This week in the NHL features two homecomings – one for the last time – and a potential record.
Former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos makes his first return to the city where he won two Stanley Cup titles on Monday. He signed with the Nashville Predators this summer after the team let him go to free agency.
Tuesday night, Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury will visit Pittsburgh, where he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2003 and won three Stanley Cup championships.
The week could also feature an NHL record for best start to a season.
A look at the week ahead in the NHL:
Monday
Nashville Predators at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:30
Stamkos is the Lightning’s all-time leader in games, goals and points and was the face of the franchise. He has only one goal in eight games in Nashville. The aggressive Predators opened the season 0-5 but have won their last three games. Jake Guentzel, who was signed as a free agent by Tampa Bay this summer, has seven points in eight games for the 5-3 Lightning.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Winnipeg Jets, 7:30
The Jets are 8-0 this season and chasing the record held by the 1993-94 Maple Leafs and 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres for longest winning streak to start a season (10 games). If Winnipeg wins Monday, it can tie the record with a victory Wednesday night in Detroit and break it Friday night in Columbus.
Tuesday
Minnesota Wild at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7
Fleury, like Stamkos, is a franchise icon in his former city. He picked up 375 of his 562 wins (second all-time) with the Penguins. The 21-year veteran has announced that this will be his final season.
Friday and Saturday
Dallas Stars vs. Florida Panthers
The NHL is heading back to Europe with a home-and-home set in Tampere, Finland. Friday’s game is at 2 p.m. ET and Saturday’s at noon ET. Both will be shown on NHL Network.
There are plenty of Finnish players on both teams, led by Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov. He’s the first Finnish-born captain to win the Stanley Cup. He has been out with a leg injury but was expected to return on Monday night.
Florida also has Finnish players Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola while Dallas has Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell. Barkov, Heiskanen and Lindell were named to Finland’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster.
Saturday
Maple Leafs at St. Louis Blues, 7
Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube returns to St. Louis for the first time since he was fired last season. He led the Blues to their lone Stanley Cup title in 2019. The Blues routed the Maple Leafs 5-1 in Toronto last week.
