Canadiens-Blue Jackets on Prime, Stanley Cup Final rematch among highlights
© Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI
Each Monday throughout the 2025-26 NHL season, ESPN and NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes will provide fans with a guide of games that will be nationally televised. Today, a look at games for the seventh week of the regular season.
Highlights include the Montreal Canadiens visiting the Columbus Blue Jackets on “Prime Monday Night Hockey” and a Stanley Cup rematch between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.
Montreal Canadiens at Columbus Blue Jackets (7:30 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, Prime, RDS)
The Canadiens (10-6-2) have lost three straight and five of six and are hoping to turn it around against the Blue Jackets on “Prime Monday Night Hockey.” Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki are leading the way, and Lane Hutson has shown his Calder Trophy-winning season last year was no fluke. Ivan Demidov has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 18 games and is in the Calder conversation this season. Montreal will be without forward Kirby Dach, whose broken foot will sideline him for four to six weeks. The Blue Jackets (9-7-2) are 2-0-2 in their past four games, but have lost five of their past seven games (2-3-2). This will be a good test for them before a difficult four-game road trip, which includes three games against playoff teams from a year ago.
Edmonton Oilers at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT, SN, TVAS)
The Oilers (9-7-4) got a huge part of their team back this weekend in Zach Hyman, who had been out since an injury in the playoffs last season. He had an assist in a 4-3 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday and is a big boost to the offense and power play. Edmonton is 4-6-2 away from home but looks to improve that record during this season-high, seven-game road trip. The Capitals (8-8-2) have shown some deficiencies this season after they were a surprise team last season, and have two wins in their past 10 games (2-6-2). They have been good defensively but rank in the bottom five in the League on the power play and penalty kill. I’m looking forward to seeing Connor McDavid and Alex Ovechkin go head-to-head.
Carolina Hurricanes at Minnesota Wild (9:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, TVAS)
The Hurricanes (12-5-1) continue to be one of the most well-rounded teams in the League, balanced on offense, defense and in goal. We know all that matters for them is postseason success, but it’s great to see that they have eight players with double-digit points and 19 players with at least one goal. The Wild ended a five-game road trip Sunday. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy have led the way offensively, but Marcus Johansson has been a nice surprise and is almost a point-per game player. However, they will be without Marco Rossi who is week to week with a lower-body injury, so that’s a tough blow.
Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNW, SNO, SNE, SN360)
The Kings (10-5-4) have won four in a row, allowing a total of six goals in the four games. They have flipped the script from last year, when they were the best home team in the League, and have only one home win this season, but an NHL-high nine road wins (9-1-2). The Sharks (8-8-3) started the season with six straight losses but have rebounded to go 8-4-1 since. Macklin Celebrini is a big part of that; he’s among the NHL scoring leaders with 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) in 19 games this season.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNP)
The Maple Leafs (8-9-2) got some bad news last week with Auston Matthews being ruled out for a week or so, but he should be back before this Original Six rivalry game. They could use him because they’re in free fall mode right now with five straight loses. The schedule doesn’t get easier, as this is the first game of a six-game road trip. The Canadiens are hoping to defeat the Maple Leafs for the first time in five tries; they’ve lost the past four head-to-head matchups and nine of the past 10.
Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NHLN, SNW, CITY, SN360)
It’s a Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Oilers and Panthers, with each team still trying to get on track this season. Florida (9-8-1), which defeated Edmonton each of the past two seasons at home to win the Stanley Cup, will be finishing a five-game homestand looking to stay afloat before forward Matthew Tkachuk returns from injury next month. They’ve been hit hard with the injury bug, as they are also without Aleksander Barkov, Tomas Nosek, Jonah Gadjovich and Dmitry Kulikov long term. Edmonton has looked great on some nights, and not like a playoff team on others. They have yet to win more than two consecutive games this season.
TUESDAY
New Jersey Devils at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, MSGSN, NHLN, SNP, SNO, SNE)
THURSDAY
Edmonton Oilers at Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNW, SNO, SNE)
FRIDAY
Chicago Blackhawks at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; CHSN, MSG-B, SN)
Minnesota Wild at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, SN-PIT, NHLN, TVAS)
Boston Bruins at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; FDSNW, NESN, SN)
SATURDAY
Columbus Blue Jackets at Detroit Red Wings (1 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, FDSNDET, NHLN, SN)
St. Louis Blues at New York Islanders (3:30 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, MSGSN, SN1, SN)
Dallas Stars at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, Victory+)
SUNDAY
Carolina Hurricanes at Buffalo Sabres (1 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NHLN, MSG-B, SN1)
Colorado Avalanche at Chicago Blackhawks (7 p.m. ET; CHSN, NHLN, ALT, SNO, SNE, TVAS)
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