Washington Capitals Alexander Ovechkin (8) is back in the line up for opening night against the
Carolina Hurricane on Fri Oct 2, 2026 after suffering a lower body injury (AP file photo)

NHL podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 Ovechkin: Alex Ovechkin says he expects to be ready for Washington’s regular-season opener after missing the preseason with a lower-body injury. What should fans watch for in his return?

#2 Penguins: Pittsburgh opened the season with a 7–0 shutout of Philadelphia, with Nicholas Robertson scoring twice. What does that performance say about the Penguins’ revamped offense?

#3 Bouchard: Edmonton defenseman Evan Bouchard recorded five points, including a hat trick, in the Oilers’ opening-night loss to Vancouver. The Oilers turned it around on Thursday night with a win over the Canucks in Vancouver. Can he sustain that level of offensive production?

#4 Celebrini: Macklin Celebrini is making his debut as the San Jose Sharks’ captain Thursday night at age 20. How might the captaincy affect his role and the Sharks’ season?

#5 Injuries: Ivan Provorov is week-to-week for Columbus, while Matt Duchene was placed on long-term injured reserve by Dallas. Which early-season injury story could have the biggest impact on a team?

Join Len Shapiro Fridays for the NHL podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com