NHL On Tap: Kucherov seeks to spark Lightning in return

There are 12 games on the NHL schedule for Thursday, including two nationally televised in the United States. Thursday also marks the third week of "NHL Coast to Coast," a weekly whip-around studio show on Prime Video in Canada giving viewers live look-ins, highlights and analysis of all the games. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Kucherov nearing milestone in return

Nikita Kucherov is three points from 1,000 for his NHL career with the Tampa Bay Lightning (1-3-2), who host the Chicago Blackhawks (3-2-2) at Benchmark International Arena (6:45 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+). The 32-year-old forward, who will return to the lineup after missing two games because of an illness, has three points (two goals, one assist) in four games this season, including an assist in his last game, a 3-2 overtime loss at the Washington Capitals on Oct. 15. Kucherov has 997 points (359 goals, 638 assists) in 807 games. Teammate Victor Hedman is one point away from 800 in the NHL (171 goals, 628 assists in 1,137 regular-season games). Ryan Donato looks to extend a three-game goal streak for the Blackhawks (3-2-2), who are 3-0-1 in their past four games after a 2-1 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.

Burns faces old team

Brent Burns faces his old Carolina Hurricanes teammates for the first time when they clash with the Colorado Avalanche (5-0-2) at Ball Arena (9 p.m. ET: FDSNSO, ALT, SNO, SNE). Burns had 133 points (34 goals, 99 assists) in 246 regular-season games with Carolina (5-1-0) from 2022-25 after he was traded from the San Jose Sharks on July 13, 2022. Burns, who signed with Colorado as a free agent July 2, has four points (four assists) in seven games and will look for his first goal of the season against Carolina. The Hurricanes will try to rebound after having their season-opening, five-game winning streak end in a 4-1 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday.

Kempe seeks to remain hot for Kings

Adrian Kempe has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past five games, including an overtime power-play goal that gave the Los Angeles Kings a 2-1 win at the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday and ended a four-game losing streak. The goal tied him with Drew Doughty for fourth-most overtime goals in Kings history (eight) and tied for eighth-most by a Sweden-born player in NHL history. Kempe, who was named to Sweden's roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, and Los Angeles (2-3-2) look to build on the win when they face the Dallas Stars (3-3-0) at American Airlines Center (9 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+). Wyatt Johnston has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past five games for Dallas, which has lost three in a row after winning its first three games of the season.

Schaefer can extend point streak

Matthew Schaefer and the New York Islanders look to stay hot when they host the Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, MSGSN) at UBS Arena. The Islanders (3-3-0) have won three in a row and Schaefer, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, has a point in every game this season with seven points (two goals, five assists) in six games. He became the second defenseman in NHL history with at least one point in each of his first six NHL games, joining Marek Zidlicky (six games from Oct. 9-23, 2003), after he had a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. The Red Wings (5-2-0) had a five-game winning streak end with a 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, but captain Dylan Larkin extended his point streak to seven games with an assist (12 points; five goals, seven assists).

McDavid vs. Hutson

Connor McDavid and Lane Hutson are emerging from season-opening goal-scoring droughts as they prepare to go head-to-head for the first time this season when the Edmonton Oilers (3-3-1) host the Montreal Canadiens (6-2-0) at Rogers Place (9 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, SNW). McDavid, the Oilers center who was sixth in the NHL with 100 points (26 goals, 74 assists) in 67 games last season, scored his first goal of the season in a 3-2 overtime win at the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday that ended a three-game losing streak. Hutson, the Canadiens defenseman who won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year last season after he had 66 points (six goals, 60 assists), got his first goal in a 4-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. The Canadiens defeated the Calgary Flames 2-1 in overtime on Wednesday and have won six of seven.

The schedule

Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning (6:45 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

Anaheim Ducks at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; Victory+, KCOP-13, NESN)

Philadelphia Flyers at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, NBCSP)

Pittsburgh Penguins at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, SCRIPPS, SNO, SNE, TVAS)

Detroit Red Wings at New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, MSGSN)

San Jose Sharks at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, MSG)

Utah Mammoth at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, Utah16)

Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SNP)

Seattle Kraken at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, KONG, KING 5, KHN)

Los Angeles Kings at Dallas Stars (9 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

Carolina Hurricanes at Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET: FDSNSO, ALT, SNO, SNE)

Montreal Canadiens at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, SNW)