This Week in the NHL: Skinner, Jarry immediately get to face old teams

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. 15-21 ?

Dec. 15: Chris Kreider returns to Madison Square Garden

Anaheim Ducks @ New York Rangers, 7:00 p.m. ET

Kreider spent 13 productive seasons with the Broadway Blueshirts before they traded him over the offseason. He sits third on the franchise’s all-time goals list, and his 52 goals in 2021-22 tied him with Adam Graves for the second-highest single-season total in Rangers history. Kreider will surely get a significant tribute and warm ovation at MSG.

Dec. 16: Skinner, Kulak, Jarry immediately face old teams after trade

Edmonton Oilers @ Pittsburgh Penguins, 7:30 p.m. ET

Don’t you just love it when this happens? The Oil and Pens made a humdinger of a trade on Friday, with goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick going to Pittsburgh for goaltender Tristan Jarry and right winger Sam Poulin. Here’s hoping both teams up the drama and start their new netminders for this matchup. As fans, we deserve to see it. Oh, and yes, it’s Connor McDavid vs. Sidney Crosby as a sideplot.

Dec. 20: NHL holiday roster freeze begins

Per the NHL: “For all players on an NHL active roster, injured reserve, or with non-roster and injured non-roster status as of 11:59 p.m. (local time) Dec. 19, a roster freeze shall apply through 12:01 a.m. (local time) Dec. 28, with respect to waivers, trades and loans, subject to the exceptions provided for in CBA Article 16.5 (d).” Teams will thus need to get any urgent deals done before then.

Patrick Kane’s 500^th goal

The future Hall of Famer opens the week two goals way from 500 for his career, with his Detroit Red Wings playing four times. Kane will soak in that milestone when it comes but has a bigger one on the mind: passing Mike Modano for the most points among U.S.-born players. Kane needs nine more to do so.

Leon Draisaitl’s 1,000^th point

Draisaitl is already Germany’s greatest hockey export and a future Hall of Famer. He’ll add to his growing list of accolades in short order when he gets point No. 1,000. He needs just one to get there, and his Oilers play four times this week, so it’s a virtual lock to happen. Draisaitl will become the 14^th active player with 1,000 points, and he’ll be the third-fastest active player to get there behind only McDavid and Crosby.