NHL Opening Week: Our Picks for the First Games of 2026-27
Hockey is back — and the 2026-27 season opens bigger than ever, the first 84-game campaign since 1993-94, kicking off with an exclusive ESPN tripleheader on Tuesday, September 29. Opening night alone gives us a Stanley Cup banner-raising, two Original Six openers, and a first look at a new-look contender or two. Here's what we'd clear the schedule for in the first week, and exactly where to watch every minute of it.
Editor's Picks
Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes
There's no better way to open a season than a banner night. The Carolina Hurricanes raise their 2026 Stanley Cup banner — the franchise's first title since 2006 — before facing the Florida Panthers, the two-time champions who then stunningly missed the playoffs entirely last season. It's the reigning king hosting the fallen dynasty, live on ESPN as the opener of the whole season.
Why watch: a Cup banner-raising is one of hockey's great spectacles, and the subplot is irresistible — Carolina proving it belongs at the top, Florida (with the Tkachuk brothers now reunited) out to show last year was a fluke.
Montréal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs
Original Six, opening night. The Montreal Canadiens — a genuine surprise run to the Eastern Conference Final last spring — visit the Toronto Maple Leafs, who missed the playoffs and enter under a new coach in Jim Hiller. There is no bigger rivalry in the sport, and both teams have something to prove from opposite ends of last season.
Why it's great TV: Habs-Leafs never needs a reason, but a rising Montreal against a retooling Toronto on night one is as good a version as you'll get. It's on Sportsnet in Canada.
New York Rangers at Boston Bruins
The night's second Original Six opener rounds out ESPN's tripleheader: the New York Rangers at the Boston Bruins. Both are coming off disappointing seasons — the Rangers missed the playoffs, the Bruins snuck in as a wild card and lost in the first round — so this is two proud franchises trying to reset, with fresh faces on both rosters.
Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers
The most fascinating storyline of opening night lives in Edmonton. After back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, the Oilers were stunned in the first round last spring — and responded by hiring the controversial Mike Babcock, back behind an NHL bench for the first time in years. His debut, against the rival Vancouver Canucks on Sportsnet, is appointment viewing for reasons that go well beyond the standings.
Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche
TNT's Wednesday opener (Sept. 30) is a showcase: the Colorado Avalanche, who set a franchise record with the Presidents' Trophy for the league's best regular-season record last year, host the Los Angeles Kings. The Avs' regular-season dominance ended in a shocking Western Final sweep, so year one of the redemption tour starts here — and it's a great early look at one of the sport's most talented rosters.
Everything else on this week
| Tue | Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights · NHL | ESPN |
| Wed | Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers · NHL | TNT |
| Wed | New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs · NHL | Prime Video |
| Thu | Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils · NHL | ESPN+ |
| Thu | Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers · NHL | MSG Networks |
| Thu | Buffalo Sabres at Columbus Blue Jackets · NHL | Regional Sports Net |
| Thu | Minnesota Wild at Nashville Predators · NHL | Scripps Sports |
| Thu | Seattle Kraken at Calgary Flames · NHL | Sportsnet |
| Thu | Chicago Blackhawks at Utah Mammoth · NHL | ESPN+ |
| Thu | Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks · NHL | Sportsnet |
| Thu | Florida Panthers at San Jose Sharks · NHL | NBC Sports Regional |
| Fri | New York Rangers at Detroit Red Wings · NHL | TNT |
| Fri | Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes · NHL | Sportsnet |
| Fri | Grand Rapids Griffins at Cleveland Monsters · AHL | FloHockey |
| Fri | Hamilton Hammers at Belleville Senators · AHL | FloHockey |
| Fri | Syracuse Crunch at Laval Rocket · AHL | FloHockey |
| Fri | Bowling Green Falcons at Michigan Wolverines · NCAA | Regional Sports Net |
| Fri | Utica Comets at Providence Bruins · AHL | FloHockey |
| Fri | Toronto Marlies at Rochester Americans · AHL | FloHockey |
| Fri | Boston Bruins at Winnipeg Jets · NHL | TSN |
| Fri | Iowa Wild at Texas Stars · AHL | FloHockey |
