NHL Announces 2025-26 Opener and Schedule Changes

The NHL will open its 2025-26 season with a tripleheader on October 7, 2025, broadcast in the U.S. on ESPN and in Canada on Sportsnet and TVA Sports. The Florida Panthers, after winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup, will host the Chicago Blackhawks and raise their championship banner. The New York Rangers, now led by coach Mike Sullivan, will play the Pittsburgh Penguins, his former team, followed by the Colorado Avalanche facing the Los Angeles Kings. The league will release the full 82-game schedule on July 16. This season will include a break for NHL players to participate in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, their first Olympic appearance since 2014. It will also be the last 82-game season before the league expands to 84 games in 2026-27 under a new collective bargaining agreement.