NHL 2026-27: Opening Night, the First Week and the Dates That Matter
The 2026-27 NHL season opens on Tuesday 29 September: Carolina raise their second Stanley Cup banner, an ESPN tripleheader fills the night, and the league plays its first 84-game season in more than three decades. Here is opening night, the week that follows and every date worth circling.
NHL 2026-27: quick answers
- When does the season start? Tuesday 29 September, with five games.
- How many games is the season? 84 per team — the first time above 82 since 1995-96.
- Who raises a banner? Carolina, before hosting Florida at 5 p.m. ET.
- Where can I watch opening night? ESPN tripleheader in the US, Sportsnet doubleheader in Canada.
- When does the regular season end? Saturday 10 April 2027, with all 32 teams playing.
- When is the All-Star Game? 5-6 February 2027 at UBS Arena on Long Island.
Opening night: five games, all nationally televised
| Start (ET / CET) | Game | TV | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5:00 PM ET / 23:00 CET | Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes | ESPN | The banner goes up first. |
| 7:00 PM ET / 01:00 CET | Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs | Sportsnet | The No. 1 pick is expected to debut here. |
| 8:00 PM ET / 02:00 CET | New York Rangers at Boston Bruins | ESPN | Original Six, in Boston. |
| 10:00 PM ET / 04:00 CET | Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers | Sportsnet | The late Canadian window. |
| 10:30 PM ET / 04:30 CET | Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights | ESPN | The beaten finalists open at home. |
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Night two. TNT opens its season on 30 September with Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers (7:30 PM ET) and Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche (10:00 PM ET).
What the banner is for
Carolina won the 2026 Stanley Cup four games to two over Vegas, closing it out on 14 June with a 3-0 win in Game 6. Brandon Bussi made 22 saves for the shutout — his first of the playoffs — and captain Jordan Staal, who scored six goals in the final and tied the record with goals in five consecutive games, became the oldest Conn Smythe winner in league history. It is the franchise's second championship, and the first in Raleigh since 2006. Tonight they raise it, against the club that won the two Cups before theirs.
- The season is 84 games per team — tied for the longest in league history, and the first time above 82 since 1995-96.
- Carolina finished the 2026 playoffs 16-3 — the fewest games needed to win the Cup since 1988.
- Jordan Staal was 37 years and 277 days old when he won the Conn Smythe, the oldest winner ever.
- All 32 teams are in action on 13 October, the league's "Frozen Frenzy" night.
- The regular season ends on Saturday 10 April, with all 32 teams playing.
- There are three outdoor games and four games in Europe across the season.
The first week: four things worth setting time aside for
Carolina's first road trip is the interesting one
The champions open with the banner, then host Washington on 2 October before going to Montreal on the 6th and Philadelphia on the 11th. It is the first real test of how a team handles a short summer.
Toronto play three of their first four at home
The Maple Leafs open at home to Montreal with the top pick expected to debut, host Ottawa on 3 October in the busiest night of the week, host Nashville on the 6th, and finish at Colorado on the 10th — four games in the first twelve days.
The first weekend is a full slate
Saturday 3 October carries thirteen games, the busiest night of the opening week, including Carolina at Philadelphia and Seattle at Edmonton.
Vegas start with two home games
The beaten finalists open at home to Chicago on the 29th, then host Anaheim on 2 October before going to Vancouver on the 4th. Two of their first three are in Las Vegas.
Every date worth circling in 2026-27
| Date | What | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| Tue 29 September 2026 | Opening night | ESPN tripleheader plus a Sportsnet doubleheader in Canada |
| Wed 30 September 2026 | TNT's first night | Penguins at Flyers, Kings at Avalanche |
| Tue 13 October 2026 | Frozen Frenzy | All 32 teams in action on one night (ESPN) |
| Sun 25 October 2026 | Tim Hortons Heritage Classic | Montreal Canadiens at Winnipeg Jets · Princess Auto Stadium |
| Thu 12 & Sat 14 November 2026 | Global Series: Finland | Carolina Hurricanes vs Seattle Kraken · Helsinki |
| Fri 27 November 2026 | Thanksgiving Showdown | Rangers at Blackhawks, then Penguins at Sabres (TNT) |
| Fri 18 & Sun 20 December 2026 | Global Series: Germany | Ottawa Senators vs Chicago Blackhawks · Düsseldorf |
| Thu 31 December 2026 | Discover NHL Winter Classic | Colorado Avalanche at Utah Mammoth · Rice-Eccles Stadium |
| Sat 16 January 2027 | ABC Hockey Saturday returns | Bruins at Rangers, the first of 16 Saturday games on ABC |
| Mon 18 January 2027 | MLK Day doubleheader | Lightning at Bruins, then Capitals at Penguins (TNT) |
| Fri 5 & Sat 6 February 2027 | All-Star Weekend | UBS Arena, Elmont NY · five national teams, 3-on-3 |
| Sat 20 February 2027 | Navy Federal Stadium Series | Vegas Golden Knights at Dallas Stars · AT&T Stadium |
| Sat 10 April 2027 | Regular season ends | All 32 teams in action |
| Mid-April 2027 | Stanley Cup Playoffs begin | First three rounds on ESPN |
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Shirt demand index: opening week
Built from our own order flow and range depth, not from a poll.
Carolina and Toronto. One raises a Cup, the other hands the No. 1 pick his first shift — both sell out the week of.
Vegas, Edmonton and Boston. Three clubs whose ranges move from October regardless of results, and all three open at home or in a national window.
Montreal, Florida and the Rangers. Florida open as the opponent nobody wants on banner night, Montreal get two national windows in the first week, and the Rangers start the season on ESPN.
Opening-week shirts
Every club opening the season this week, in fan and player editions. Printed names add a few days — order before the first homestand ends.
Seth Jarvis Carolina Hurricanes Alternate Bre…
Florida Panthers Home Pro Custom Shirt Red
Toronto Maple Leafs Home Pro Custom Shirt Blue
Juraj Slafkovsky Montreal Canadiens Premium S…
Edmonton Oilers Away Premium Shirt in White
Vegas Golden Knights Home Breakaway Custom Sh…
Boston Bruins Away Breakaway Custom Shirt - W…
Igor Shesterkin New York Rangers Centennial P…
Our verdict
The interesting thing about this season is not the extra two games — it is that the league has front-loaded the calendar. A banner night, a full 32-team night on 13 October, three outdoor games and two European trips all land inside the first five months, before the trade deadline resets the picture. For a fan buying one shirt to wear through it, the club with the most reason to buy early is Carolina: the banner goes up tonight, and the jersey that matches it will not stay stocked past the first homestand.
When does the 2026-27 NHL season start?
How many games does each team play?
Who raises a banner on opening night?
When does the regular season end?
What are the outdoor games?
When is the All-Star Game?
Which NHL games are played in Europe?
Where can I buy NHL jerseys?
Start the season
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