NHL On Tap: Panarin to debut for Kings against Golden Knights

There are eight games on the NHL schedule for Wednesday, including two nationally televised in the United States and Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

A King's welcome

Artemi Panarin is poised to debut for the Los Angeles Kings at home against the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNO, SNE, SN1, TVAS). The 34-year-old forward was acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on Feb. 4 and the Kings (23-19-14) are three points behind the Anaheim Ducks for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. Panarin arrives as their leading scorer with 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists) in 52 games and they need him after forward Kevin Fiala (40 points; 18 goals, 22 assists) fractured his lower left leg playing for Team Switzerland in a 5-1 loss to Team Canada in a Group A game at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 on Feb. 13. The Golden Knights (27-16-4) will be without Team USA Olympians Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin, while the status of Team Canada's Mitch Marner, Mark Stone and Shea Theodore is to be determined.

Jack is back

All hail the conquering hero! That's the theme of the night at Prudential Center with Olympic star Jack Hughes expected to play for New Jersey Devils (28-27-2) against the Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET: MSGSN, MSG-B). Devils fans -- make that American hockey fans in general -- will have the chance to show their appreciation for the historic moment produced by the 24-year-old forward, whose goal at 1:41 of overtime gave Team USA a 2-1 win against Canada for the United States' first gold medal since the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Hughes has since appeared on "The TODAY Show on NBC" with brother Quinn Hughes, toured the White House and met United States President Donald Trump later in the day. Hobby's Deli, just down the street from Prudential Center, even introduced a "Jack's Golden Goal Sandwich," featuring rare roast beef, American cheese and golden onions. Lost in all this is how U.S. forward Tage Thompson returns to the surging Sabres (32-19-6), who hold the first wild card from the Eastern Conference and have won 21 of their past 28 games (21-5-2) dating to Dec. 9, tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the most wins during that span. Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Dahlin takes a seven-game point streak (four goals, eight assists) into New Jersey after skating for Team Sweden.

Quenneville's quest

Joel Quenneville can win his 1,000th game when the Ducks host the Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center (10:30 p.m. ET; Victory+, SNW) and join Scotty Bowman (1,244) as the only NHL coach to reach the milestone. The Ducks (30-23-3) named Quenneville (999-595-153, 77 ties) the 12th coach in team history May 8 and are contending for their first playoff berth since 2018. Leo Carlsson is back for Anaheim; the 21-year-old center had a procedure on Jan. 16 to treat a left thigh injury and was expected to be out 3-5 weeks. Carlsson was named to Team Sweden's roster for the Olympics but was unavailable because of his injury. He has 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) in 44 games this season. The Oilers (28-22-8) lead the Ducks and Seattle Kraken by one point for second in the Pacific Division. Captain Connor McDavid will play for the Oilers after he was voted Most Valuable Player of the Olympics with 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in six games for Canada.

Gold standard

Team USA captain Auston Matthews is expected to be in the lineup when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Lightning at Benchmark International Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS). The Maple Leafs captain had seven points (three goals, four assists) in six Olympic games and has 48 points (26 goals, 22 assists) in 51 NHL games this season. Brayden Point is expected to play for the Lightning (37-14-4), coming off an injury that's sidelined him since Jan. 12 and kept the forward out of the Olympics. Captain Victor Hedman also is likely after missing Sweden's 2-1 overtime loss to the U.S. in the quarterfinals because of a lower-body injury. The Lightning have won five in a row. Forward Nikita Kucherov needs one assist for 700 in the NHL. Jon Cooper will not coach Tampa Bay the next two games following the death of his father, Robert, earlier this week.

Rested Ovi eyes stretch run

Alex Ovechkin had time to relax and reload during the Olympic break, spending time with friends and family in Dubai. Now he's rested and ready to help the Washington Capitals for the stretch run, beginning with a visit from the rival Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSP). Washington (29-23-7) trails the Boston Bruins by four points for the second wild card from the East and is four points behind the New York Islanders for third in the Metropolitan Division. "We're going to have to win almost every game to make the playoffs," Ovechkin told NHL.com, adding that "we're still in a battle." The 40-year-old still has something left in the tank with 48 points (22 goals, 26 assists) in 59 games and is one goal away from passing Gordie Howe (449) for the second most home goals in NHL history, behind only Wayne Gretzky (492). The Flyers (25-20-11) come to Washington on a 3-4-3 funk and could end up being sellers by the NHL Trade Deadline, which comes at 3 p.m. ET on March 6.

The schedule

Buffalo Sabres at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, MSG-B)

Philadelphia Flyers at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSP)

Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS)

Seattle Kraken at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; FOX4, KHN/Prime, Victory+, KING 5, KONG)

Colorado Avalanche at Utah Mammoth (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, ALT)

Winnipeg Jets at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, TSN3)

Vegas Golden Knights at Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNO, SNE, SN1, TVAS)

Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks (10:30 p.m. ET; Victory+, SNW)