NHL changes start time of seven Maple Leafs games for 2025-26 season

The NHL announced start time changes for several games across the 2025-26 league calendar, including seven Toronto Maple Leafs games.

The following Maple Leafs games have been amended as such:

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Buffalo Sabres, October 24, new start time: 7:30 PM

Calgary Flames @ Toronto Maple Leafs, October 28, new start time: 6:15 PM

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Florida Panthers, December 2, new start time: 7:30 PM

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Carolina Hurricanes, December 4, new start time: 7:30 PM

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Detroit Red Wings, December 28, new start time: 7:00 PM 

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Utah Mammoth, January 13, 2026, new start time: 8:00 PM

Colorado Avalanche @ Toronto Maple Leafs, January 25, 2026, new start time: 1:30 PM

No reason was immediately provided by the NHL for the changes.

Toronto will begin its season against the Montreal Canadiens on October 8, and close the season on the road against the Ottawa Senators on April 15. There is an Olympic break from February 4-25, although several Maple Leafs players are expected to participate this year, including Auston Matthews and William Nylander. There will be fewer breaks overall during the season, and it’ll be compelling to see how the Leafs lean into their depth to get through the rigours of the 82-game campaign.

It will be a busy start to the year, as the Maple Leafs play six of their first seven games at home, including a five-game home stand from October 13-21, against the Detroit Red Wings (Oct. 13) Nashville Predators (Oct. 14) New York Rangers (Oct. 16) Seattle Kraken (Oct. 18) and New Jersey Devils (Oct. 21).

The most anticipated game of the year, and perhaps of the NHL calendar overall takes place on January 23, 2026 when Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights square off against the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Nylander rejected the notion that Marner was thinking about leaving prior to the end of the 2024-25 season, but the new Golden Knights winger is expected to receive a hostile reception from the Leafs’ fan base.