NHL Tonight: What to watch in Flyers-Hurricanes, Canucks-Rangers, Kraken-Capitals

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  ESPN staffOct 11, 2026, 08:00 AM ET

"Are you not entertained?"

In this case, it's not Maximus asking the crowd in "Gladiator," but the NHL asking hockey fans after 28 of 32 teams played on Saturday.

If that wasn't enough hockey for you this weekend, you're in luck. There are three more games on Sunday.

Here's a look at the key stats and storylines in each contest, along with betting info on broadcast details:

Odds are provided by DraftKings and subject to change.

Seattle Kraken at Washington Capitals

5 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | WSH -218, O/U: 6.5

Some might see this game as a breeze for the host Capitals. But this is not your grandparents' Kraken. After struggling to score in recent seasons, Seattle enters this game third in goals per game (4.2). Can Logan Thompson and the defense in front of him slow Seattle down? And will this be the occasion for Alex Ovechkin's first goal of his final regular season?

Vancouver Canucks at New York Rangers

6 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | NYR -265, O/U: 5.5

Let's throw it back to the spring of 1994. Grunge was dominating on the radio, "The Lion King" and "Forrest Gump" were weeks away from theatrical release, and these two franchises faced off in the Stanley Cup Final. The Blueshirts won that battle -- the first title since 1940 -- after some heroics from captain Mark Messier. New York has also won four of the past six matchups between the clubs and would appear to have the edge again in this one.

Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers

7 p.m. ET (NHL Network) | CAR -180, O/U: 5.5

This is already Game 2 of the season series between these teams, with the reigning Stanley Cup champion Canes taking Game 1 in Philly 3-2 in overtime Oct. 3. Will this game go the same way, or could it be the start of something big for the Flyers?

Reminder: Fans can catch all the action in the NHL streaming hub and on the ESPN App.

Jump ahead:
Top NHL stories
Last night's scores
NHL stats leaders
Today in hockey history

Top stories around the NHL

Here's what you need to know:

• The latest updated NHL Power Rankings.

• Why NHL expansion to Houston makes too much sense.

• Who are this season's top breakout candidates?

• NHL Rank: Who are the top 100 players for 2026-27? And what do NHL execs think of our list?

• The top NCAA hockey teams to watch for high-end NHL prospects.

• Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

• Scoring is up in 2026-27, perhaps due to the shortened preseason.

• Senators forward William Eklund is out for an "extended" period with ankle injury.

Saturday's scoreboard

Boston Bruins 5, Philadelphia Flyers 1
New Jersey Devils 4, Vancouver Canucks 1
Edmonton Oilers 3, San Jose Sharks 1
Minnesota Wild 4, Florida Panthers 1
Utah Mammoth 4, Buffalo Sabres 1
Montreal Canadiens 1, Detroit Red Wings 0 (SO)
Ottawa Senators 3, Nashville Predators 2 (SO)
Pittsburgh Penguins 2, Dallas Stars 1 (SO)
Carolina Hurricanes 5, Chicago Blackhawks 2
St. Louis Blues 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 3
Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Colorado Avalanche 3
Tampa Bay Lightning 5, New York Islanders 3
Anaheim Ducks 4, Calgary Flames 2
Vegas Golden Knights 2, Los Angeles Kings 1 (OT)

play

Brandon Hagel tallies hat trick in Lightning's win over Islanders

NHL scoring leaders

Click here for full list of stats leaders.

NHL goaltending leaders

Click here for the full list of goaltender stats.

Today in hockey history

Oct. 11, 1984, was a date that changed the course of hockey history. Mario Lemieux, the first pick in the 1984 draft, made his debut for the Penguins.

He'd turn out to be one of the best players of all time, with some arguing he was better at his best than Wayne Gretzky.

It didn't take long for Lemieux to make a statement, scoring on his first shot on goal in his first game (after a nifty move to get the puck by fellow Hall of Famer Ray Bourque):