The NHL‘s new-look schedule is out with 84 games per team and a September start.
The league already announced on Wednesday, July 15, that the 2026-27 season would start on Sept. 29 with five games. It also announced the home openers for every team.
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The NHL announced the full schedule on Thursday. Because of the extra two games, every team will play four games against division opponents.
The schedule includes the Carolina Hurricanes raising their Stanley Cup banner on Sept. 29 before they face the 2024 and 2025 champion Florida Panthers. There will be games in Finland and Germany, three outdoor games and the All-Star Game will return after a two-year hiatus.
Here’s a look at the highlights of the 2026-27. season:
The 2026-27 NHL season starts on Sept. 29 with the following five games:. There will be an ESPN tripleheader in the United States and a Sportsnet doubleheader in Canada.
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All times p.m. Eastern
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Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes, 5 (ESPN): A meeting of the last three Stanley Cup winners. Carolina will raise a Stanley Cup banner for the first time in 20 years. Both teams lost their longtime goalies (Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky, Carolina’s Frederik Andersen) to free agency.
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Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 (Sportsnet): No. 1 overall draft pick Gavin McKenna makes his NHL debut. The Canadiens reached the conference finals last season.
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Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights, 10:30 (ESPN): New coach Ryan Craig takes over a Vegas team that went to the Stanley Cup Final. Injured Connor Bedard won’t be playing for the Blackhawks until November.
The TNT schedule begins on Sept. 30 with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Philadelphia Flyers and the Los Angeles Kings at the Colorado Avalanche. Both are rematches of first-round series won by the Flyers and the Avalanche.
The Washington Capitals‘ Oct. 7 home opener will be against the rival Penguins. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are in their 22nd season and their contracts expire after this season.
