The NHL is officially moving to an 84-game schedule starting in 2026-27. That’s the first time since 1993-94 the league will play more than 82 regular-season games. And now we finally know when the full slate will be released.
The league announced opening night matchups will drop Wednesday, July 15. ESPN will carry those games exclusively in the U.S., with Sportsnet handling Canadian broadcasts. The reveal happens during the day, leading into the 2026 ESPY Awards that night on ABC. Among the nominees: the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team that won gold in 2026, up for Best Team.
Opening Night: Banner Raising and a Big Debut
Recent opening nights have followed a pattern. The defending Stanley Cup champion usually gets the spotlight, sometimes with a doubleheader or triple-header. In 2023-24, Vegas raised their banner against Seattle. Connor Bedard made his debut that same night for the Blackhawks against Pittsburgh. Florida opened 2024-25 by raising their banner against Boston, then Utah Hockey Club debuted against Chicago, and the Kraken faced St. Louis.
Last season started with Chicago visiting the defending champion Panthers, followed by Pittsburgh against the Rangers. This time around, the Carolina Hurricanes will likely get the banner-raising game after winning the Cup. Toronto could be in the mix too, with top prospect Gavin McKenna potentially making his NHL debut. The league hasn’t confirmed those matchups yet, but the tea leaves are there.
Full Schedule Drops July 16
The remaining 1,344 games — that’s 84 per team, with two extra divisional games added — come out Thursday, July 16 at 1 p.m. ET. The league noted the 2025-26 season set records for both viewership and attendance, so they’re not exactly hurting for buzz.
The extra two games per team are part of the new collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHLPA. Each squad will now play two more divisional contests, which should tighten up the standings and add some more bad blood between rivals. Whether that’s good for hockey or just more games for the sake of more games remains to be seen.
Recent seasons have tipped off near the start of October. If that holds, fans are looking at about 13 weeks until puck drop. That’s not a lot of time to recover from watching your team win — or lose — it all.
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