2026-27 NHL season starts Sept. 29 with Carolina-Florida
The 2026-27 NHL schedule kicks off Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, with five opening-night games headlined by defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina hosting Florida at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN. Toronto and Montreal follow at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet, while the league unveiled home openers for all 32 teams ahead of Thursday's full schedule release.
The NHL announced its opening-night matchups on Wednesday, teeing up an 84-game regular season with immediate rivalries on both sides of the border. For fans scanning the nhl schedule, Sept. 29 is the date to circle now. Stay tuned for more sports calendar updates in our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026-27 NHL season begins Tuesday, Sept. 29, with five games on opening night.
- Carolina will raise its Stanley Cup banner before hosting Florida at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN.
- Toronto hosts Montreal at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet in a marquee Original Six rivalry.
- Chicago opens on the road, including at Vegas, before hosting St. Louis for its home opener.
- The complete regular-season schedule arrives Thursday at 1 p.m. ET on NHL Network.
What games headline opening night on Sept. 29?
ESPN carries an opening-night tripleheader. Carolina and Florida meet in Raleigh at 5 p.m. ET, with the Hurricanes set to raise their championship banner before puck drop against the Panthers, who won Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, according to NHL.com.
That broadcast continues at 8 p.m. ET when Boston hosts the New York Rangers, then at 10:30 p.m. ET as Vegas welcomes Chicago. In Canada, Sportsnet opens with Toronto against Montreal at 7 p.m. ET, followed by Edmonton hosting Vancouver at 10 p.m. ET.
Why does Carolina hosting Florida matter so much?
Wednesday's reveal puts recent champions front and center. Florida had won the two previous Stanley Cups before Carolina lifted the trophy this past June, making the opener a clash between the league's most recent title winners.
As WRAL reported, the Canes will raise their Stanley Cup banner during the season opener against the Panthers at Lenovo Center. For Raleigh fans, the ceremony turns opening night into a celebration before the grueling 84-game grind begins.
When will the full 2026-27 NHL schedule drop?
While home openers for all 32 teams came out Wednesday, the full regular-season schedule lands Thursday at 1 p.m. ET. NHL Network will host a special hour of "NHL Tonight," with the broadcast also streaming on NHL.com.
TNT adds another doubleheader on Sept. 30: Pittsburgh at Philadelphia at 7:30 p.m. ET, then Los Angeles at Colorado at 10 p.m. ET. The Flyers-Penguins matchup is a rematch of their 2026 Eastern Conference First Round series, which Philadelphia won in six games.
How will the Blackhawks begin the new season?
Chicago will not open at the United Center. Yahoo Sports reports the Blackhawks start the 2026-27 campaign on a road trip, including their Sept. 29 visit to Vegas in ESPN's late national window.
When Chicago returns home, St. Louis will be the opponent for the Blackhawks' home opener. That road-first start means United Center fans will wait a few more days before seeing their team on familiar ice.
Toronto's side of the schedule also carries extra intrigue. NHL.com noted the Leafs-Canadiens game could mark the NHL debut of Gavin McKenna, Toronto's No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, adding another storyline to an already loaded opening night.