NHL On Tap: Canucks, Canadiens rookies showcased nationally on Prime

There are nine games on the NHL schedule Monday, including one nationally televised in the United States and Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Canadiens, Canucks rookies take Prime stage

Some of the top rookie talent in the NHL will be on display when the Montreal Canadiens host the Vancouver Canucks on "Prime Monday Night Hockey" (7:30 p.m. ET; RDS, Prime). Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov leads rookies with 36 points (10 goals, 26 assists) in 45 games. Teammate Oliver Kapanen is first with 15 goals in 45 games and was named to Team Finland's roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, one of three active first-year skaters selected to compete in the tournament (Pavol Regenda and Dalibor Dvorsky, Team Slovakia). Demidov is on pace to become the second consecutive Canadiens player to finish as the NHL rookie leader in points, following defenseman Lane Hutson, who won the Calder Trophy voted as the League's top rookie last season. Zeev Buium, who was acquired by the Canucks in the trade for Quinn Hughes on Dec. 12, is third among rookie defensemen with 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 44 games. The Canadiens (25-14-6) had won three in row before a 4-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday that dropped them two points behind them for first in the Atlantic Division. The Canucks (16-23-5) have lost six in a row (0-4-2) and are 0-3-0 on their six-game road trip.

Fedorov's number retirement in Detroit

Sergei Fedorov's No. 91 will become the ninth number to be retired by the Red Wings during a ceremony before they host the Carolina Hurricanes at Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, FDSNSO). Fedorov played his first 13 NHL seasons with Detroit (1990-2003), winning the Stanley Cup three times (1997, 1998, 2002), the Selke Trophy as the League's top defensive forward twice (1994, 1996) and the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player once (1994). The 2015 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee is fourth in Red Wings history in goals (400), seventh in assists (554) and sixth in points (954). Fedorov will join Sid Abel (12), Alex Delvecchio (10), Gordie Howe (9), Red Kelly (4), Nicklas Lidstrom (5), Ted Lindsay (7), Terry Sawchuk (1) and Steve Yzerman (19) among Red Wings players to have their number retired.

Kucherov, Lightning seek 10th straight win

The Tampa Bay Lightning can move within one of the longest winning streak in their history when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers for the second time in three days (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, NBCSP). A 10th consecutive win would match the run set in 2018-19 and 2019-20, exceeded only by an 11-game streak from Jan. 29-Feb. 17, 2020, and give Jon Cooper his 600th victory (599-319-86) as Lightning coach. Tampa Bay (27-13-3) has outscored opponents 46-24 in winning its past nine games, including 7-2 against Philadelphia on Saturday. Nikita Kucherov has eight consecutive multipoint games and at least one point in each of the Lightning's nine straight wins (nine goals, 14 assists), including four (two goals, two assists) on Saturday. The Flyers (22-13-8) close out a four-game homestand at Xfinity Mobile Arena, during which they are 1-1-1.

McDavid vs. Bedard

Connor McDavid will try to push his NHL career-high point streak to 19 games when the Edmonton Oilers visit Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, SNW). McDavid has 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) during his run to tie Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche for the NHL lead with 78 points (30 goals, 48 assists) in 45 games this season. Bedard had two assists in a 3-0 victory against the Nashville Predators on Saturday after being held without a point in his return from a shoulder injury in a 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday. The Blackhawks forward has 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists) in 33 games this season. The 20-year-old's 110 assists are the second-most by a Blackhawks player before age 21 behind Eddie Olczyk (115). Chicago (19-19-7) has won five of six. Edmonton (22-16-7) has points in three straight games (2-0-1).

MacKinnon vs. Matthews

MacKinnon and the NHL-leading Avalanche can match the longest home winning streak in Colorado/Quebec Nordiques history when they host Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs (10 p.m. ET; KTVD, ALT, SNO, TVAS). The Avalanche (33-4-7) have 17 consecutive wins at Ball Arena, where they won 18 in a row in 2021-22, and have yet to lose in regulation on home ice this season (19-0-2). MacKinnon has 78 points (36 goals, 42 assists) in 44 games despite being held without a point in three of his past four. Matthews has 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in his past seven games. The Maple Leafs (22-15-7) have points in nine straight games (7-0-2) to climb within one point of the Capitals for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

The schedule

Florida Panthers at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSG-B)

Carolina Hurricanes at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, FDSNSO)

Seattle Kraken at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, KONG, NHLN, MSG)

Tampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, NBCSP)

Vancouver Canucks at Montreal Canadiens (7:30 p.m. ET; RDS, Prime)

New Jersey Devils at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, MSGSN)

Edmonton Oilers at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, SNW)

Toronto Maple Leafs at Colorado Avalanche (10 p.m. ET; KTVD, ALT, SNO, TVAS)

Dallas Stars at Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET; FDSNW, Victory+)