NHL Tonight: What to watch, stats, betting info for Friday - ESPN

The 2026-27 NHL season is not yet a week old, but it's been a bit of a roller-coaster ride:

Nathan MacKinnon fought Brandt Clarke, then fired his helmet at the boards in celebration.

Evan Bouchard had three goals and two assists on opening night… and somehow that wasn't enough to beat the Canucks. Connor McDavid equaled his five points on Thursday, and the Oilers won 9-7.

Igor Shesterkin scored the first goalie goal in Rangers history.

And commissioner Gary Bettman cautioned about the further use of no-trade clauses after they became the story in hockey this summer.

So much for easing into the campaign!

There's no slowing down Friday, as the five-game slate includes some more season debuts. That includes Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, who take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. Both teams are expected to contend for the Metro Division crown, and every result counts.

Here's what else to watch in each game this evening:

New York Rangers at Detroit Red Wings

6:30 p.m. ET (TNT) | DET -142, O/U: 5.5

The Rangers' season didn't get off to the best start, as they couldn't get a puck past Jeremy Swayman while the Bruins put two past Igor Shesterkin and one into an empty net. It could be worse, though; just ask a Red Wings fan.

Detroit's captain, Dylan Larkin, asked for a trade, then was stripped of his captaincy upon his return to camp following the lack of a deal and is now out with an upper-body injury; rising star defenseman (and restricted free agent) Simon Edvinsson is without a contract; and the club has not named a permanent GM to handle these matters. Of course, the Wings do have some exciting players that will be taking the ice, including Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Alex