NHL Releases Expanded 84-Game Schedule for 2026-27 Season

Published:Jul 17, 2026Jul 17, 20263 min read

Updated:Jul 17, 2026Jul 17, 2026

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The NHL released its complete 2026-27 regular-season schedule Thursday, officially beginning a new era with every team moving from 82 to 84 games. The league’s 32 clubs will play a record 1,344 regular-season contests, with the campaign opening Sept. 29 and concluding April 10. The expanded format is the NHL’s first 84-game schedule since 1993-94. The additional games will increase the number of divisional matchups, giving teams more opportunities to face their closest rivals while preserving the league’s conference and interconference structure. The change was negotiated as part of the collective bargaining process between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association. Opening night will feature five games, highlighted by the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes raising their championship banner before facing the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center. That matchup begins an ESPN tripleheader at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the New York Rangers visiting the Boston Bruins at 8 p.m. and the Chicago Blackhawks facing the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30 p.m. The Canadian opening-night schedule includes Toronto against Montreal and Vancouver visiting Edmonton. No. 1 overall draft pick Gavin McKenna could make his Maple Leafs debut against the Canadiens in one of the season’s most anticipated early games. TNT’s first doubleheader arrives Sept. 30, when Pittsburgh visits Philadelphia and Los Angeles travels to Colorado.

Outdoor Games & International Matchups

The schedule includes three outdoor games. Montreal will visit Winnipeg for the Heritage Classic on Oct. 25, while the Utah Mammoth host the Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium in the Winter Classic on Dec. 31. The Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights will meet at AT&T Stadium in the Stadium Series on Feb. 20. The NHL will also continue its international expansion. Carolina and Seattle are scheduled to play two games in Helsinki on Nov. 12 and 14, while Chicago and Ottawa will meet in Düsseldorf on Dec. 18 and 20. The league is also adding more weekday afternoon games in North America to create European primetime broadcasts. The All-Star Game returns after a two-year absence and will be hosted at UBS Arena. The skills competition is scheduled for Feb. 5, followed by a new-look All-Star Game on Feb. 6. Carolina’s Stanley Cup Final rematches against Vegas are set for Dec. 21 in Las Vegas and Jan. 17 in Raleigh.

Stanley Cup Futures Betting

In futures betting markets, Carolina begins its title defense among the championship favorites, although Florida and Colorado also sit near the top of early futures markets. Representative FanDuel odds listed after the 2026 Stanley Cup Final included the following top 10 teams:

Florida Panthers: +700
Carolina Hurricanes: +750
Colorado Avalanche: +800
Edmonton Oilers: +1000
Washington Capitals: +1100
Vegas Golden Knights: +1100
Tampa Bay Lightning: +1200
Minnesota Wild: +1400
Dallas Stars: +1800
New Jersey Devils: +2500

The longer 84-game schedule could place an added premium on roster depth, goaltending stability and travel management. Futures odds will continue moving throughout the offseason as teams complete trades, resolve restricted free-agent contracts and enter training camp.

About the Author: Sean Chaffin

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer and former teacher in Ruidoso, New Mexico. He has covered poker and casino gaming for many years, and is a big football fan. Follow him @PokerTraditions.