This week in the NHL: Will boo birds welcome Alex DeBrincat back to Ottawa?

So many games. So little time. What should you focus your NHL hockey fandom on if your favorite team’s games don’t scratch the itch enough?

Welcome to a new Daily Faceoff rundown: This Week in the NHL. From now until April, we’ll lay out a collection of key games, events and deadlines to watch on the league calendar each week.

So what’s on tap for Oct. 16-22?

Oct. 16: Connor Bedard descends on Toronto

Thankfully, the generational prospect has that first goal out of the way before riding into the Canadian media gauntlet, which began with a game vs. the Montreal Canadiens Saturday and continues Monday when Chicago travels to Toronto. If Bedard thought he had a lot of media attention during his first week as an NHLer, wait until he arrives at Scotiabank Arena. At least Auston Matthews’ hat-trick-per-game pace will steal some of the spotlight.

Oct. 17: Mattias Ekholm, Pierre-Luc Dubois face their old teams

Ekholm sits fifth on the Predators’ all-time games list and played on the 2016-17 Stanley Cup finalist squad. He shouldn’t have to worry about a chilly reception when he returns to Music City for the first time since being traded days before the 2023 deadline in March. Dubois, on the other hand, forced his way out of Winnipeg with a trade request. Even if the Jets are happy with the play so far from the pieces they acquired in June’s blockbuster trade with the Kings, Dubois might not get the warmest welcome from the Canada Life Centre faithful.

Oct. 21: Boo birds for DeBrincat in Ottawa?

Alex DeBrincat lasted just one year in Canada’s capital after they paid a heavy price to acquire him in summer 2022. If there was any doubt about how his former teammates felt about his aversion to buying into their culture and signing long-term, Tim Stutzle eliminated that by telling media in September, “If you don’t want to be here, then good luck.” Don’t be surprised if the matinee crowd serenades DeBrincat on every puck touch on Saturday.

Oct. 21: 30 teams in action

If you like your game slates busy, the NHL will take care of you this season. Saturday marks the first of four 15-game days in the 2023-24 schedule. Only the Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils will sit out. Next week, the NHL will step up and deliver a 16-game night featuring all 32 teams for the second time in league history.

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