NHL schedule release: Season opens Sept. 29 on ESPN
The NHL schedule release confirms the 2026-27 season starts Tuesday, Sept. 29, with Carolina hosting Florida at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN and Toronto hosting Montreal at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet. All 32 home openers are out; the full slate drops Thursday. Viewers following Streaming & TV Alerts should lock in ESPN’s opening-night tripleheader and Sportsnet’s Canada doubleheader.
Key Takeaways
- Opening night is Tuesday, Sept. 29, led by Carolina vs. Florida at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN.
- Toronto hosts Montreal at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet; Boston hosts the Rangers at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
- Vegas hosts Chicago at 10:30 p.m. ET to close ESPN’s tripleheader; Edmonton hosts Vancouver at 10 p.m. ET on Sportsnet.
- All 32 home openers are public; the complete 2026-27 schedule arrives Thursday at 1 p.m. ET.
When does the 2026-27 NHL season start on TV?
Per NHL.com, the campaign opens with an ESPN tripleheader in the U.S. and a Sportsnet doubleheader in Canada. Carolina, the defending Stanley Cup champion, hosts rival Florida—the 2024 and 2025 Cup winners—at 5 p.m. ET and will raise its championship banner before puck drop.
ESPN continues with Boston vs. the New York Rangers at 8 p.m. ET, then Western Conference champion Vegas vs. Chicago at 10:30 p.m. ET. On Sportsnet, Toronto’s Original Six clash with Montreal at 7 p.m. ET is followed by Edmonton hosting Vancouver at 10 p.m. ET.
Which rivalry games headline opening night?
Carolina-Florida is a rematch of recent Cup powers. Toronto-Montreal brings Canada’s fiercest rivalry, and NHL.com notes it could feature the NHL debut of Gavin McKenna, Toronto’s No. 1 pick in the 2026 Draft.
The Boston Globe confirms the Bruins open at TD Garden against longtime rivals the Rangers at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Edmonton’s Mike Babcock and Vancouver’s Manny Malhotra make their coaching debuts in the late Sportsnet game.
When is the full NHL schedule release?
Home openers for all 32 teams are already announced. The Boston Globe reports the full NHL slate will be announced Thursday at 1 p.m. ET. Individual Bruins tickets go on sale Friday at 2 p.m. ET.
Night two on TNT includes Pittsburgh at Philadelphia at 7:30 p.m. ET, a rematch of the 2026 Eastern Conference First Round. Later home openers of note include Alex Ovechkin’s Capitals hosting Crosby’s Penguins on Oct. 7 and Florida hosting Minnesota on Oct. 10 for Brady Tkachuk’s home debut.