NHL On Tap: Stamkos returns to Tampa Bay with the Predators

Welcome to NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. Eight games are scheduled for Monday, including one that will be nationally televised in the United States and Canada:

Games of the day

Nashville Predators at Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, TVAS)

Steven Stamkos returns to Tampa for the first time since signing with Nashville as an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Stamkos was selected by the Lightning with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft and played 16 seasons for Tampa Bay, winning the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021 and serving as captain from 2014 to 2024. The forward is the franchise's all-time leader in goals (555), points (1,137) and games played (1,082), but he has scored one goal in eight games for the Predators (3-5-0), winning three of them have a series after opening the season with five consecutive defeats. The Lightning (5-3-0) have won two of their last three games.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Winnipeg Jets (7:30 p.m. ET; Prime)

The Jets (8-0-0), the NHL's only undefeated team, could become the fifth team to open a season with at least nine straight wins, joining the 1993-94 Maple Leafs (10-0- 0), 2006-94. 07 Buffalo Sabers (10-0-0), the 2015-16 Montreal Canadiens (9-0-0) and the 2021-22 Carolina Hurricanes (9-0-0). Kyle Connor has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in an eight-game point streak to open the season, tied with Blake Wheeler, who had 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in the first eight games of the 2015-16 season, the longest Point streak to start the season in franchise history. The Maple Leafs (4-4-1) will be tough, though; Toronto has won five straight against Winnipeg. Auston Matthews led the Maple Leafs with nine points (five goals, four assists) in those games.

Calgary Flames at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SNW, TVAS)

Mark Stone leads the NHL with 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in nine games, and the Golden Knights (6-2-1) lead the NHL in goals per game (4.67). Stone returned from a back injury last season and led Vegas with 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists) in 56 games before suffering a ruptured spleen. Rasmus Andersson has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in eight games for the Flames (5-2-1), who have lost two straight in the regular season after starting the season on a six-game point streak (5-0-1). ). No Flames defenseman has reached 10 points in fewer games since Phil Housley did it in six games in 1995.