The NHL released it’s opening night slate for the 2025-26 season — featuring the three biggest American markets, the defending Stanley Cup champions and several of the sports biggest superstars and rising stars.
Chicago Blackhawks (25-46-11, 61 points) at Florida Panthers (47-31-4, 98 points)
2024-25 Results: CHI wins 3-1 (Nov. 21, 2024) | FLA wins 5-1 (Feb. 2, 2025)
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will open the action on Oct. 7 at 5 p.m. EST. They’ll raise the banner commemorating their latest victory ahead of puck drop.
Chicago is expected to be near the league’s basement again next season. FanDuel Sportsbook lists Chicago 31st in playoff odds (+1200). Now deep into a years long rebuild following its dynasty of the 2010’s, Chicago features 2023 No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard. A phenom forward turning 20 on July 17, Bedard has managed two 60-point campaigns before his 20th birthday despite the Hawks overall struggles.
Hawks goaltender Spencer Knight will return to face the organization that drafted him. The once highly touted goalie prospect, selected No. 13 overall by Florida in 2019, went to Chicago in the deal that sent defenseman Seth Jones to Florida before the 2025 trade deadline.
Pittsburgh Penguins (34-36-12, 80 points) at New York Rangers (39-36-7, 85 points)
2024-25 Results: NYR win 6-0 (Oct. 9, 2024) | NYR win 4-2 (Dec. 6, 2024) | PIT win 3-2 (Feb. 7, 2025) | NYR win 5-3 (Feb. 23, 2025)
The primetime game of the night will feature the first meeting between two-time Stanley Cup winning coach Mike Sullivan and the team he spent the last decade helming. The Rangers and Penguins are now inextricably linked by Sullivan, by the No. 12 overall draft pick the Rangers just sent Pittsburgh to complete the J.T. Miller trade and by years of rivalry and playoff meetings during these last 10 years. On-ice, Miller and fellow Ranger Vincent Trocheck spent parts of their formative years before being drafted living in Pittsburgh.
The Rangers are aggressively remaking the team as a more defensive-oriented group following a disastrous 2024-25 season that saw the team miss the playoffs as one of the worst defensive teams in the league by nearly every metric. The Penguins appear to be the only team actively pursuing a rebuild, strategically retreating to build assets even while Sidney Crosby (91 points last season) continues to shine into his late 30’s.
FanDuel Sportsbook is cautiously optimistic on the Rangers ability to return to the playoffs after ending their streak of three straight appearances with the 12th best odds of making the playoffs (-184). Pittsburgh, conversely, has the 30th best odds (+590).
Colorado Avalanche (49-29-4, 102 points) at Los Angeles Kings (48-25-9, 105 points)
2024-25 Results: COL win 4-2 (Nov. 13, 2024) | COL win 4-0 (Mar. 27, 2025) | LAK win 5-4 (Apr. 12, 2025)
The NHL wraps opening night with the largest west coast media market in Los Angeles hosting superstars Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and the Colorado Avalanche in a game that will feature some of the most promising raw talent on display.
The Avalanche, stylistically, are one of the most exciting teams in hockey every year because of their overall team speed and pace. Los Angeles, the best defensive team in the 2024-25 regular season by basically every metric, features rising star center Quinton Byfield. The 2020 No. 2 overall pick took a while to establish himself, but is coming off back-to-back 50-point seasons. He can also dazzle with goals that make you question if the rules of physics even apply to him.
The full NHL schedule release is set for Wednesday.
