This Week in the NHL: Will Carter Hart get start against former team?
With 32 teams, games every night and countless narratives emerging, the NHL season can make one’s head spin, and it’s easy to miss out on the weekly storylines. Not to worry; every Monday from October to April, I’ll map out the major events, games, plotlines and milestones on tap for the next seven days.
So what’s happening the week of Dec. 8-14 ?
Dec. 8-9: NHL Board of Governors meetings
Colorado Springs, Colo., will host the latest gathering of key NHL decision makers. Among the probable hot topics: the extreme urgency over the construction of the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena for the 2026 Olympics in February. Not only is the reported smaller-than-NHL-sized ice surface a safety concern for the players, but, as NHL deputy commissioner Dill Daly told me last week, if the arena isn’t completed in time for the tournament, the NHL isn’t going to the Olympics, period. There is no contingency plan.
Dec. 11: Carter Hart returns to Philadelphia
Vegas Golden Knights @ Philadelphia Flyers, 7:00 p.m. ET
Acquitted of sexual assault along with four other 2018 Canadian world junior team members in July, Hart caught on with the Golden Knights a couple months later, logged a few AHL games and was back playing his first NHL game in two seasons by last week. With Adin Hill still injured, the Golden Knights will continue to need Hart. Does that mean he’ll get the start against his former team when they visit Philadelphia on Thursday?
Dec. 13: McDavid’s Oilers visit Matthews’ Leafs
Edmonton Oilers @ Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:00 p.m. ET
Typically, when these two teams meet, we’re witnessing a pair of Stanley Cup contenders fuelled by superstars. But there should be far more desperation in the air when the Oilers visit Scotiabank Arena for Hockey Night in Canada Saturday. The Oilers and Leafs have struggled to stay in their respective conferences’ playoff races this season. Does that mean we’ll get extra fire from McDavid and Matthews?
Dec. 13: Nino Niederreiter’s 1,000th game
Washington Capitals @ Winnipeg Jets, 7:00 p.m. ET
Remember when Niederreiter was trending toward colossal bust status with the New York Islanders? That was an eternity ago. As the fifth-overall pick of the 2010 Draft, he had three points in 64 games across his first two NHL seasons, but his career took off after a 2013 trade to the Minnesota Wild. Niederreiter has seven 20-goal campaigns to his name and has been a reliable middle-six forward for a decade and a half, competing for five franchises.
Dec. 14: First Hughes Bowl of the 2025-26 season
Vancouver Canucks @ New Jersey Devils, 12:30 p.m. ET
The Quinn Hughes trade rumors continue to swirl, and his brothers Jack and Luke have been open about wanting him on their team, but they’ll remain his opponents when his Canucks visit their Devils for Sunday’s matinee action.