Panthers Open NHL Season Against Blackhawks in Tripleheader

NEW YORK — The National Hockey League (NHL) announced Monday that the 2025-26 regular season will kick off on Tuesday, Oct. 7. The opening night will feature a tripleheader broadcast on ESPN in the United States and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada.

The season begins at 5 p.m. ET with the Chicago Blackhawks facing off against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Before the game, the Panthers will raise their championship banner at Amerant Bank Arena.

At 8 p.m. ET, the New York Rangers will host the Pittsburgh Penguins in a pivotal matchup. Mike Sullivan, who previously led the Penguins as head coach, will make his debut as the Rangers’ coach against his former team.

The night concludes at 10:30 p.m. ET when the Colorado Avalanche visit the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Both teams will be looking to bounce back after early playoff exits last season.

The complete 2025-26 NHL regular-season schedule will be revealed on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. NHL Network will air a special edition of “NHL Tonight” covering the schedule release, hosted by Jamison Coyle, Mike Rupp, and E.J. Hradek. This programming will also be available for streaming on NHL.com.