The Biggest Games and Dates From the 2025-26 NHL Schedule Release

The 2025-26 NHL schedule is officially here, and this year we're seeing a well-deserved nod to Sunshine State teams with marquee events, an American Thanksgiving loaded with action, and tons of hype leading up to the Winter Olympics. 

We've got tons to look forward to starting with an Oct. 7 opening night tripleheader featuring the Cup-winning Panthers, early reunions as Brad Marchand heads back to Boston and Mike Sullivan and the Rangers host the Penguins, and a late-season match up between the Penguins and the Capitals that could mark the end of the Sidney Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin era. 

Read on for some of the most important dates of the full season and mark your calendars accordingly. 

NHL regular season play will open Oct. 7 with a tripleheader to start the 2025-26 season.

We’ve got the defending champion Panthers facing off against the Blackhawks (because, of course, we do) at 5 p.m. ET.

Next up, the Rangers and the Penguins will play at 8 pm at Madison Square Garden, where new Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan will waste no time before he’s pitted against his former team. Finally, we’ve got a 10:30 p.m. battle on the West Coast as the Kings and the Avalanche face off at Crypto.com Arena.

All in all, there’s a little something for everyone on the opening night agenda.

Hey, Bruins fans, did you finally start to get over career-long Bruin and most recent captain Brad Marchand’s trade to Florida?

Bad news (or good news?) Marchand and the Panthers are shipping up to Boston just a few weeks into the season as Marchand returns to the city where he spent his entire career, winning one Cup in 2011 before he won his second Cup with the Panthers last season.

Marchand was injured the last time Florida played in Boston, so this will be the first opportunity the former Bruins' captain gets to skate against his ex-team.

There won’t be a dry eye at TD Garden.

Sick of the Oilers and the Panthers playing each other? Too bad!

We’ll be treated to another edition of this match up as the Stanley Cup re-match game is set for Nov. 22. No matter how often these two teams play each other, it almost always features the best of the best in terms of the hockey itself.

There's bound to be some bad blood after 13 games of Stanley Cup Final hockey in the last two seasons.

We’ll be treated to almost every single team in the league playing games on the Wednesday before and the Friday after Thanksgiving. This rocks on its own, but it’ll be enhanced by the old adage stating that most teams that end up making the playoffs are in a playoff position at that American Thanksgiving cutoff.

Black Friday features 30 of the 32 NHL teams in action including the Bruins taking on the Rangers in an Original Six matchup at 1 p.m. ET

The Winter Classic is right where it belongs at LoanDepot park in Miami this year.

The back-to-back reigning champion Panthers will face off against a Rangers team that should see some significant improvements after an eventful trade deadline and offseason. It’ll be fun to see the Winter Classic in a very warm – and a very well deserved – atmosphere.

Remember when Leafs fans waxed poetic about the booing of John Tavares when he returned to Long Island?

Yeah, some people should prepare to eat some serious crow. Marner’s return to Toronto with his new Vegas Golden Knights should feature a lot of emotion, but at least Leafs fans won’t be booing the hometown kid as he’s playing on their own team this time ... right?

Either way, expect an electric atmosphere on a night that will be must-see-TV for neutral hockey fans.

The league is showing some well-deserved love to its Florida teams this year, as the Bruins will face off against the Lightning at Raymond James Stadium – home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Feb. 1 for the Stadium Series. Will Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski show up to catch some puck?

Folks, it’s real – we get Olympic hockey back this year, and it’s going to be glorious.

The league did a fantastic job hyping up the 4 Nations Face-Off last year, so we can only imagine the hype coming our way in the last games before the Olympics.

So while the NHL takes a break, we'll be treated to some of the most intense, skillful and exciting hockey in Italy. We can't wait.

Mark your calendars just incase, because April 11 could be the end of an era.

With Alex Ovechkin’s contract set to expire at the end of this upcoming season, there are many questions about his future in the NHL. This could be the last time we see “Sid the Kid” and “the Great 8” – a cherished rivalry among millennials – in action. 

Let's hope both legends are able to put on their skates and play in this one.