If nothing else, give the NHL some credit score for the timing of its full schedule launch. By July 16, except you care deeply about the future of Jack Roslovic, a lot of the main offseason questions have been answered.
Right now, we’re all free to sift by way of the finer factors of the league’s calendar for the 2025-26 season. The next 12 months, when the 84-game schedule goes into impact, issues will look a bit completely different. This time, the schedule is headlined by an Olympic break in February and a schedule that lasts from Oct. 7 to April 16.
Blended in are another dates that ought to maintain further curiosity, whether or not for one fan base or 32. Right here’s a have a look at the large ones.
Oct. 7: Opening night time
The primary night time of the schedule options three complete video games — a triple-header. Issues get began with Blackhawks-Panthers in Dawn, Fla., at 5 p.m. ET. Connor Bedard versus the champs? It may very well be worse. That is adopted by Penguins-Rangers at 8 p.m. ET, which we’ll name the Mike Sullivan Bowl. The night time finishes with the Avalanche-Kings. Each of these groups are good, which will probably be a pleasant change of tempo.
Oct. 11 and Oct 28: Stacked slates
Having all 32 groups play on the identical day is all the time a pleasant little gimmick, and the NHL is pulling it off on a Saturday and Tuesday in October. Should you’re a university soccer fan, too, put together to place in a critical shift on the sofa or on the bar.
Oct. 21: The rat’s return
When the Panthers visited the Bruins in Boston on March 11, Marchand wasn’t within the lineup for both group; Florida had acquired him on the deadline, however he was sidelined with an upper-body damage. That pushed his return to TD Backyard to the autumn and, within the course of, fully modified the dynamic at hand for the Panthers-Bruins matchup. Now, relatively than a freshly traded franchise icon, he is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and helps one other franchise chase dynasty standing.
Nov. 8: Schaefer meets MSG
“How excited are you to play your first recreation at Madison Sq. Backyard?” It’s kind of of a cliche query, however that is as a result of the reply is commonly price listening to. The vibes at MSG are that distinctive. And it is much more true for defenseman Matthew Schaefer; he wasn’t simply the No. 1 choose within the 2025 draft — he was chosen by the Islanders. The New York-New York rivalry will all the time deliver loads of juice, particularly with what Schaefer not too long ago advised an NHL.com podcast about dealing with the Rangers: “I hate shedding, so I am wanting ahead to going and simply beating them each time we play them.” Right here he’ll discover out what Islanders-Rangers is actually like for the primary time.
Nov. 14 and Nov. 16: A Swede escape
The league is once more sending groups abroad for regular-season video games. This time, it is the Predators and Penguins taking part in two video games in Sweden. It’s going to be attention-grabbing to see whether or not Pittsburgh defenseman Erik Karlsson, top-of-the-line Swedish gamers of his technology and a possible offseason commerce candidate, is a part of the motion.
Nov. 22: A rematch of a rematch
At this level, it is unusual to see the Panthers and Oilers play one another earlier than June. Stanley Cup rematches, although, are all the time huge nights on the calendar and given the latest historical past, that precept applies much more right here. The large query, nonetheless, will probably be who’s in internet for the Oilers once they host the Panthers right here.
Nov. 28: Vacation hockey
We’re getting one other Thanksgiving Day recreation in the USA. This time, it is the Rangers taking part in the Bruins in Boston.
Jan. 2 and Feb. 1: Sunshine spectacles
Each of this season’s outside video games are being staged in Florida. The primary is the Winter Basic, between the Rangers and Panthers at LoanDepot Park in Miami, house of the Marlins. The second is a Stadium Sequence recreation between the Bruins and Lightning at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla, house of the Buccaneers.
Jan. 17: O Canada
This season’s installment of Hockey Day in Canada — when all seven Canadian groups play all through the afternoon and night — options Montreal at Ottawa; Toronto at Winnipeg; the Islanders at Calgary; and Edmonton at Vancouver.
Jan. 19: Captain Severe comes again
The truth that Jonathan Toews is taking part in video games in any respect is price noting; he signed a one-year contract with Winnipeg after sitting out the final two seasons as a result of a wide range of well being points. However his return to Chicago — the place he captained three Stanley Cup groups and established his repute as top-of-the-line facilities of his technology — is the large one. On nights like that, even beloved superstars can get a combined response. In Toews’ case, although, do not anticipate something apart from all-out adulation.
Jan. 23: Marner mania
Should you hoped that the Marner saga, at the least because it pertains to the Maple Leafs, would finish in July, we have got some disappointing information. No matter comes subsequent for him in Las Vegas will all the time be seen, in a technique or one other, by way of the prism of his time in Toronto — what occurred, what did not occur and the way in which all of it ended. Our first large reminder of that will probably be his first recreation as a customer in Scotiabank Area, for Golden Knights-Maple Leafs. Wager on loads of boos, even from the platinum seats.
Feb. 6-24: Take a break
The NHL’s schedule will probably be totally cleared for this stretch. Hockey, after all, will nonetheless be performed on the 2026 Winter Olympic Video games in Milan and Cortina, Italy.
March 6: Deadline disruption?
We’re getting seven video games on NHL commerce deadline day, which … looks like quite a bit. Put together for lots of awkward morning skates and partially empty rosters.
April 12: Malkin’s farewell — and extra?
That is more likely to be Evgeni Malkin’s ultimate recreation towards his greatest rivals, and that alone represents the top of an period: Penguins-Capitals, with Malkin as one of many main members, was one of many league’s premier matchups for practically twenty years. Time, age and the Penguins’ decline have taken off a number of the shine over the previous couple of years, but when that is the final Pittsburgh-Washington recreation for Malkin — and likewise perhaps Alex Ovechkin, or Kris Letang, or (gulp) Sidney Crosby — it is price circling on the calendar.
April 15: The race to the underside
Down the stretch, we’ll be monitoring the underside of the standings to see who finishes in pole place for the Gavin McKenna Derby. Sharks-Blackhawks right here, on the second-to-last day of the common season, is definitely one to observe. The Penguins, in the meantime, end up their schedule the night time earlier than towards the Blues.
(Photograph of Marner, left, dealing with the Golden Knights final season: Nick Turchiaro / USA Right now)
