Friday brings a lighter slate of four NHL games after Thursday's ten-contest slate. The Seattle Kraken visit the Detroit Red Wings at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with Detroit favored at -142 and an over/under of 5.5. Seattle has shown some life early with two wins, while Detroit earned a win in Dylan Larkin's first game back following a trade request and a stint on injured reserve. The two teams meet again in Seattle on Oct. 20.
The headline matchup pits the New York Rangers against the Washington Capitals at 7 p.m. ET on NHL Network, with Washington favored at -142 and an over/under of 5.5. Few expected the Rangers to contend, yet they rocketed to the top of the Metro Division after 10 days with just one loss and a plus-8 goal differential. Washington, which fields the NHL's heaviest roster, will look to deliver an early blow to its division rival.
The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with Columbus favored at -125 and an over/under of 6.5. Just 185 miles separate the cities, and the Penguins have won both previous playoff meetings. With the Eastern Conference so competitive, the teams could be fighting for a final playoff spot into April.
In the late game, the Anaheim Ducks face the Winnipeg Jets at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with Winnipeg favored at -125 and an over/under of 6.5. Many expected Anaheim to contend after its 2026 postseason return, while Winnipeg, without star goalie Connor Hellebuyck, had fewer backers. The Jets have started 3-0-1, tied with Edmonton atop the Western Conference.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing