Schedule Dominates Fantasy as Olympic Break Looms

The NHL schedule will heavily influence fantasy outcomes this season, with games concentrated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and team-by-day quirks such as the Ducks’ off-night slates and Saturday-heavy Leafs/Habs schedules. Yahoo’s 24-week fantasy calendar and a nearly month-long Olympic break in Week 18 — during which only five teams will have six games — plus a stretched Week 24 create unusual matchup windows that will affect weekly planning and playoff timing. Early-season multi-game slates favor teams like the Rangers, Oilers, Kings, Predators, Mammoth and Canucks, presenting late-draft and waiver opportunities for fantasy managers. The NHL regular season opens Oct. 7, and U.S. viewers can stream most out-of-market games bundled through the ESPN app, though some Turner broadcasts remain excluded. Fan surveys show strong interest in NHL players at the 2026 Winter Olympics, support for adding regular-season games, and enthusiasm for expansion markets such as Kansas City, Quebec City and Indianapolis. Preseason coverage, including college openers at Lindenwood and Vermont, is already shaping fan and fantasy conversations ahead of puck drop.