2026-27 NHL Schedule Release Set for July 16
The 2026-27 NHL schedule release is set for Thursday, July 16, at 1 p.m. ET (5 p.m. GMT), when the league will publish its complete regular-season slate. The NHL has already confirmed the opening-night games, every team's home opener, and dates for its major events.
When is the NHL schedule release?
The NHL announced that the full 2026-27 schedule will be unveiled on July 16 at 1 p.m. ET. NHL Network will carry a one-hour schedule-release edition of NHL Tonight, and the program will also stream on NHL.com.
For readers in Ghana and other countries using Greenwich Mean Time, the announcement is due at 5 p.m. GMT. Fans can then check the official NHL schedule page and individual team sites for the complete team-by-team calendar.
The new schedule will include 1,344 regular-season games, with each of the league's 32 teams playing 84 times. That is two more games per team than the 2025-26 season, with the extra contests added within divisions. The Associated Press reported that 1,344 games will be the largest regular-season total in NHL history.
Opening games confirmed before the full NHL schedule
The regular season will begin on Tuesday, September 29. The defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes will host the Florida Panthers at 5 p.m. ET before Carolina raises its second championship banner.
The league has confirmed five games for opening night and two more national games for September 30.
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 29 | Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes | 5 p.m. | ESPN |
| September 29 | Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs | 7 p.m. | Sportsnet |
| September 29 | New York Rangers at Boston Bruins | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| September 29 | Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers | 10 p.m. | Sportsnet |
| September 29 | Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| September 30 | Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| September 30 | Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche | 10 p.m. | TNT |
Key dates already confirmed for the 2026-27 season
Several outdoor, international, and showcase events are already set even though the full NHL schedule has not yet been published.
| Date | Event | Teams or location |
|---|---|---|
| October 25, 2026 | NHL Heritage Classic | Montreal Canadiens vs. Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg |
| November 12 and 14, 2026 | NHL Global Series Finland | Carolina Hurricanes vs. Seattle Kraken in Helsinki |
| December 18 and 20, 2026 | NHL Global Series Germany | Ottawa Senators vs. Chicago Blackhawks in Düsseldorf |
| December 31, 2026 | NHL Winter Classic | Utah Mammoth vs. Colorado Avalanche in Salt Lake City |
| February 5-6, 2027 | NHL All-Star Weekend | UBS Arena on Long Island, New York |
| February 20, 2027 | NHL Stadium Series | Vegas Golden Knights at Dallas Stars in Arlington, Texas |
The All-Star Skills competition is scheduled for February 5, followed by the All-Star Game on February 6. The Stadium Series will take place at AT&T Stadium, the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.
What fans can check after the release
Once the NHL schedule release is complete, fans will be able to review all 84 games for their team, including home and away dates, divisional matchups, road trips, and back-to-back games. Individual clubs may announce single-game ticket-sale details separately.
Until the July 16 announcement, the opening games and major event dates are confirmed, but the full regular-season calendar is not yet public. Fans should use the official NHL schedule and team websites after the release for any later changes to dates or start times.
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