ESPN staff Oct 29, 2026, 07:00 AM ET Thursday marks one month since Opening Night of the 2026-27 NHL season, which has produced quite a lot of hot takes and overreactions. And the games continue, including 11 of them for hockey fans to ingest tonight. Here's a look at what you need to know for each game, including betting info and broadcast details: Odds are provided by Draft Kings and subject to change.
Winnipeg Jets at Tampa Bay Lightning 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | TB -238, O/U: 5.5 Generally speaking, jets and lightning don't mix. And given the Winnipeg Jets' current tailspin -- six straight losses -- this doesn't seem to be a great time to be visiting the hockey team that plays in Central Florida. The Lightning are undefeated at home this season, but are banged up with both Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman listed as day-to-day.
Utah Mammoth at Pittsburgh Penguins 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | UTA -130, O/U: 6.5 Just 10 days after squaring off in Salt Lake City -- a 5-4 win for the home Mammoth -- these two clubs will battle again in the Steel City. Any time Logan Cooley plays in Pittsburgh, we are contractually obligated to point out that he got his start in Sidney Crosby's "Little Penguins" program. Cooley has six points in six career games against the Pens, including an assist in Utah's win this season.
The Penguins have a long list of players on the injury report that could return Thursday, including Evgeni Malkin, Ben Kindel, Egor Chinakhov and Samuel Girard. Columbus Blue Jackets at Carolina Hurricanes 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | CAR -218, O/U: 6.5 After a rough start, the Blue Jackets have been better of late, with three wins (all in OT) in their last five games. Can they keep the magic rolling against the Canes? Carolina has been rolling all season, including 10 wins in their past dozen games.
Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov has been particularly strong, with an 8-0-0 record, 1.62 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+/Disney+/Hulu) | DET -180, O/U: 6.5 This game is a continuation of one of the NHL's most storied rivalries, having begun in 1926-27. The teams have met 838 times; Detroit holds the edge in the regular season with a 378-278-84-17 record, while Chicago has a 43-38 advantage in the playoffs.
At this point, it's a long shot that either team makes the 2027 playoffs, but this game has a number of fascinating elements. Patrick Kane will be returning to the team for which he skated the past three seasons, and teammate Connor Bedard has found success against Detroit; he has six points in five career games vs. the Red Wings, including a goal and two assists Nov. 9 of last season. Detroit's leading scorer, Alex De Brincat, has had even more success against Chicago, with 11 points in eight career games against his former team.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing