It's been a tiring week in Toronto with all the late-night baseball, and a bad ending for those north of the border, so let's get right into The Week Ahead.
All stats are through Saturday night unless otherwise noted.
Visit RotoWire's NHL Daily Starting Lineups to find out starters for every game on the schedule!
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3-9
4 Games – Anaheim, Carolina, Chicago, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis, Toronto, Utah, Vancouver
3 Games – Boston, Buffalo, Calgary, Colorado, Detroit, Edmonton, Florida, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa, Philadelphia, San Jose, Tampa Bay, Vegas, Washington, Winnipeg
2 Games – Columbus, New Jersey
Toronto plays all four games at home.
Chicago and Utah play four games on the road.
Florida and Winnipeg play three games on the road.
Boston, Edmonton and Minnesota play three games at home.
ANAHEIM
Games this week
vs. Florida, @ Dallas, @ Vegas, vs. Winnipeg
Tired: vs. Winnipeg (Sunday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Ducks play three games in four nights as part of their four-game week... Look for Lukas Dostal to play three times with Petr Mrazek playing once... Leo Carlsson is turning into a star. The 20-year-old, who was selected second overall in 2023, had a goal and three assists Friday, giving him 15 points in 10 games... Troy Terry is also on fire. He had two goals and an assist in a 5-2 win over Detroit on Friday and has five goals and eight helpers in 10 games.
It's been a tiring week in Toronto with all the late-night baseball, and a bad ending for those north of the border, so let's get right into The Week Ahead.
All stats are through Saturday night unless otherwise noted.
Visit RotoWire's NHL Daily Starting Lineups to find out starters for every game on the schedule!
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3-9
4 Games – Anaheim, Carolina, Chicago, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis, Toronto, Utah, Vancouver
3 Games – Boston, Buffalo, Calgary, Colorado, Detroit, Edmonton, Florida, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa, Philadelphia, San Jose, Tampa Bay, Vegas, Washington, Winnipeg
2 Games – Columbus, New Jersey
Toronto plays all four games at home.
Chicago and Utah play four games on the road.
Florida and Winnipeg play three games on the road.
Boston, Edmonton and Minnesota play three games at home.
ANAHEIM
Games this week
vs. Florida, @ Dallas, @ Vegas, vs. Winnipeg
Tired: vs. Winnipeg (Sunday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Ducks play three games in four nights as part of their four-game week... Look for Lukas Dostal to play three times with Petr Mrazek playing once... Leo Carlsson is turning into a star. The 20-year-old, who was selected second overall in 2023, had a goal and three assists Friday, giving him 15 points in 10 games... Troy Terry is also on fire. He had two goals and an assist in a 5-2 win over Detroit on Friday and has five goals and eight helpers in 10 games.
BOSTON
Games this week
@ New York Islanders, vs. Ottawa, @ Toronto
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Bruins upset Carolina on Saturday as Jeremy Swayman rebounded nicely, stopping 28 shots in the 2-1 victory... Swayman gave up seven goals on 23 shots in his previous game Monday in a loss to Ottawa... Joonas Korpisalo has been outstanding of late, winning his last two starts while giving up only four goals on 75 shots... Pavel Zacha is off to a good start with two goals and 10 assists in 14 games.
BUFFALO
Games this week
vs. Utah, vs. St. Louis, @ Carolina
Tired: None
Rested: vs. St. Louis (Thursday)
Notes
The Sabres are 5-4-3 after defeating Washington 4-3 Saturday in a shootout... Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen picked up his first victory of the season as turned aside 31 shots... Alex Lyon is 3-4-2 with a 2.90 GAA and a .911 save percentage and it looks like the Sabres could make a run for a playoff spot, if their goalies can perform well... Rasmus Dahlin has nine points in 12 games while Owen Power has a goal and four helpers in 11 appearances.
CALGARY
Games this week
vs. Columbus, vs. Chicago, @ Minnesota
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Flames continue to flounder at the bottom of the NHL standings... They are 2-9-2 and are averaging a league-low 2.23 goals per game... Jonathan Huberdeau scored his second of the season Saturday and has five points in eight games... Nazem Kadri leads the Flames with 10 points in 13 games... Dustin Wolf had his worst performance of the season Saturday as he gave up three goals on 11 shots and was pulled after the first period. He is 2-8-1 with a 3.63 GAA and an .881 save percentage.
CAROLINA
Games this week
@ New York Rangers, vs. Minnesota, vs. Buffalo, @ Toronto
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Hurricanes play four times this week, including three games in four nights... It's hard to see veteran Frederik Andersen playing three times, so expect him to start twice with Pyotr Kochetkov also getting a pair of starts... It was thought that Seth Jones suffered a bad lower-body injury when he blocked a shot Thursday, but lo and behold, he was in the starting lineup Saturday. He has seven goals and 11 points in 11 games this season.
