NHL On Tap: Parekh leads Flames into Vancouver against Buium, Canucks

There are 13 games on the NHL schedule for Saturday, including one nationally televised in the United States and three in Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

ZZ Top

Zayne Parekh and Zeev Buium, two talented 20-year-old defensemen selected in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, go head-to-head when the Calgary Flames face the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena (10 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS2). Parekh was selected by Calgary with the No. 9 pick that year; Buium was chosen by the Minnesota Wild at No. 12 and later traded to the Canucks in the deal that sent Quinn Hughes to Minnesota on Dec. 12, 2025. Vancouver will be seeing a different opponent for the first time this season after opening with consecutive games against the Edmonton Oilers (1-1-0). Calgary hits the road after losing its home opener, 6-1 to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.

Brady-less bunch

The Ottawa Senators begin life without Brady Tkachuk in their season opener at the Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SNO, SNP). Tkachuk spent his first eight seasons with Ottawa and served as team captain the past five before he was traded to the Florida Panthers on June 21. Defenseman Thomas Chabot was named Senators captain Tuesday. Gavin McKenna, who was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, will be looking for his first point in his third game with the Maple Leafs (1-1-0).

Welcome home

The Pittsburgh Penguins are back for their home opener against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG Paints Arena (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, SNE, TVAS) after starting their season with a 7-0 win at the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who had an assist, has 72 points (26 goals, 46 assists) in 55 games against the Canadiens. The 39-year-old is in his 22nd season with Pittsburgh since being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft. Montreal (1-0-0) remains on the road after opening its season with a 3-2 win at Toronto on Tuesday.

Leader of the pack

Alex Ovechkin looks for his first goal of the season, and No. 930 of his NHL career, when the Washington Capitals visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, MNMT). The 41-year-old had an assist in Washington’s season opener Friday, a 5-2 win at the Carolina Hurricanes. Ovechkin led the Capitals last season with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 82 games. It’s the Lightning’s home opener after starting their season with a 5-1 loss at the New York Rangers on Thursday.

Off to the races

Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid hope to continue their hot starts for the Oilers, who host the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Place (7 p.m. ET; SNW, NHLN, KONG, Prime Video). Bouchard has eight points (four goals, four assists), and McDavid has seven (one goal, six assists) through two games for Edmonton (1-0-1). Bouchard had five points (three goals, two assists) in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Canucks in the season opener Tuesday; McDavid had five points (one goal, four assists) in a 9-7 win at Vancouver two nights later. No NHL team has ever had a five-point performance by a player in each of its first three games of a season. Seattle opened its season with a 6-1 win at Calgary on Thursday.

The schedule

Chicago Blackhawks at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. ET; CHSN, MSG-B

Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET; SNO, SNP

Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. ET; The Spot, MNMT

Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. ET; HHN, CARNHL, NBCSP

Montreal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, SNE, TVAS

Utah Mammoth at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET; CBJHN, CBJNHL, Utah16

Seattle Kraken at Edmonton Oilers, 7 p.m. ET; SNW, NHLN, KONG, Prime Video

New Jersey Devils at New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, MSG

Dallas Stars at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m. ET; Prime Video, SCRIPPS

Boston Bruins at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, NESN

St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m. ET; BN+, STLNHL, ALT

Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS2

Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks, 10 p.m. ET; ABTV, NBCSCA