NHL On Tap: Kaprizov, Bedard face off when Wild visit Blackhawks

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

Kaprizov, Bedard open home-and-home series

Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy are within reach of 40-goal seasons for the Minnesota Wild, and Connor Bedard is closing in on his NHL career-high in points for the Chicago Blackhawks heading into the first game of an "NHL on TNT" doubleheader at United Center in Chicago (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, FDSNWIX, FDSNNOX, TNT). Kaprizov and Boldy are tied for the Wild lead with 38 goals. Kaprizov can reach 40 for the fourth time in his six NHL seasons. Boldy is looking to hit 40 for the first time in his five seasons. Each are on pace for at least 90 points, which would be the first time the Wild have two players reach the mark in the same season. Bedard leads the Blackhawks with 62 points (27 goals, 35 assists) and, despite missing 12 games with a shoulder injury, is six points away from surpassing his NHL career-high of 67 last season and scoring 30 goals for the first time in the League. Minnesota (38-18-12) hits the road after losing three straight at home (0-2-1). Chicago (25-30-11) has reached overtime in four of its past six games (2-2-2). The teams play in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday.

Schaefer's first game in Toronto

Matthew Schaefer will play his first NHL game at Scotiabank Arena when the New York Islanders visit the Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, MSGSN). The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is a native of Hamilton, Ontario, and expects to have a large contingent of family and friends in attendance. He is third among NHL rookies with 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists) in 67 games and can become the second 18-year-old defenseman in League history to have a 50-point season, following Phil Housley (57 in 1982-83). The Islanders (38-24-5) are 8-3-0 in their past 11 games and third in the Metropolitan Division, two points behind the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins. The Maple Leafs (29-27-12) are 2-0-1 in their past three after losing their previous eight (0-6-2) but will be without forward and captain Auston Matthews for the rest of the season because of a grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion in his left leg.

Bruins-Canadiens showdown in the Atlantic

The Boston Bruins visit the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, NESN) with the teams separated by one point in the battle for third in the Atlantic Division. This season can be the first time since 2016-17 to have each team qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Bruins (37-23-7) hold the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference and are one point behind the Detroit Red Wings, who hold the first wild card, and the Canadiens (36-20-10), who are third in the Atlantic. Montreal has lost the first two games of its three-game homestand and is two points behind the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning. Boston is 3-1-2 in its past six games, including 1-0-1 on a three-game road trip. Canadiens forward Cole Caufield needs one goal to reach 40 for the first time in his six NHL seasons. Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has nine points (four goals, five assists) during a seven-game point streak.

Celebrini, McDavid face off

Two of the top five players in the NHL scoring race will go head-to-head when Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks complete a five-game road trip against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, NBCSCA) at Rogers Place. McDavid is bidding to win the Art Ross Trophy (most points) for the sixth time and first since 2022-23. He leads the NHL with 114 points (37 goals, 77 assists) in 68 games, four ahead of Nathan MacKinnon (110) of the Colorado Avalanche. Celebrini is fifth with 95 points (35 goals, 60 assists) in 65 games and the 19-year-old is five points from becoming the first teenager with a 100-point season since Sidney Crosby in 2006-07, when he was 19. San Jose (32-27-6), which is 2-2-0 on its road trip, is one point behind the Seattle Kraken for the second wild card in the Western Conference and five behind Edmonton (33-26-9) for third in the Pacific Division. The Oilers, who are 3-1-1 in their past five games, will likely be without Leon Draisaitl after the forward sustained a lower-body injury in a 3-1 win against the Nashville Predators on Sunday.

Kucherov trying to close ground in Art Ross chase

Nikita Kucherov will continue his pursuit of his third consecutive Art Ross Trophy, and fourth overall, when the Lightning open a four-game road trip against the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena in the second game of an "NHL on TNT" doubleheader (10 p.m. ET; The Spot, HBO MAX, TNT). Kucherov is third in the NHL with 106 points (34 goals, 72 assists) in 61 games, five behind McDavid and four behind MacKinnon. He leads the League with 63 points (21 goals, 42 assists) in 30 games since Dec. 22 after facing a deficit in the scoring race as high as 22 points. Tampa Bay (40-21-4) is 2-7-0 in its past nine games to fall into second in the Atlantic Division, four behind the first-place Buffalo Sabres. Seattle (31-26-9), tied in points (91) with the Los Angeles Kings but holding the second wild card from the West with one game in hand, will try for its third straight win.

The schedule

New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, MSGSN)

Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, NESN)

Carolina Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, FDSNSO)

Minnesota Wild at Chicago Blackhawks (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, FDSNWIX, FDSNNOX, TNT)

Nashville Predators at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, FDSNSO)

San Jose Sharks at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, NBCSCA)

Florida Panthers at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, SCRIPPS)

Buffalo Sabres at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSG-B)

Tampa Bay Lightning at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; The Spot, HBO MAX, TNT)