CHICAGO
Games this week
@ Seattle, @ Vancouver, @ Calgary, @ Detroit
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The 'Hawks complete a six-game road trip in Detroit... Chicago plays four games this week, so expect to see Spencer Knight play three times with Arvid Soderblom playing once... Connor Bedard has turned a big corner in his young career. The 20-year-old has six goals and 15 points in 12 games, but a bigger test is that his plus/minus in his first two years in the NHL was minus-80 in 150 games. Thus far this season, Bedard is plus-6 in 12 contests.
COLORADO
Games this week
vs. Tampa Bay, @ Edmonton, @ Vancouver
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Avalanche got Mackenzie Blackwood (lower body) back Saturday and he stopped 20 shots in taking a 3-2 overtime loss to San Jose... Nathan MacKinnon is on a six-game scoring streak with four goals and eight points. He is tied with Jack Eichel for the NHL scoring lead with 19 points... Cale Makar is just one point behind and leads all defensemen in points.
COLUMBUS
Games this week
@ Calgary, @ Vancouver
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Blue Jackets play a pair of games this week... They have won four straight after defeating St. Louis 3-2 Saturday... Jet Greaves improved his record to 3-3-0 with a 2.67 GAA and a .916 save percentage, slightly better than Elvis Merzlikins... Sean Monahan potted his first of the season Saturday. He has four assists in 11 games with a plus-8 rating... Kent Johnson has been a bit of a disappointment with two goals and four points in 11 appearances.
DALLAS
Games this week
vs. Edmonton, vs. Anaheim, @ Nashville, vs. Seattle
Tired: None
Rested: vs. Edmonton (Tuesday)
Notes
The Stars play three games in four nights as part of their four-game week... Jake Oettinger should get three starts with Casey DeSmith between the pipes once... The Stars signed Thomas Harley to an eight-year, $84.7 million contract extension Tuesday, making the 24-year-old one of the highest-paid blueliners in the NHL... Matt Duchene is out of concussion protocol and is expected to return to action this week.
DETROIT
Games this week
@ Vegas, vs. New York Rangers, vs Chicago
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Red Wings complete a five-game road trip in Vegas... They are off to a great start in the Eastern Conference with an 8-4-0 mark, despite dropping a 5-2 decision to Anaheim on Friday... Their top line of Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond are all averaging more than a point a game, with Larkin and DeBrincat leading the way with 17 and 14 points respectively in 12 contests. Raymond has 11 points in 10 appearances.
EDMONTON
Games this week
@ St. Louis, @ Dallas, vs. Colorado
Tired: @ Dallas (Tuesday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Oilers squeaked out another victory Saturday, defeating Chicago in overtime... Connor McDavid assisted on all three goals and has 17 points, but only three goals... It was thought that Zach Hyman (broken wrist in the playoffs) would be able to return this past weekend, but that has been pushed back and now he could return for the Colorado game... Jack Roslovic scored his second of the season Saturday and first on the power play.
FLORIDA
Games this week
@ Anaheim, @ Los Angeles, @ San Jose
Tired: None
Rested: @ San Jose (Saturday)
Notes
The Panthers head to California for all three games this week... Florida is floundering with a 6-5-1 record and they are currently out of a playoff spot in the East... They are missing Matthew Tkachuk (groin) and Aleksander Barkov (knee) and while Barkov is out of action for the season, the Panthers are hoping Tkachuk will be able to return by the middle of December... Anton Lundell has taken over Barkov's spot centering the top line and has three goals and six assists in 12 games.
LOS ANGELES
Games this week
vs. Winnipeg, vs. Florida, @ Pittsburgh
Tired: None
Rested: @ Pittsburgh (Saturday)
Notes
Corey Perry (knee) returned to the lineup last week and has five goals and seven points in seven games. Not too shabby for a 40-year-old seeing fourth-line minutes... Adrian Kempe still doesn't have a contract extension with the Kings, though both sides are reported to be talking... Kempe saw his seven-game scoring streak come to an end Saturday. He has five goals and 15 points in 13 appearances.
MINNESOTA
Games this week
vs. Nashville, @ Carolina, @ New York Islanders, vs. Calgary
Tired: @ New York Islanders (Friday)
Rested: vs. Nashville (Tuesday)
Notes
The Wild play three games in four nights as part of their four-game week... Filip Gustavsson should get at least two starts and possibly three, with Jesper Wallstedt starting the remainder of the contests... Mats Zuccarello (lower body) could return at the end of the week... Vinnie Hinostroza has four points in his last five games... Vladimir Tarasenko snapped a six-game point drought with a goal and two assists Saturday.
