Maple Leafs-Bruins, Oilers-Golden Knights highlight weekend schedule

Each Friday, NHL Network and ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes will provide readers with three games he is looking forward to that weekend:

Winnipeg Jets at Pittsburgh Penguins (Friday, 7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVAS, SN, ATTSN-PT)
The Jets (27-14-1) are coming off a 4-2 win at the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. They've been playing well all season but recently got back key players from injury (forwards Blake Wheeler, Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti and defenseman Nate Schmidt). Josh Morrissey is in the Norris Trophy conversation as the best defenseman in the NHL, and Connor Hellebuyck has returned to the form that helped him win the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL in 2019-20. First-year coach Rick Bowness has done a really good job with this team. The Jets, who didn't make the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, and they are right there with the leaders in the Western Conference.

The Penguins (21-13-6) have won two straight following a six-game skid (0-4-2). The challenge for them is going to be playing without goalie Tristan Jarry, who hasn't played since he sustained a lower-body injury in the 2023 Winter Classic on Jan. 2. We know goalie Casey DeSmith is very capable, but it's different without your No. 1 goalie. Forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel are point-per-game players this season. When those guys are going, so are the Penguins.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CBC, SNO, SNW, NESN, SN NOW)
This is one of the most anticipated regular-season matchups in some time, in my opinion, as two of the top teams in the League face off. The Bruins (32-5-4) have the best record in the NHL and the Maple Leafs are close behind (26-10-7). Toronto's goaltending with Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov has been much better than anticipated coming into this season. Forward Auston Matthews, who didn't play in a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, isn't scoring goals at the rate we're accustomed to from him. Matthews, who scored 60 goals last season, has 20 goals and 27 assists in 41 games this season. Forward John Tavares (43 points) is quietly having a good year and forwards William Nylander (47) and Mitchell Marner (50) give Toronto four 40-point scorers. They have stayed near the Bruins in the Atlantic Division race without three defensemen who have been injured (Morgan Rielly, TJ Brodie, Jake Muzzin).

The Bruins had a hiccup Thursday, a 3-0 home loss to the Seattle Kraken. It was their first regulation home loss of the season. They have nine total losses all season and haven't lost two straight games, so we'll see how they respond. Boston is the most complete team in the League, ranking in the top three in goals for (154, first), goals against (88, first), power-play percentage (28 percent, third) and penalty-killing percentage (86.1 percent first) entering Friday. They have a balanced offense, defense, and the best goalie in the NHL this season in Linus Ullmark.
Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights (Saturday, 10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, TVAS2, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+)
Edmonton (22-18-3) has been mediocre this season, but good news could be coming with Evander Kane possibly returning sooner than expected from a hand injury sustained Nov. 8. Forward Connor McDavid is scoring at his highest pace in terms of goals at the NHL level. Entering Friday, he leads the NHL with 35 goals after scoring a career-high 44 last season. Forward Leon Draisaitl is No. 2 in the NHL in scoring (63 points) behind McDavid (79). Forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for me has more confidence this season; he's shooting more and has 20 goals and 50 points in 43 games. And rookie goalie Stuart Skinner has performed very well (12-10-2, 2.96 goals-against average, .914 save percentage).

Overall, it's been a good year for the Golden Knights (28-13-2). Rookie goalie Logan Thompson has emerged to be an All-Star, which is amazing. Forward Jack Eichel is healthy and averaging more than a point per game (33 points in 30 games). Forward Mark Stone is a game-changer, and forward Chandler Stephenson has been one of the surprises in the NHL since he was acquired in a trade in 2019. Bruce Cassidy will coach the Pacific Division in the All-Star Game. So far to me, the Golden Knights have been the best team in the West, although the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets are on their heels