NHL — The 2026-27 Season Drops the Puck
The wait is over. The NHL's 2026-27 regular season opens on Tuesday night — the league's first 84-game campaign since 1993-94, after the new collective bargaining agreement added two extra divisional games per team. The night starts in Raleigh, where the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes raise their second championship banner before hosting the Florida Panthers — the 2024 and 2025 champions, who missed last season's playoffs and have since traded for Brady Tkachuk to line up alongside his brother Matthew.
Canada gets its own doubleheader. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens in an Original Six opener that could feature the NHL debut of No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna, before the Edmonton Oilers — under new head coach Mike Babcock — host the Vancouver Canucks, who begin the Manny Malhotra era. Elsewhere on the night, the New York Rangers visit the Boston Bruins in another Original Six clash, and Western Conference champions Vegas Golden Knights host the Chicago Blackhawks in the late game.
Wednesday keeps the intensity high with a rivalry doubleheader: the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Philadelphia Flyers in a rematch of last spring's Eastern Conference first round — won by the Flyers in six games — followed by Artemi Panarin's Los Angeles Kings at the Colorado Avalanche. There is also plenty for European fans to look forward to: the league has added a steady stream of Monday matinee games timed for European primetime this season, and the NHL Global Series heads to Helsinki (Carolina vs. Seattle, 12 and 14 November) and Düsseldorf (Ottawa vs. Chicago, 18 and 20 December).
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers: Tuesday, 29 September, 23:00 CEST
Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs: Wednesday, 30 September, 01:00 CEST (night of 29 September)
New York Rangers at Boston Bruins: Wednesday, 30 September, 02:00 CEST (night of 29 September)
Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers: Wednesday, 30 September, 04:00 CEST (night of 29 September)
Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights: Wednesday, 30 September, 04:30 CEST (night of 29 September)
Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers: Thursday, 1 October, 01:30 CEST (night of 30 September)
Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche: Thursday, 1 October, 04:00 CEST (night of 30 September)

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