The 2025-26 NHL season is finally a week away, the moment fans across the league have been waiting for all summer long. While some are eager to see unfamiliar faces in familiar jerseys, others are hoping their teams can finally break through this season.
Teams have one last week to finalize their rosters for the opening night while navigating critical injuries. Here’s everything you need to know: when the 2025-26 NHL season begins, how to watch opening night, and the most significant moves of this summer.
When Does the 2025-26 NHL Season Begin?
The 2025-26 NHL season officially begins Tuesday, October 7, with three opening-night matchups. Below is the complete schedule for opening night and every team’s home opener.
- Florida Panthers vs Chicago Blackhawks
The defending Stanley Cup champions open their title defense against the Blackhawks at 5 p.m. ET. Florida will be without captain Aleksander Barkov, who remains sidelined following ACL surgery. Meanwhile, Chicago will be looking to spoil the Panthers’ banner-raising ceremony with an upset.
- New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins
The Rangers open their campaign at Madison Square Garden against the Penguins at 8 p.m. ET. With star winger Artemi Panarin entering the final year of his contract, New York will be looking to build early momentum in what could be a pivotal season.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh and captain Sidney Crosby will look to carry their strong preseason form into the opener and steal a win on the road.
- Los Angeles Kings vs Colorado Avalanche
The Kings open their 2025-26 campaign at home against Colorado at 10:30 p.m. ET. While LA hopes to build on last season’s playoff appearance, the Avalanche are determined to recapture their 2022 championship form after three disappointing seasons.
Below is the list of the opening games for all 32 teams across the league:
- Anaheim Ducks: October 14 vs. Penguins
- Boston Bruins: October 9 vs. Blackhawks
- Buffalo Sabres: October 9 vs. Rangers
- Calgary Flames: October 11 vs. Blues
- Carolina Hurricanes: October 9 vs. Devils
- Chicago Blackhawks: October 11 vs. Canadiens
- Colorado Avalanche: October 9 vs. Mammoth
- Columbus Blue Jackets: October 13 vs. Devils
- Dallas Stars: October 14 vs. Wild
- Detroit Red Wings: October 9 vs. Canadiens
- Edmonton Oilers: October 8 vs. Flames
- Florida Panthers: October 7 vs. Blackhawks
- Los Angeles Kings: October 7 vs. Avalanche
- Minnesota Wild: October 11 vs. Blue Jackets
- Montreal Canadiens: October 14 vs. Kraken
- Nashville Predators: October 9 vs. Blue Jackets
- New Jersey Devils: October 16 vs. Panthers
- New York Islanders: October 11 vs. Capitals
- New York Rangers: October 7 vs. Penguins
- Ottawa Senators: October 13 vs. Predators
- Philadelphia Flyers: October 13 vs. Panthers
- Pittsburgh Penguins: October 9 vs. Islanders
- St. Louis Blues: October 9 vs. Wild
- San Jose Sharks: October 9 vs. Golden Knights
- Seattle Kraken: October 9 vs. Ducks
- Tampa Bay Lightning: October 9 vs. Senators
- Toronto Maple Leafs: October 8 vs. Canadiens
- Utah Mammoth: October 15 vs. Flames
- Vancouver Canucks: October 9 vs. Flames
- Vegas Golden Knights: October 8 vs. Kings
- Washington Capitals: October 8 vs. Bruins
- Winnipeg Jets: October 9 vs. Stars
Each will be playing 82 games over the next six months en route to securing their playoff berth.
How to Watch: TV Schedule and Streaming Options
The NHL’s national broadcast schedule features a split lineup for the 2025-26 season. All three opening night games will air on ESPN, with the remainder of the national slate divided among ESPN, TNT, TBS, and ABC.
Regional sports networks like MSG Network will carry local market games. ESPN’s marquee events include the opening night triple-header, the October 28th “Frozen Frenzy” featuring all 32 teams in action, and the Stanley Cup Final. Over 1,000 games will be available for streaming on the ESPN+ and NHL Power Play packages.
In Canada, national broadcasts will be split between Sportsnet and TVA Sports. Streaming options include NHL Network, NHL Power Play on ESPN+, and select games on Amazon Prime Video for Canadian viewers.
Free Agency and Trade Recap
As teams finalize their rosters for a strong start to the new campaign, fans are eagerly anticipating the debut of new faces in their team’s colors. Here are the biggest moves from this offseason.
- Mitch MarnerÂ
The Golden Knights acquired the forward in a massive sign-and-trade, bringing Marner from Toronto’s “Core Four” to Vegas on an eight-year, $96 million contract.
With Marner now alongside Jack Eichel in Vegas’ top-six, the 2023 Stanley Cup champions have positioned themselves for another championship run.
- Nikolaj Ehlers
While Marner remained the biggest surprise of the summer, Winnipeg Jets veteran Nikolaj Ehlers also stunned fans by ending his decade-long tenure with the club. The dynamic winger instead inked a six-year, $51 million deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes have been perennial contenders, a status reinforced by their Eastern Conference Final appearance last season. With the high-scoring Ehlers now added to their core, the franchise is firmly aiming to end a 20-year Stanley Cup Final drought and capture its first title since 2006.
- Noah Dobson
The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman Noah Dobson via a sign-and-trade with the New York Islanders. The blueliner is immediately viewed as a cornerstone of the franchise’s top defensive pairings, and his eight-year, $76 million contract secures his long-term future.
- K’Andre Miller
The Carolina Hurricanes have acquired defenseman K’Andre Miller from the New York Rangers, immediately signing him to an eight-year, $60 million contract to bolster their blue line.
Miller’s presence immediately solidifies Carolina’s defensive corps, potentially solving their most persistent roster concern. Paired with the earlier addition of Nikolaj Ehlers to their forward group, the Hurricanes have positioned themselves for another deep postseason run this year.
What To Expect from the 2025-26 NHL Season
The upcoming season marks the final 82-game campaign before the league expands to an 84-game format next year. This season also introduces the Utah Mammoth, formerly the Arizona Coyotes, who will make the Delta Center their new home.
The schedule will feature a mid-season break in February to accommodate the 2026 Winter Olympics, marking the first return of NHL players to the Games since 2014.
With the season just a week away, experts have already begun naming their early favorites to lift the 2026 Stanley Cup. Here are the predicted favorites for the upcoming season:
- Florida Panthers
The defending champions enter the season as the obvious favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Still, their path to a three-peat is more challenging than ever.
With captain Barkov sidelined because of ACL surgery and star forward Matthew Tkachuk recovering from a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia, Florida’s championship hopes face serious headwinds. Despite these significant setbacks, the Panthers organization and their fans remain confident that the team can defy the odds once again.
- Edmonton Oilers
As long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl lead the charge, the Edmonton Oilers will remain perennial Stanley Cup contenders. Despite back-to-back Finals losses, the team still boasts one of the league’s most formidable lineups.
Many around the league believe this could finally be the year McDavid captures his long-awaited Stanley Cup.
- Carolina Hurricanes
Bolstered by the high-profile additions of Ehlers up front and K’Andre Miller on the blue line, the Carolina Hurricanes are positioned to make a serious push for the Stanley Cup Final this season.
The franchise has consistently demonstrated the roster depth needed for a deep playoff run in recent years, and these key acquisitions may provide the final pieces required to get over the hump