MONTREAL
Games this week
vs. Philadelphia, @ New Jersey, vs. Utah
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Canadiens lead the Atlantic Division with 18 points and who saw that coming with Florida, Toronto and Tampa Bay in the division... The top line of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky continue to lead the Canadiens as the trio have combined for 40 points in 12 games. Suzuki has two goals and 16 assists while Caufield has 10 goals and five helpers. Slafkovsky, the first overall pick in 2022, has only one assist but he does have six tallies including four goals, and his assist came on the power play.
NASHVILLE
Games this week
vs. Vancouver, @ Minnesota, vs. Philadelphia, vs. Dallas
Tired: @ Minnesota (Tuesday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Predators were thought to be a bottom-dwelling team this season, especially after losing star defenseman Roman Josi to an upper-body injury. They are hanging around in the Western Conference with a 5-6-2 record... Ryan O'Reilly is without a point in his last three games and had five goals and nine points in 13 games... Steven Stamkos continues to disappoint with only a goal and an assist in 13 contests.
NEW JERSEY
Games this week
vs. Montreal, vs. Pittsburgh
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Devils signed goaltender Jacob Markstrom to a two-year, $12 million contract extension Friday... The Devils have lost two in a row but are still 8-3-0, good for third place in the Eastern Conference... Brian Halonen scored his first career NHL goal Saturday, and it was the game-winner, in a 4-1 victory over Los Angeles... Dawson Mercer has been on fire of late with five goals in his last three games. Two have been on the power play, two shorthanded and one at even strength. Mercer has eight goals and five assists in 12 games this season.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Games this week
vs. Boston, vs. Minnesota, @ New York Rangers
Tired: None
Rested: vs. Minnesota (Friday)
Notes
The Islanders finally received a strong goaltending performance from Ilya Sorokin on Friday, as he turned aside 23 of 24 shots in a 3-1 win over Washington. It was the first time in eight appearances this season that the netminder allowed fewer than three goals in a game... Mathew Barzal was a healthy scratch Thursday in Carolina after he missed the team bus for morning practice, but he was back in the lineup Friday and scored the empty netter to clinch the victory. Barzal has three goals and nine points in 10 games.
NEW YORK RANGERS
Games this week
vs. Carolina, @ Detroit, vs. New York Islanders
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Rangers have crazy splits this season as they are 0-4-1 at home and 5-1-1 on the road... The Rangers have been getting outstanding goaltending from Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick. Shesterkin is 4-4-2 with a 2.28 GAA and a .913 save percentage, while Quick has been even better, albeit in only three games. He is 2-1-0 with a 1.35 GAA and a .941 save percentage... The problem with the Rangers is a lack of goal scoring, as they have lit the lamp only 28 times in 12 games.
OTTAWA
Games this week
@ Boston, @ Philadelphia, vs. Utah
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Senators play three games in four nights... Linus Ullmark should get a pair of starts with Leevi Merilainen getting one... Merilainen was sent to the minors Saturday, but it was just to get him some game action. Merilainen received plenty as he faced 42 shots, allowing four goals in a 7-4 victory over Syracuse... Nick Cousins suffered an undisclosed injury in the third period versus Montreal and did not return... Tim Stutzle is on a five-game scoring streak with four goals and five assists.
PHILADELPHIA
Games this week
@ Montreal, @ Nashville, vs. Ottawa
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Flyers set Jett Luchanko back to OHL Guelph this week... Trevor Zegras has been red-hot of late with four goals and four assists during a current four-game scoring streak... Dan Vladar had been giving the Flyers outstanding goalkeeping until he ran into the Maple Leafs on Saturday. He gave up four goals on 19 shots before he was yanked early in the third period. Still, Vladar is 4-3-0 with a 2.11 GAA and a .924 save percentage after exiting Saturday's tilt.
PITTSBURGH
Games this week
@ Toronto, vs. Washington, @ New Jersey, vs. Los Angeles
Tired: vs. Los Angeles (Sunday)
Rested: vs. Washington (Thursday)
Notes
The Penguins play three games in four nights as part of their four-game week... Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs are expected to share the crease... Pittsburgh is atop the Eastern Conference standings with a surprising 8-3-2 record... Veterans Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby lead the way offensively with 18 and 16 points respectively... Justin Brazeau sat out Saturday's game with an upper-body injury. His status is day-to-day at this time.