| Fri | St. Louis Blues at Dallas Stars · NHL | TNT |
| Fri | Abbotsford Canucks at Calgary Wranglers · AHL | FloHockey |
| Fri | Anaheim Ducks at Vegas Golden Knights · NHL | Sportsnet |
| Fri | Ontario Reign at Coachella Valley Firebirds · AHL | FloHockey |
| Fri | Boston University Terriers at Alaska Bulldogs · NCAA | TBD |
| Sat | Chicago Wolves at Manitoba Moose · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Syracuse Crunch at Laval Rocket · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Hamilton Hammers at Toronto Marlies · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Minnesota Golden Gophers at Michigan Tech Huskies · NCAA | Regional Sports Net |
| Sat | Charlotte Checkers at Hershey Bears · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | San Diego Gulls at San Jose Barracuda · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Springfield Thunderbirds at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Michigan Wolverines at Bowling Green Falcons · NCAA | Regional Sports Net |
| Sat | Chicago Blackhawks at Buffalo Sabres · NHL | MSG Networks |
| Sat | Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs · NHL | Sportsnet |
| Sat | Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning · NHL | Altitude |
| Sat | Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers · NHL | NBC Sports Regional |
| Sat | Montréal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins · NHL | Sportsnet |
| Sat | Utah Mammoth at Columbus Blue Jackets · NHL | Regional Sports Net |
| Sat | Seattle Kraken at Edmonton Oilers · NHL | Sportsnet |
| Sat | Abbotsford Canucks at Calgary Wranglers · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Hartford Wolf Pack at Lehigh Valley Phantoms · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | New Jersey Devils at New York Islanders · NHL | MSG Networks |
| Sat | Dallas Stars at Nashville Predators · NHL | Scripps Sports |
| Sat | Boston Bruins at Minnesota Wild · NHL | Regional Sports Net |
| Sat | Milwaukee Admirals at Rockford IceHogs · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Iowa Wild at Texas Stars · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche · NHL | Altitude |
| Sat | Coachella Valley Firebirds at Ontario Reign · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Bakersfield Condors at Henderson Silver Knights · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks · NHL | Sportsnet |
| Sat | Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks · NHL | NBC Sports Regional |
| Sat | Colorado Eagles at Tucson Roadrunners · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sat | Boston University Terriers at Alaska Bulldogs · NCAA | TBD |
| Sun | Winnipeg Jets at Detroit Red Wings · NHL | NHL Network |
| Sun | Charlotte Checkers at Hershey Bears · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sun | Chicago Wolves at Manitoba Moose · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sun | Grand Rapids Griffins at Cleveland Monsters · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sun | Rochester Americans at Belleville Senators · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sun | Springfield Thunderbirds at Providence Bruins · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sun | Minnesota Golden Gophers at Michigan Tech Huskies · NCAA | Regional Sports Net |
| Sun | Hartford Wolf Pack at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sun | Utah Mammoth at New York Rangers · NHL | MSG Networks |
| Sun | San Diego Gulls at San Jose Barracuda · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sun | Colorado Eagles at Tucson Roadrunners · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sun | Florida Panthers at Anaheim Ducks · NHL | Prime Video |
| Sun | Calgary Flames at Seattle Kraken · NHL | Sportsnet |
| Sun | Bakersfield Condors at Henderson Silver Knights · AHL | FloHockey |
| Sun | Vegas Golden Knights at Vancouver Canucks · NHL | Sportsnet |
That's our shortlist, but opening week is stacked well beyond it — the defending-champion Hurricanes, the Presidents' Trophy Avalanche and the runner-up Golden Knights all get their banners and openers, and by the weekend every team is in action. See the complete week — with every start time converted to your local zone — on our full schedule.
New to a team's TV setup this season? A lot changed: our How to Watch the NHL in 2026-27 guide breaks down every national window, regional network and streaming option.
Start times shown in US Eastern; on the live schedule they convert to your local zone automatically. Listings verified as of publication — see how we check our listings.
