NHL On Tap: Robertson out to help Stars sparkle in opener against Blues

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

Jason lives

The St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars each open their season in a matchup of Central Division Stanley Cup Playoff contenders at American Airlines Center (9 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1). The Stars lineup will feature Jason Robertson, who signed a one-year, $12 million contract on July 1, after a season when the forward led Dallas in scoring with 96 points (45 goals, 51 assists) in 82 games. It’s the start of a pivotal season for Robertson and the Stars, who won 50 games last season but were eliminated by the Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference First Round in six games. Forward Robert Thomas will make his debut as Blues captain and forwards Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael each will wear a St. Louis uniform for the first time.

Red Wings rev up

Perhaps no team has had a more interesting offseason than the Detroit Red Wings, attempting to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015-16. They’ll have a steep road, but it will absolutely be one to watch, as they hit the ice for their season opener against the New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena (6:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1). They will be without forward Dylan Larkin, who is set to miss the team’s first two games with an upper-body injury, but they will feature defenseman Moritz Seider, who has played 410 consecutive games since his debut, the longest consecutive games streak by a European-born player to start an NHL career. New York (1-1-0) is coming off a 5-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, punctuated by Igor Shesterkin's goalie goal, the first in Rangers history.

Ovi out to add to legacy

Alex Ovechkin is back in the NHL and ready to add to his League-leading totals. The Washington Capitals forward, entering his 22nd season in the NHL, is the all-time leading goal-scorer, with 929. The 41-year-old has played 1,573 games in his League career, and has 1,687 points, good for 10th in NHL history. Ovechkin and the Capitals open their season against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, a Metropolitan Division rival, at Lenovo Center (7 p.m. ET; HHN, CARNHL, MNMT, SN, TVAS). Ovechkin, who did not play in the preseason, led Washington in scoring last season with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 82 games. The Hurricanes will try to correct a season-opening misstep following a 1-0 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

Bruins aim to keep rolling

Everything the Boston Bruins could have hoped for went the right way in a 3-0 season-opening win against the Rangers on Tuesday, from the tiebreaking goal by newly signed forward Fraser Minten to the shutout by goalie Jeremy Swayman to the “nasty” goal -- as it was put by Minten -- by trade acquisition forward JJ Peterka. The Bruins seek to keep the good vibes going at Canada Life Centre in the season and home opener for the Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, NESN).

Leo set to fly high with Ducks

There were some tense times in Anaheim over the summer after the Philadelphia Flyers signed prized 21-year-old forward Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet. But the Ducks matched and Carlsson remains in Anaheim, set to begin his fourth season in the NHL. He's looking to improve on a League career-high 67 points (29 goals, 38 assists) in 70 games last season, and will take the first step toward that task against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena (10 p.m. ET; Prime Video, SCRIPPS, KCOP-13, SN, TVAS). The Golden Knights are coming off a 5-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks in their season opener on Tuesday.

The schedule

New York Rangers at Detroit Red Wings, 6:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1

Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m. ET; HHN, CARNHL, MNMT, SN, TVAS

Boston Bruins at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m. ET; TSN3, NESN

St. Louis Blues at Dallas Stars, 9 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1

Anaheim Ducks at Vegas Golden Knights, 10 p.m. ET; Prime Video, SCRIPPS, KCOP-13, SN, TVAS