Overview

• The regular season opens Oct. 7 with an ESPN tripleheader featuring the defending champion Florida Panthers’ banner ceremony and concludes April 16 after 1,312 matchups among 32 teams.
• This campaign will be the last 82-game slate under the new collective bargaining agreement before the schedule grows to 84 games and 1,344 contests in 2026-27.
• The NHL Global Series returns to Stockholm’s Avicii Arena on Nov. 14 and Nov. 16 with the Pittsburgh Penguins facing the Nashville Predators in international play.
• The league pauses Feb. 6–24 for NHL players to compete in the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, marking the first Olympic break since 2014.
• Outdoor highlights include the Jan. 2 Winter Classic at Miami Marlins’ LoanDepot Park and the Feb. 1 Stadium Series at Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium.