The NHL returns from its holiday break with a blockbuster Saturday featuring several high-profile rivalry games.
There are 13 games on the schedule, starting at 6 p.m. ET, and each either features a traditional head-to-head grudge match or a game that has ramifications in the race for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With some of the races as tight as they are, it’s never too early to start adding a “big game” designation to those games against teams close in the standings.
NHL.com writers will spend Saturday flipping between games, but here are the ones they have identified as must-watch.
New York state of mind
The last time the Rangers played the Islanders, they lost 5-0 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 8. It was their seventh straight home loss to start the season, the fifth time they’d been shut out at home. That alone should make this game at UBS Arena (6 p.m. ET, MSGSN, MSG 2) interesting. The Rangers (19-16-4) will remember that. And this time, the Rangers will be on the road, even though they won’t be traveling too far. It’s baffling, but while they’re 5-10-3 at home this season, they’re 14-6-1 away from home. Keep an eye on Bo Horvat, who scored twice at MSG on Nov. 8 and is having a strong season for the Islanders (20-13-4). He could return to this game after missing the past five with a lower-body injury — Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
Top-of-table showdown in Raleigh
The Carolina Hurricanes (22-11-3) and Detroit Red Wings (22-13-3) return from the holiday break for a clash of division leaders at Lenovo Center (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, FDSNSO). The Red Wings, first in the Atlantic Division, are on a quest to end a nine-season Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance drought and a four-game losing streak in Raleigh (0-4-0) since a 3-0 win April 14, 2022. Carolina rookie goalie Brandon Bussi has been hot, going 11-1-1 in 13 starts and is third in the NHL with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage, but veteran Frederik Andersen could get the nod. He won two games against the Red Wings last season and is 13-1-1 with a 2.12 GAA, .926 save percentage and three shutouts in 15 career starts against them. — William Douglas, staff writer
Defense won’t rest in Winnipeg
Two of the top defensemen in the NHL will go head-to-head when Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild visit Josh Morrissey and the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre (7 p.m. ET; SN1, SNW, FDSNNO, FDSNWIX). The Jets (15-17-3) will get their first look at the Wild (22-10-6) since they acquired Hughes in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 12. Minnesota had won seven in a row before a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. Winnipeg lost four in a row (0-2-2) heading into the holiday break. The Central Division rivals split their first two games this season with Winnipeg winning 4-3 in overtime at Minnesota on Oct. 28 and Minnesota winning 3-0 at Winnipeg on Nov. 23. — Tom Gulitti, senior writer
Sunshine rivalry at a boil
Count on there being plenty of holiday sneer when these in-state rivals renew acquaintances at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, SCRIPPS). There is a reason it’s known as The Battle of Florida, and not just because of geographic proximity. These teams have been among the NHL’s elite for more than a decade and have combined to win four of the past six Stanley Cup championships and participate in each of the past six Finals. In the process, they’ve developed a definitive loathing for each other. Aside from the obvious bad blood, however, the game could feature five players, health permitting, who suited up for Canada during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and could do the same at the OIympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026: forwards Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel of the Lightning (20-13-3), and Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart of the Panthers (20-14-2). — Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
Battle of Ontario turns up the heat
It’s always interesting when the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs meet, but the stakes are a bit higher this time around. Each team is outside the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference as the midpoint of the season approaches. Toronto (16-15-5) won against the Pittsburgh Penguins going into the break but still is trying to patch holes in its game that have left it one point out of last place in the East. Ottawa (18-13-5) will be sensing blood when it arrives at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, CITY, SNE, SNO, SNP), and expect Brady Tkachuk and the Senators to try to inflict more misery, and a sense of payback, after losing to Toronto in the first round of the playoffs last season. — Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial
Stars look to keep shining
As great as the Colorado Avalanche have been this season, the Stars (25-7-5) aren’t far behind. They’ve been clicking in pretty much every aspect, from power play to penalty kill to scoring to being one of the stingiest teams in the NHL in goals-allowed per game (2.61). So I’ll be looking to see if the Stars come out with the same fire after the break when they play the Blackhawks (13-17-6) at American Airlines Center (8 p.m. ET; Victory+, CHSN). While everything’s coming up roses for the Stars, the Blackhawks, after getting off to a great start this season, have been struggling. It doesn’t help that they’re without their top two centers, Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, until after Jan. 1. — Tracey Myers, staff writer
Freeway frenzy in California
The 32-year-old Freeway Face-Off rivalry is heating up again with the Ducks (21-14-2) and Kings (15-12-9) each among the top four teams in the Pacific Division. Anaheim is pushing for its first trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2018. The second meeting this season and the 169th regular-season matchup between the Ducks and Kings is at Crypto.com Arena (9 p.m. ET; FDSNW, KTTV, Victory+). If it’s anything like the first time they played it’ll be a wild atmosphere. The Ducks came back three times and eventually defeated the Kings 5-4 in a shootout at Honda Center on Nov. 28 to improve to 77-63-17 (with 11 ties) against their Southern California counterparts. If the hockey gods have a say, the Ducks and Kings will meet in the playoffs too. The only Freeway Face-Off postseason series happened in 2014, when the Kings dispatched the Ducks in seven games in the second round before going on to win the Stanley Cup. — Dan Rosen, senior writer
McDavid focus in latest Battle of Alberta
I can’t think of a better way to get back into the NHL swing after the holiday break than with another instalment of the Battle of Alberta. The Edmonton Oilers (19-13-6) travel to face the Calgary Flames (15-18-4) at Scotiabank Sadledome (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNW) in the second game of a home-and-home series. On Tuesday, the Oilers won 5-1 with Leon Draisaitl scoring a hat trick and Connor McDavid adding five assists. McDavid, who leads the NHL scoring race with 67 points (23 goals, 44 assists) in 38 games, has 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) during an 11-game point streak. Regardless of where these two teams are in the standings, however, the games between the provincial rivals are always intense, particularly at this time of year. — Derek Van Diest, staff writer
Avalanche-Golden Knights in West showdown
I feel like I could stop here: Colorado Avalanche. Vegas Golden Knights. There, that’s all you need. But, of course, I’ll continue. When the Avalanche and Golden Knights face off at T-Mobile Arena (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, ALT), it will be a matchup of two of the best teams in the Western Conference, two of the best teams in the League, even, with the Avalanche blazing through the first half of the season on an unbelievable pace, seemingly unstoppable at 27-2-7. Nathan MacKinnon appears on a mission, leading the NHL with 30 goals before Christmas, and Cale Makar is tops among defensemen with 43 points (11 goals, 32 assists). But if anyone can stop them — and I’m not sure anyone can — it could be the Golden Knights, who are sure to get up for this game after a recent pre-Christmas downturn, without Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore. I’ll tune in anytime the Avalanche are playing, but getting a chance to see them against a team that’s of their caliber? That’s a can’t miss. — Amalie Benjamin, senior writer
