Numerous games stand out among NHL's newly released 2025-26 schedule

We already knew a very small part of the NHL's 1,312 game slate for this year, when the league announced its opening night triple header.

Now the other 1,309 games for 2025-26 are out. 

There are multiple notable dates throughout the season, which will be the final 82-game regular season before the league increases to an 84-game regular season in 2026-27.

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

The second night of the season features some intense Canadian rivalries. The ascendant Montreal Canadiens, who added star defender Noah Dobson in a trade before the NHL Draft, are in Toronto for the Leafs first game in the post-Mitch Marner era. 

The Battle of Alberta will renew that night with the Calgary Flames and rising star goalie Dustin Wolf traveling to Edmonton to face the Oilers after another disappointment in the Stanley Cup Finals. 

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

The NHL brings back the all-32 team frenzy. Every single game on the 16-game schedule will be staggered to start at different times, allowing fans to consume hockey from 6 p.m. EST until the wee hours of Wednesday morning without any breaks. This will be center J.T. Miller's first return trip to Vancouver in a New York Rangers uniform.

Saturday, November 22, 2025

The headliner on this Saturday night will be Edmonton traveling to Florida for the first rematch between these two since the Panthers dispatched Edmonton for a second time in the Stanley Cup Finals. 

The Detroit Red Wings host the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first game of the day at 1 p.m. EST in a game that could have potential playoff implications for two teams desperate to return to the postseason in the midst of lengthy droughts.

Toronto will be in Montreal Saturday night in the raucous Bell Centre in what should be a must-see game between the Leafs and Habs. 

Monday, December 15, 2025

Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba, long-time Rangers who both wore letters for several seasons, return to Madison Square Garden for the first time as members of the Anaheim Ducks. Both players were listed in a now infamous leaked memo sent by Rangers general manager Chris Drury to the rest of the league indicating that both players, by name, were available for trade despite the Rangers starting off the 2024-25 season with a 12-4-1 record.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will also host the Panthers in the second edition of the season of the Battle of Florida and first in Tampa since the Lightning were bounced out of the playoffs in the first round by Florida last season.