NHL releases expanded 84-game schedule for 2026-27 seasonGreg WyshynskiJul 16, 2026, 01:00 PM ETClose
- Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
The NHL released its 2026-27 regular-season schedule Thursday, as the league expands its campaign from 82 to 84 games this season.
Opening night moves to the end of September for the first time. The Carolina Hurricanes open the season Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. ET, raising their Stanley Cup championship banner before taking on the Florida Panthers on ESPN.
The NHL has had an 82-game season since 1995-96. But after some franchises complained about an imbalanced number of divisional games against rivals, the league sought to ease those concerns with an expanded schedule. Under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement with the players, which begins its four-year term Sept. 16, the schedule was increased to 84 games.
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The NHL previously had an 84-game regular season from 1992 to 1994, when the league and the NHL Players’ Association agreed to add two neutral-site games to every team’s schedule.
Now, each team will play two home and two road games against its seven division rivals. Teams will play two home games and one road game against four conference opponents, and one home game and two road games against the other four. Teams will then play each opponent in the opposite conference once at home and once on the road for a total of 42 home games and 42 away games.
Another innovation in the schedule is an increase in Monday afternoon games. Nearly two dozen Monday matinees will double as primetime games in European markets.
“These games further the league’s commitment to deepening its connection with international fans and growth in European markets, as well as driving brand awareness for NHL clubs internationally,” the NHL stated in a statement.
Among the key dates in the 2026-27 regular season:
• The season opens Sept. 29 on ESPN with a tripleheader starting with the Hurricanes and Panthers at 5 p.m. ET. The New York Rangers visit the Boston Bruins at 8, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks traveling to face the Stanley Cup Final runner-up Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30.
• All 32 teams will be in action Oct. 13 and April 10.
• The revamped NHL All-Star Weekend will be held at UBS Arena on Long Island. On Feb. 5, a skills competition will feature 10 players who are 25 and younger. The All-Star Game on Feb. 6 will feature five teams of 11 players — Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and a “World” team — competing in a 3-on-3 tournament.
• The NHL has three outdoor games, starting with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 25 in the Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium. The Utah Mammoth host the Colorado Avalanche in the Winter Classic on Dec. 31 at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium. On Feb. 20, the Dallas Stars and Golden Knights head to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
• The NHL Global Series will hit Helsinki for games between the Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken on Nov. 12 and 14, and Düsseldorf, Germany, for games between the Ottawa Senators and Blackhawks on Dec. 18 and 20.
• The Hurricanes and Golden Knights have their Stanley Cup Final rematch in Las Vegas on Dec. 21.
Among the games with the most potential for drama, Brady Tkachuk returns to Ottawa for the first time on Oct. 21. The former Senators captain, who spent eight years there, was traded to Florida this summer, where he joined his brother Matthew. San Jose Sharks defenseman Darnell Nurse, who played 12 seasons with the Oilers until asking for a trade, visits Edmonton for the first time on Jan. 13.
Florida faces the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time on Dec. 3. Sergei Bobrovsky, who won two Stanley Cups with the Panthers, signed with the Leafs in the offseason. Alex Tuch, a high-profile free agent forward who left the Sabres for Washington, doesn’t visit Buffalo until March 18.
Finally, Columbus opens its home schedule Oct. 1, after leading scorer Zach Werenski appeared ready to leave via trade this offseason. Detroit opens Oct. 2, after an offseason that saw captain Dylan Larkin request a trade. Neither player has moved, setting up what could be awkward home debuts.
