NHL On Tap: Smith could fill in for injured Celebrini when Sharks face Blues

There are 10 games on the NHL schedule for Thursday, including two streaming nationally in the United States. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Will 'Mack' be back?

Will Smith could take center stage -- literally -- when the San Jose Sharks face the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center (8 p.m. ET; Disney+, HULU, ESPN+, SN+). With center Macklin Celebrini day to day with a lower-body injury and in jeopardy of missing his second straight games, Smith has been skating at the position during practice, which Celebrini missed Tuesday and Wednesday. Celebrini had five assists in the Sharks' first two games, overtime wins against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 1 and Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Without him against the Stars, the Sharks managed 13 shots on goal and didn't score. The Blues (1-2-0) are playing their home opener after starting the season with three straight road games. They lost their last two, including 4-2 a56t the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

McKenna brings momentum into Vegas

Gavin McKenna can build on his best performance of a fledgling NHL career now four games old when the Toronto Maple Leafs (2-2-0) visit the Vegas Golden Knights, featuring old friend Mitch Marner, at T-Mobile Arena (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN4). McKenna, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, got his first point and his first goal in a 5-4 overtime comeback win against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. McKenna called getting on the score sheet for the first time "a big monkey off the back." Maybe it's just the start for the 18-year-old rookie forward, who plays his first NHL road game in Las Vegas against the Golden Knights (3-1-0), coming off a 6-2 win at the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, when center Jack Eichel had four points (one goal, three assists) to become the NHL's first player to 10 points (two goals, eight assists) this season. He looks to extend his season-opening point streak to five games.

Schmaltz on fire going into Boston

Nick Schmaltz can stretch his season-opening goal streak to five games when the Utah Mammoth play the Boston Bruins at TD Garden (7 p.m. ET; Utah16, NESN). The forward scored his fifth goal of the season in a 5-3 win at the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. It was Utah's second power-play goal of the game and eighth in 13 opportunities this season. Led by Schmaltz and forward Dylan Guenther, who each have three power-play goals, the Mammoth (3-1-0) are red hot on the man advantage with a League-leading 61.5 percent success rate. The Bruins (2-2-0), meanwhile, are on the opposite end; they have scored two goals in their past two games, 4-1 losses to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday and Ottawa Senators on Monday. Boston is 0-for-10 on the power play so far this season.

Defense first

The Tampa Bay Lightning have allowed two goals since a 5-1 season-opening loss at the New York Rangers on Oct. 1. The Minnesota Wild have allowed five goals in three games, including four in regulation. They were two of the highest scoring teams in the League last season, but so far it's been all about defense for the Wild (2-0-1) and Lightning (2-1-0), who will try to figure each other out when they play at Benchmark International Arena (7 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, The Spot). Tampa Bay is coming off a 4-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, following at 3-1 win against the Washington Capitals in their home opener on Saturday. Coach Jon Cooper has been happy with how the Lightning responded after a bad game in New York. The Wild aren't thrilled with how they played in a 3-2 overtime loss at the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, but it came after they opened with a 3-1 win at the Predators and 4-1 victory against the Bruins. Minnesota forward Matt Boldy, who had an NHL career-high 85 points (42 goals, 43 assists) last season, is still looking for his first point this season.

He's got the Power

Owen Power looks to continue his torrid start to the season when the Sabres host the Stars at KeyBank Center (7 p.m. ET; Prime Video, MSG-B). Power, the Buffalo defenseman, has five points (one goal, four assists) in three games, including the overtime goal in a 3-2 comeback win against the Wild on Tuesday, the Sabres' second consecutive third-period comeback win. Power has skated more than 25 minutes in each of Buffalo's three games, including 29:04 against Minnesota. The Stars (1-2-0) hope to build on their 5-0 win against the Sharks on Monday, when they allowed 13 shots on goal, each stopped by Jake Oettinger, to get their first win. The Stars broke out offensively after scoring one goal in their first two games, but the Sabres (2-1-0) present a test. Buffalo has limited opponents to 58 shots on goal (19.3 per game) in three games.

The schedule

Utah Mammoth at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; Utah16, NESN)

Dallas Stars at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; Prime Video, MSG-B)

Nashville Predators at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, SCRIPPS)

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

Minnesota Wild at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, The Spot)

Vancouver Canucks at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; HHN, CARNHL, SNP)

Chicago Blackhawks at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, MSGSN)

San Jose Sharks at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; Disney+, HULU, ESPN+, SN+)

Colorado Avalanche at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SNW, ALT, KTVD)

Toronto Maple Leafs at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN4)