SAN JOSE
Games this week
@ Seattle, vs. Winnipeg, vs. Florida
Tired: vs. Florida (Saturday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Sharks have won three of their last four games and Yaroslav Askarov finally had a great game Saturday, stopping 36 shots in a 3-2 overtime win over Colorado... Macklin Celebrini scored his seventh of the season in the win over the Avalanche, giving the ultra-talented youngster 18 points in 12 games... Add Will Smith, William Eklund and Michael Misa to the offense and the Sharks are going to be something special in a couple of seasons – if not sooner.
SEATTLE
Games this week
vs. Chicago, vs. San Jose, @ St. Louis, @ Dallas
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Kraken are not getting a lot of scoring as they have only 28 goals in 10 games... Brandon Montour has three goals and an assist in his last two games and has eight points in seven games this season... Joey Daccord continues to shine in the Seattle cage. He is 5-1-3 with a 2.70 GAA and a .904 save percentage while starting nine of the Kraken's 10 games... Kaapo Kakko (broken hand) returned to the Seattle lineup for the first time this season Saturday, playing 14:16 with one shot on goal.
ST. LOUIS
Games this week
vs. Edmonton, @ Washington, @ Buffalo, vs. Seattle
Tired: @ Buffalo (Thursday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Blues play four times this week including three games in four nights... Look for Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer to share the net... Robert Thomas remains out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. He has missed four straight games, but may return as early as Monday versus Edmonton... Jake Neighbours (right leg) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday and will miss at least four more weeks of action.
TAMPA BAY
Games this week
@ Colorado, @ Vegas, vs. Washington
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Lightning are getting a good performance from Nikita Kucherov, but not a great one. The talented Russian has four goals and 10 points in nine games (he missed a pair of games due to an illness), but that is unlike the superstar who has averaged 1.67 points per game over the last two seasons (265 points in 159 games)... Brandon Hagel is heating up. After just one assist in his first seven appearances, Hagel has three goals and four assists in his last four games.
TORONTO
Games this week
vs. Pittsburgh, vs. Utah, vs. Boston, vs. Carolina
Tired: None
Rested: vs. Utah (Wednesday)
Notes
The Maple Leafs play all four games at home this week... Joseph Woll (personal) could return to the lineup this week and if so, he will start sharing the net with Anthony Stolarz... William Nylander has missed three of his last four games with a lower-body injury... John Tavares has taken over the scoring lead on the Maple Leafs with 16 points, one better than Nylander and Matthew Knies... It's hard to believe but Auston Matthews has only six goals and nine points in 12 games.
UTAH
Games this week
@ Buffalo, @ Toronto, @ Montreal, @ Ottawa
Tired: @ Toronto (Wednesday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Mammoth are on the road for all four games this week... They play a pair of back-to-back games, so expect to see Karel Vejmelka and Vitek Vanecek to share the net... Logan Cooley inked an eight-year contract extension for $80 million... JJ Peterka had 68 points for the Sabres last season. The Mammoth picked him up in the offseason for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring and Peterka has not disappointed with four goals and six assists in 11 games.
VANCOUVER
Games this week
@ Nashville, vs. Chicago, vs. Columbus, vs. Colorado
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Canucks recalled Tom Willander, their first pick and 11th overall in 2023, and the defenseman is seeing time on the second power-play unit... Kiefer Sherwood has nine goals in 13 games including five goals in his last four contests. He has 58 hits which is second in the NHL, trailing only Yakov Trenin of the Wild.
VEGAS
Games this week
vs. Detroit, vs. Tampa Bay, vs. Anaheim
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Golden Knights are going with the goaltending duo of Akira Schmid and Carl Lindbom while Adin Hill remains out of action with a lower-body injury... The hope is Hill will be good to go at some point this week... Mitch Marner has had seven two-point efforts this season and four games without a point. It's all or nothing in 2025-26 for the former Maple Leaf... Shea Theodore is off to a slow start with only five assists in 11 games.
WASHINGTON
Games this week
vs. St. Louis, @ Pittsburgh, @ Tampa Bay
Tired: @ Pittsburgh (Thursday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Capitals are being led in scoring by Tom Wilson who has six goals and 13 points in 12 games... Pierre-Luc Dubois sat out Saturday's game against Buffalo and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury... Dylan Strome returned to the lineup against Buffalo and potted his third goal of the season... Alex Ovechkin has only two goals in 11 games.
WINNIPEG
Games this week
@ Los Angeles, @ San Jose, @ Anaheim
Tired: None
Rested: @ Anaheim (Sunday)
Notes
The Jets play in California all week... Kyle Connor scored a pair of goals Saturday in a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh. Connor has eight goals and nine assists in 12 games... Gabriel Vilardi is on a five-game point streak and has five goals and nine points during the streak, giving him 13 points in 12 games... Josh Morrissey is having another fine start and has a goal and 11 points in 12 games with a plus-11 rating.
