heat their brotherly emotions bring to the rivalry. With Matthew recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle, Brady and the Senators will focus on how they measure up against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. The Panthers are still formidable without Matthew Tkachuk and center Aleksander Barkov, who is out 7-9 months following knee surgery. Ottawa wants to take the next step after qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season for the first time since 2017. Brady Tkachuk (three assists), center Shane Pinto (two goals, one assist) and defenseman Artem Zub (one goal, two assists) each had three points in their 5-4 season-opening win at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.

From one Calder winner to another

The last two winners of the Calder Trophy, voted as the NHL’s top rookie, will go head-to-head when Lane Hutson and the Canadiens (1-1-0) face Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks (0-1-1) at United Center (7 p.m. ET; CHSN, NHLN, SNE, CITY, TVAS). Hutson became the first Montreal player to win the Calder since Ken Dryden (1971-72) after the 21-year-old defenseman led League rookies with 66 points (six goals, 60 assists) in 82 games last season. His 60 assists also matched Larry Murphy (1980-81) for most by a rookie defenseman in NHL history. Bedard was the first Blackhawks player to win the Calder since Artemi Panarin (2015-16) when he led rookies in goals (22) and points (61) and tied Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber for first in assists (39) despite missing 14 games with a broken jaw in 2023-24. The 20-year-old center improved his output to 67 points (23 goals, 44 assists) in 82 games last season.

Quinn vs. Connor

Quinn Hughes and the Vancouver Canucks (1-0-0) visit Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers (0-0-1) at Rogers Place (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY) to wrap up coverage of “Hockey Night in Canada.” Hughes (409) remains one point from surpassing Alexander Edler for the most points by a Canucks defenseman after being held off the scoresheet in Vancouver’s 5-1 season-opening win against the Calgary Flames on Thursday. McDavid needs 16 points to reach 1,100 for his NHL career after getting two assists in Edmonton’s 4-3 shootout loss to Calgary in its opener Wednesday.

The schedule

Los Angeles Kings at Winnipeg Jets (1:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN3, FDSNW)

St. Louis Blues at Calgary Flames (4 p.m. ET; SN, FDSNMW)

Buffalo Sabres at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, MSG-B)

Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, SNP, SNW, SNO, CBC)

New Jersey Devils at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, MSGSN2)

Ottawa Senators at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SN1)

Washington Capitals at New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, MSGSN)

New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSG)

Philadelphia Flyers at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NBCSP)

Montreal Canadiens at Chicago Blackhawks (7 p.m. ET; CHSN, NHLN, SNE, CITY, TVAS)

Utah Mammoth at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, Utah16)

Columbus Blue Jackets at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, FDSNOH)

Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET; Victory+, KTVD, ALT)

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

Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, NBCSCA)

Vegas Golden Knights at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; KHN, SCRIPPS, KONG)