There are six games on the NHL schedule for Sunday, including two nationally televised in the United States and Canada. Here are the five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.
Simply the best
Two of the NHL’s top scorers clash when Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche (15-1-5) visit Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks (10-7-4) at United Center (7 p.m. ET; CHSN, NHLN, ALT, SNO, SNE, TVAS). MacKinnon leads the League with 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists) for the Avalanche, who have won eight in a row; Bedard is fourth with 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists). Each was a No. 1 pick at the NHL Draft, and it’s the ninth time MacKinnon (2013) and Bedard (2023) will go head-to-head.
Don’t you forget about me
Speaking of players known for offense, Kirill Kaprizov and Mark Scheifele will face each other when the Minnesota Wild (11-7-4) and Winnipeg Jets (12-8-0), square off in a Central Division battle at Canada Life Centre (4 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN3, FDSNNO, FDSNWI). Scheifele is tied for eighth in the NHL with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists); Kaprizov is 16th with 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists). The Wild are 6-0-1 in their past seven games, the second-longest active point streak in the League behind the Avalanche (10-0-2).
Rock you like a Hurricane
Times and personnels change, but the Carolina Hurricanes (14-5-2) always seem to find themselves at or near the top of the Metropolitan Division. In this case, they lead the division heading into their game at the Buffalo Sabres (8-9-4) (1 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NHLN, MSG-B, SN1). Carolina has been led by the usual culprits, centers Sebastian Aho with 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) and Seth Jarvis, who’s next with 18 points (11 goals, seven assists). Nikolaj Ehlers, who signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent on July 3, is fourth with 14 points (four goals, 10 assists). The Sabres are coming off a 9-3 win against the Blackhawks, the fourth time in the past 15 years they’ve scored that many goals in a game.
New York state of mind
Matthew Schaefer has been impressive. The New York Islanders defenseman is third among rookies with 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) and is plus-8 in 22 games. The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is making a case to not only win the Calder Trophy, awarded to the League’s top rookie, he could also be in the mix for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the top defenseman. Let’s see how he does in the second half of a back-to-back for the Islanders (12-8-2) when they host the Seattle Kraken (11-5-5) at UBS Arena (5 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, MSGSN, KONG, SNP, SNW).
Return of the Mack
Macklin Celebrini has been making the most of his second NHL season. The San Jose Sharks center and finalist for the Calder Trophy last season has 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 22 games, third in scoring in the NHL and one point ahead of fellow North Vancouver native and good friend Connor Bedard. He’s nearly halfway to the 63 points (25 goals, 38 assists) he had last season and will look for more when the Sharks (10-9-3) play the Boston Bruins (13-10-0) at SAP Center in San Jose on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, NESN). For the Bruins, David Pastrnak can pass Ray Bourque for the sixth-most road goals in Bruins history; each has 179.
The schedule
Carolina Hurricanes at Buffalo Sabres, 1 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NHLN, MSG-B, SN1
Minnesota Wild at Winnipeg Jets, 4 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN3, FDSNNO, FDSNWI
Seattle Kraken at New York Islanders, 5 p.m. ET, KHN/Prime, MSGSN, KONG, SNP, SNW
Colorado Avalanche at Chicago Blackhawks, 7 p.m. ET; CHSN, NHLN, ALT, SNO, SNE, TVAS
Boston Bruins at San Jose Sharks, 8 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, NESN
Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks, 9 p.m. ET; SN1, SNW, SNP
