The National Hockey League revealed its schedule of games for the 2025-26 season this past Wednesday, highlighted by three games on opening night. The Florida Panthers will be presented with the chance to hoist their Stanley Cup championship banner for the second straight year prior to their contest against the Chicago Blackhawks at Amerant Bank Arena on October 7.
Furthermore, the NHL’s initial night will also feature the New York Rangers playing host to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Metropolitan Division showdown, while the Los Angeles Kings will welcome the Colorado Avalanche in a Western Conference battle.
The league will televise two games nationally on October 8, showcasing the Boston Bruins facing off against the Washington Capitals, along with the Vegas Golden Knights hosting the Los Angeles Kings. The Wednesday schedule will also spotlight the defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers squaring off against the Calgary Flames in the first edition of the season’s “Battle of Alberta.”
A particularly compelling date on the NHL schedule will be a rematch of the two most recent Stanley Cup Final series between the Panthers and Oilers, scheduled for November 22 at Amerant Bank Arena. The Oilers, in turn, will host the Panthers on March 19 at Rogers Place.
The 2026 Winter Classic is slated to include the Panthers entertaining the Rangers on January 2 at Loan Depot Park in Miami. This event marks the first occasion that the Winter Classic will be held in the state of Florida, and it also represents the Panthers’ inaugural appearance in the annual outdoor game.
Additionally, the Stadium Series will witness the Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Bruins at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This event will be the first Stadium Series participation for either franchise, and it will also be the Lightning’s first time competing in an outdoor game.
The NHL will also present the NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden on November 14 and 16, featuring the Nashville Predators against the Penguins. Several Swedish hockey luminaries will take to the ice in Stockholm, notably Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson, Penguins forward Rickard Rakell, and Predators forward Filip Forsberg.
In all, a total of 1,312 games are scheduled to be played, with the regular season concluding on April 16. The league’s regular-season schedule will be temporarily suspended from February 6-24, allowing the NHL’s elite players to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics held in Milan and Cortina, Italy.
