National Hockey

New Jersey Devils vs. Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Flyers host the New Jersey Devils for the season opener.

Seattle Kraken vs. Anaheim Ducks Anaheim, California; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Ducks -132, Kraken +111; over/under is 6 BOTTOM LINE: The Anaheim Ducks host the Seattle Kraken for the season opener.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Colorado Avalanche Denver; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Avalanche -398, Blackhawks +308; over/under is 6.5 BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche open the season at home against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Arizona Coyotes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Penguins begin the season at home against the Arizona Coyotes. Pittsburgh had a 46-25-11 record overall and a 25-14-5 record at home last season.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Rangers New York; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Rangers -120, Lightning -101; over/under is 5.5 BOTTOM LINE: The New York Rangers open the season at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Carolina Hurricanes Raleigh, North Carolina; Wednesday, 7 p.m.

WINNIPEG — David Rittich was glad he delivered a shutout for his new Winnipeg Jets team, but any kind of victory would have felt good.

Connor McDavid has seen enough big-time opportunities slip through hockey's fingers. The NHL made a business decision when it opted against sending its stars to the 2018 Olympics in South Korea after participating at five straight Winter Games.

MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens have signed defenceman Logan Mailloux to a three-year, entry-level contract, the club announced on Wednesday. The deal is worth US$750,000 in the first season and $832,500 in the next two campaigns.

Players aren't the only ones feeling pressure as the NHL season gets underway. The men behind the bench know their jobs depend on their team's performance, too.