It’s time to mark your calendars, hockey fans — the NHL season is right around the corner.
On Wednesday, the league released the full schedule for the 2025-26 NHL regular season, which begins Oct. 7 and concludes on April 16.
The regular season opens with three all-American games on Oct. 7 and is highlighted by the Florida Panthers raising their second consecutive Stanley Cup Championship banner, at their home opener at Amerant Bank Arena.
Four Canadian teams will open their season on Oct. 8 — the Montreal Canadians at Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Calgary Flames at Edmonton Oilers, which will be broadcast on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ — while the remaining three northern squads begin their action on Oct. 9.
Oct. 9 also marks the potential NHL debut for Hamilton, Ont., native and first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer, as his New York Islanders open the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
For wall-to-wall NHL action, fans will be treated to two nights where all 32 teams are in action — Oct. 11 and Oct. 28.
The first of two Stanley Cup Final rematches between the Panthers and Oilers will take place in Florida on Nov. 22. Edmonton must wait until March 19 for a chance at revenge on home ice.
The two annual outdoor games, the Winter Classic and Stadium Series, will take place on Jan. 2 in Miami and Feb. 1 in Tampa, respectively.
All seven Canadian squads will play on Jan. 17 during Scotiabank’s Hockey Day in Canada, hosted this year by Moncton, N.B., with the full celebration to be broadcast on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
In lieu of an all-star break, the league will pause from Feb. 6-24 for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, in which NHLers are permitted to participate for the first time since 2014.
The 1,312-game regular-season schedule — the final season of 82 games per team before it increases to 84 per team for the 2026-27 season — will conclude April 16.
Full broadcast schedule, including all national broadcasts of Wednesday Night Hockey and Hockey Night in Canada, will be released by Sportsnet at a later date.
