This Week in the NHL: Can D.J. Smith survive the week in Ottawa?

So many games. So little time. What should you focus your NHL hockey fandom on if your favorite team’s games don’t scratch the itch enough?

Welcome to This Week in the NHL. From now until April, we’ll lay out a collection of key games, events and deadlines to watch on the league calendar each week.

So what’s on tap for Nov. 6–12?

Nov. 8: Battle of Ontario or Battle of the coaching hot seats?

Ottawa Senators @Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:00 p.m. ET

The ‘Fire D.J.’ chants rained down at the Canadian Tire Centre over the weekend, calling for coach D.J. Smith’s ousting after the Senators canned GM Pierre Dorion last week. Meanwhile, the temperature may or may not be rising on Sheldon Keefe’s seat in Toronto after his team’s mediocre start, which includes four consecutive losses.

The Leafs have a chance to get right tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but it’s safe to say he and Smith – if he makes it to Wednesday – will be under the microscope when the Senators visit the Leafs Wednesday.

Nov. 10-13: Hall of Fame induction weekend

The Class of 2023 will be enshrined a week from today, welcoming Henrik Lundqvist, Tom Barrasso, Mike Vernon, Caroline Ouellette and Pierre Turgeon. Per tradition, the Hall of Fame weekend kicks off with the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting an opponent for a Friday night tilt. The Calgary Flames come to down for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop before the Vancouver Canucks roll in the next night.

Four hours before the latter game on Saturday afternoon, the Hall of Fame Legends Classic takes place between the Playmakers team, led by Adam Oates, and the Goal Scorers team, led by Joe Nieuwendyk. Among the 2023 inductees, Ouellette and Turgeon will suit up for Team Oates, and Lundqvist will tend goal for Team Nieuwendyk. Each team will ice five Hall of Famers.

Anze Kopitar’s chase for 400 goals

What do Hall of Famers Marian Hossa, Darryl Sitter, Frank Mahovlich and Glenn Anderson have in common? They all have fewer points than Kopitar, who has quietly put together a first-ballot Hall of Fame resume that includes two Stanley Cups, two Selke Trophies and two Lady Byng Trophies. He has already amassed an impressive 1,152 points for his career, and he’s poised to hit 400 career goals as early as this week. He currently sits ninth among active players with 399.

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