Each Friday, NHL Network and ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes will provide readers with three games he is looking forward to that weekend:
Tampa Bay Lightning at Columbus Blue Jackets (Friday, 7 p.m. ET; NHLN, BSOH, BSSUN, SN NOW)
I’m expecting a better effort from the Lightning after they were sloppy and undisciplined in a 3-1 season-opening loss at the New York Rangers on Tuesday. The same thing happened in their opener last season, losing 6-2 at home to the Pittsburgh Penguins after winning the Stanley Cup for the second straight season. In addition to taking four penalties and allowing a power-play and a short-handed goal against the Rangers, the Lightning were not great in face-offs, winning just 36 percent (17-for-47). It also could take time for Tampa Bay to jell, with defenseman Ryan McDonagh and forward Ondrej Palatmembers of each Cup-winning team, having departed in the offseason.
The Blue Jackets played well early in a 4-1 loss at the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. Forward Johnny Gaudreau did not have a point in his Columbus debut, but is going to generate a lot of offense. The question is, how will Columbus fare without forward Patrick Laine, out 3-4 weeks after spraining his elbow in the opener? I’m expecting bigger things from a pair of rookies, center Cole Sillinger and forward Justin Danforth. Goalie Elvis Merzlikins could play after missing the opener with an illness. If not, Daniel Tarasov will get the start after he made 39 saves Wednesday.
Nashville Predators at Dallas Stars (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET; BSSW, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
For the Predators, everything hinges on Jesus Saros, who was the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy last season, voted as best goalie in the NHL. He has shown that he was the right choice to take over after Pekka Rinne retired following the 2020-21 season. I think it actually helped Nashville to begin the season in Europe for team bonding, and it won twice against the San Jose Sharks in the 2022 NHL Global Series in Prague. Forward Nino Niederreiter, who signed a two-year contract with the Predators on July 21, has three goals in three games, and McDonagh has already proven to be a big addition on defense. Nashville is going to be an underrated team in the NHL this season.
The Stars finally got Jason Robertson signed to a four-year contract Oct. 6, and the forward had an assist in their season-opening 4-1 win at the Predators on Thursday. He was a part of one of the best top lines in the NHL last season Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz. I expect defenseman Miro Heiskanen to step up even more after John Klingberg signed with the Anaheim Ducks as a free agent and Jake Oettinger will be the undisputed no. 1 goalie after starting last season at No. 4 on the depth chart. Let’s see how Dallas looks under new coach Peter DeBoer.
Los Angeles Kings at Minnesota Wild (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWIX, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
It was a little bit of a surprise that the Kings qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. Although Los Angeles still has three members of the two-time Cup winners from 2012 and 2014 in goalie. Jonathan Quickcenter Anze Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty, they’ve shown they can grow more talent and have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL; centers Quinton Byfield and Jaret Anderson-Dolanforwards Carl Grundstrom and Arthur Kaliyev and defenseman Sean Durzi each should make an impact this season, and center Gabriel Vilardi is finally healthy after being limited to 25 games last season. Add to that center Adrian Kempewho scored an NHL career-high 35 goals last season, and forward Kevin Fialaacquired in a trade with the Wild on June 29, and the Kings should have plenty of offense.
Kirill Kaprizov is the best player Minnesota has ever had. The forward had 108 points (47 goals, 61 assists) last season, his second in the NHL, and should approach those numbers again. The question is how will they fare without Fiala, who was a big part of the offense last season, and who will step up to be the No. 1 center? I look for the Wild to have another big year in the competitive Central Division despite a disappointing start to the season with a 7-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday. Marc-Andre Fleury allowed seven goals on 35 shots, but we know he has been one of the best and most consistent goalies in the League for the past two decades.
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