NHL Schedule: Nationally televised games this week

Welcome to Top Shelf TV, a preview of the week’s national NHL schedule and television listings. We comb through the schedule on NBC, NBCSN, and NHL Network to tell you which games are worth your time and which ones to skip.

My name is Thomas Joseph (My friends call me T.J. You are probably not my friend, and you will probably call me that in the comments anyway). I’m thrilled to join the team here at Puck Prose. If all goes according to plan, this will be a regular column previewing the NHL schedule for national broadcasts.

We’re not worried about my rooting interests. You will pick up on those soon enough. We’re not worried about which games impact the playoff race – although that will factor in late in the season.

Also, we’re not writing off teams that are terrible. Let’s say the Dallas Stars fail to contend again. A high octane offense and a questionable blue line should still make for some exciting matchups (even in March). Maybe not for Stars fans, but for huge hockey fans? Absolutely.

Should East Coast viewers stay up for a doubleheader? Are Friday night NHL Network matchups are worth putting off your weekend for? Is the Wednesday Night Rivalry game actually a rivalry? Let’s take a look.

Monday

https://twitter.com/NHL/status/916140968239345665

Chicago Blackhawks at Toronto Maple Leafs (7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT on NHL Network)

Why you should watch: An Original Six matchup between 2017 playoff teams. Both are undefeated early in the season and boast tons of firepower. The young guns in Toronto are off to a hot start. They added a veteran spark with the acquisition of Patrick Marleau this summer.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are riding a wave of offensive production. Despite a questionable blue line, the made some offensive additions of their own in the offseason. The return of Brandon Saad has been nothing short of spectacular. In his second go with the Blackhawks, Saad has contributed to five of Chicago’s 15 goals this season.

Skip it if: You’re bothered by questionable blue lines. In Chicago, Brent Seabrook has had a bizarre decline, and Duncan Keith can’t live forever. The Leafs added veteran Ron Hainsey in the offseason, and the front office has a lot of trust in their young defensemen going forward. Fans are ultimately waiting for Drew Doughty to arrive once his contract runs out in Los Angeles.

Verdict: Must watch. There should be goals galore in this one and two of the best head coaches in the business (Mike Babcock and Joel Quenneville) will have a battle of the wits. This game should be a good measuring stick for both teams.

Tuesday

Chicago Blackhawks at Montreal Canadiens (7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT on NBCSN)

Why you should watch: Another Original Six matchup between 2017 playoff teams. And the first game of a doubleheader on NBCSN. The Hawks bring their high flying forwards to Montreal to take on the Canadiens.

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As Rob Vollman points out in this year’s Hockey Abstract, since 2014-15, the Canadiens are on a 113-point pace over 82 games when Price plays. When he doesn’t, they’re a 79-point team. The Canadiens play three times this week, but get plenty of rest. If he plays, this could be a heck of a struggle between offensive production and defensive posturing.

Skip it if: Chicago comes in on the wrong end of a back-to-back. It’s possible they come in groggy, slow, and starting backup goalie Anton Forsberg. One can logically assume Corey Crawford will get the start against the Maple Leafs.

Verdict: Worth tuning in for, but not indispensable.

Arizona Coyotes at Vegas Golden Knights (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT on NBCSN)

Why you should watch: The Golden Knights head into their first home game in franchise history undefeated. James Neal has been on a tear early, scoring the first goal in franchise history Friday night. Following the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas last weekend, it will be an emotional evening.

Also, the Coyotes added a number of pieces in the offseason, notably following trades for Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta with the New York Rangers. The blue line looks to be fleshed out with the

Skip it if: These teams are still not very good. Everyone loves an underdog, but the Coyotes aren’t quite there yet. Vegas is still an expansion team full of holes.

Verdict: Questionable. Not worth staying up for on the East Coast, but worth watching if you’re a Pacific Division fan or just live out west.

Wednesday

Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals (7:30 p.m. EDT/ 4:30 p.m. PDT on NBCSN)

Why you should watch: This should be a Wednesday Night Rivalry matchup that lives up to the billing. The Capitals have been eliminated in May by the Penguins two years in a row. Alex Ovechkin has been in absolute beast mode this year. Sidney Crosby and The Great Eight have been pitted against each other as the faces of the league since their respective debuts in 2005. Even if these teams were winless headed in, it would still be a marquee game.

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Skip it if: Don’t. The Penguins finally found their footing Saturday beating the Nashville Predators. Meanwhile, Washington is off to another strong start, heading into Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Verdict: If you only watch one NHL game this week, make it this one. It’s the premier nationally televised game on the NHL schedule this week. The Capitals and Penguins tend to bring out the best in each other. This is the first time the bitter rivals have faced each other since the second round of the 2016-17 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Capitals and Penguins rivalry is the Boston Red Sox versus New York Yankees of the NHL. Except the Caps and Pens don’t play each other on national television every other week. And even if they did, it would still be worth tuning in.

Friday

New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets (7:00 p.m. EDT/ 4:00 p.m. PDT on NHL Network)

Why you should watch: This game should give us some insight into the Metropolitan Division going forward. There’s an argument to be made the Blue Jackets were lucky (or rode great goaltending) to a franchise-best season last year. Either way, they put up 108 points.

They also return most of their main contributors. The Blue Jackets sport a line up that reminds us of the Minnesota Wild. While their long-term cap situation is suspect, there just are not many holes.

The Rangers start the first game of a divisional back-to-back as they head home the next night to face the New Jersey Devils. They got a huge win on Sunday against the Canadiens after struggling in their first two games. With an improved defense, they hope to improve on last season.

Skip it if: Boy, if you though Alain Vigneault was a frustrating coach, John Tortorella is another level of difficult. When he isn’t ruining the World Cup for US fans, he’s blowing winnable playoff series.

Verdict: Unless you’re particularly attached to the Metro Division you can get your weekend started early. This should be a very good game though. Still, with the Rangers likely starting Ondrej Pavelec in goal, this one isn’t as exciting as it could be.