NHL releases full schedule for 2026-27 season

It might only be July, but you can already start planning your hockey-watching schedule.

The NHL announced its complete schedule for the 2026-27 season on Thursday. You can view it in its entirety here.

For the first time since 1993-94, the league will have an 84-game regular season after shortening the pre-season.

With 1,344 regular-season games in total, the 2026-27 season will set an all-time NHL record.

The regular season will commence on Sept. 29, eight days earlier than in 2025-26, and conclude on April 10, six days earlier than last season.

The league described its scheduling matrix as follows:

• Each division has eight teams, and each team plays two home games and two away games against the other seven teams in its division.

• Within their conference but outside their division, teams will face four teams twice at home and once away for each of the other divisions.

• For non-conference games, teams will play one home game and one away game against each of the 16 teams.

• In total, each team plays 42 home games and 42 away games.

Key dates and spotlight matchups:

• The Heritage Classic will take place on Sunday, Oct. 25, as the Jets host the Canadiens outdoors at the Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg. 

• The NHL Global Series sees the Hurricanes and Kraken head to Helsinki, Finland, for two games on Nov. 12 and 14, and the Blackhawks and Senators travel to Düsseldorf, Germany, for games on Dec. 18 and 20.

• On New Year’s Eve, the Utah Mammoth will host the Colorado Avalanche at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium for the annual NHL Winter Classic.

• On Feb. 20, the Dallas Stars and Golden Knights will suit up at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the Stadium Series.

• All-star weekend is scheduled for Feb. 5-6 at the UBS Arena on Long Island, home of the Islanders.

• All 32 teams will be in action on both Oct. 13 and April 10.