NHL Must Watch, Oct. 19-25: Buckle up for Tkachuk and Hughes homecomings
With 32 teams, games every night and countless narratives emerging, the NHL season can make one’s head spin, and it’s easy to miss out on the weekly storylines. Not to worry; every Monday from October to April, I’ll map out the major events, games, plotlines and milestones on tap for the next seven days.
So what’s happening the week of Oct. 19-25?
Put differently: what isn’t happening the week of Oct. 19-25?
Oct. 19: McKenna, Stenberg meet in clash of 2026 Draft’s top picks
San Jose Sharks @ Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m. ET
McKenna and Stenberg, both left wingers, were expected to make fairly seamless transitions to the NHL even as 18-year-olds after going first and second overall in the draft, and each has had his moments so far. After a wobbly first couple games, McKenna has found his confidence, and his creativity with the puck has shone through despite some puzzling usage from coach Jim Hiller in Toronto. McKenna sat two points off the scoring lead among rookies through Saturday’s games. Stenberg sits one back and has shown stronger defensive chops than McKenna early on. They meet for the first time as NHLers on Monday. We can expect a fast-paced clash between the Sharks and Leafs given all the dynamic offensive talent on either side.
Oct. 21: Brady Tkachuk returns to Ottawa
Florida Panthers @ Ottawa Senators, 7:30 p.m. ET
This should be interesting. After nine productive seasons and two playoff berths, then-Senators captain Tkachuk forced a trade out of Ottawa, wanting to play with brother Matthew on the Florida Panthers. Given the trade came months after Tkachuk insisted he was a committed Senator, we should expect plenty of boos mixed in with the cheers when he gets his tribute at Canadian Tire Centre.
Whatever the reaction will be, Tkachuk is at peace with it.
“I don’t really have an expectation,” he said at the NHL Player Media Tour in September. “I’m just gonna be excited to get back there. I know how special that place is to me, and it’d be nice to see a lot of people I met in the community, my teammates, all the staff, just be able to see them. It’s nice that it’s early on in the season, but there’s a lot of important games leading up to that.
“Whatever [the reaction] is, it just shows how great of a fan base it is. If it’s negative, it just shows how passionate the fans are and i enjoyed playing in front of them and how special it was. And if it’s positive, then I’m just really grateful for my time there. I’m not sure what to expect. I’m just excited to go back there and see a lot of people that I care about.”
Oct. 23: Ian Cole’s 1,000th game
Montreal Canadiens @ Chicago Blackhawks, 8:00 p.m. ET
A reliable stay-at-home defenseman, a dressing-room leader and a colorful interview personality, Cole has put together a long, successful career that includes a pair of Stanley Cup wins when he was a Pittsburgh Penguin. This week, he’ll become the 143rd defenseman to reach 1,000 games.
Oct. 25: Heritage Classic arrives in Winnipeg
Montreal Canadiens @ Winnipeg Jets, 7:00 p.m. ET
How about those jerseys? The Jets host the Habs at Princess Auto Stadium, home of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, for the 46th regular-season outdoor game in NHL history and the first of three this season.
Cap Summary
Draft Picks
Oct. 25: Quinn Hughes returns to Vancouver
Minnesota Wild @ Vancouver Canucks, 10:00 p.m. ET
Homecoming Week doesn’t end with Brady Tkachuk. Even though Quinn Hughes was traded to the Wild last December, Sunday night marks his first game at Rogers Arena playing for the road side. Expect a passionate reaction similar to what Mitch Marner got in Toronto last year, with a mix of support and venom from the home crowd, perhaps skewing slightly toward the latter given some of Hughes’ post-trade comments didn’t paint a positive picture of his run as Canucks captain.
Jamie Benn’s 1,000th point
It has been more than a decade since Benn’s peak as an Art Ross Trophy winner, Olympic gold medallist and elite power forward. But he has soldiered on as a veteran leader for the Dallas Stars and now sits second in franchise history behind only Hall of Famer Mike Modano in goals and points. Benn, 37, opens the week just six shy of 1,000 for his career. Hitting that benchmark and perhaps nabbing that elusive Stanley Cup could push Benn’s resume to the Hall of Fame bubble.
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