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The NHL 2025-26 regular season starts on October 7. It will consist of 82 games with a mid-season break from February 5 to 25 for teams to participate in the Winter Olympics. The teams have spent the offseason addressing their weak spots and rosters and are ready to compete.
The first game will see the Florida Panthers playing the Chicago Blackhawks at Amerant Bank Arena. This is the first game of a back-to-back triple header. The Panthers are the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. The playoffs will begin in April 2026, and the final will take place in June 2026.
Two other first night games
Another game that will take place on the first night is the Pittsburgh Penguins facing off against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. In Pennsylvania sports betting is popular, and fans are likely to be betting on the Pittsburgh Penguins in this game. At 10:30 pm ET, the Colorado Avalanche takes on the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena.
All teams play
All 32 teams will play on October 11 and October 28. The games on October 28 will be spread out. The first game will be the Penguins at the Philadelphia Flyers at 6 pm ET, and the last will be the Kings at the San Jose Sharks at 11 pm ET.
January 17 marks Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada, and all seven Canadian teams will play on this day.
International game
The schedule includes two games in Sweden in November. The Penguins and Nashville Predators will participate in the NHL Global Series and play regular-season games in Stockholm on November 14 and 16. NHL popularity is extending beyond the United States and Canada, and international games in places like Sweden draw more fans.
Most anticipated games
Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche
On October 11, the Stars will take on the Colorado Avalanche in Denver. Every game between these two rivals is entertaining to watch, but the first game in Denver could be the most fun. It will be the first time the Avalanche sees Mikko Rantanen since its defeat in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs. Perhaps it will achieve greater success this time and become a contender for the cup. Miro Heiskanen helped the Stars to advance to the conference final in each of the past three seasons.
Florida Panthers at Bruins
The Florida Panthers will play against the Bruins in Boston on October 21. Brad Marchand left the Bruins via trade and won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers. He is a Bruins franchise legend, and the atmosphere at this early-season match could be electrifying. Sam Reinhart has scored at least 31 goals in all four of his seasons with the Panthers.
Edmonton Oilers at Panthers
The Edmonton Oilers have played against the Panthers 13 times in the playoffs over the last two seasons. They will take them on again on November 22, five days before Thanksgiving.
Discover Winter Classic
On January 2, the NHL Discover Winter Classic will take place at LoanDepot Park in Miami. The New York Rangers visit the Bruins on November 28 and will be in the national spotlight again when they play against the Panthers in their first outdoor game in franchise history. Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers has been dominant in previous seasons, and it will be interesting to see how he plays this season.
Vegas Golden Knights at Maple Leafs
The Vegas Golden Knights will be facing off against the Maple Leafs on January 23 at Scotiabank Arena. Mitch Marner, who was with the Maple Leafs, is now with the Golden Knights. He was booed off the ice by his own fans after the Maple Leafs’ elimination from the playoffs. It will be interesting to see the crowd’s reaction this time.
Kaedan Korczak hasn’t had an opportunity to shine yet for the Knights, but he could get a lot more ice time this season and start making a name for himself.
Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning gets the first chance to host an outdoor game when they take on the Bruins on February 1. Victor Hedman is the Lightning’s all-time leader among defensemen in games, goals, assists, and points.
