Blue Jackets announce 2025-26 regular season schedule

The Columbus Blue Jackets and National Hockey League announced today a 2025-26 regular season schedule in which the club will play 82 games, including 41 home dates at Nationwide Arena. The team opens its 25th NHL season on Thursday, October 9 against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. The Blue Jackets kick off their home slate of games on Monday, October 13 with a 7 p.m. ET matchup against Metropolitan Division rival New Jersey Devils at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets’ announcement of the club’s 2025-26 schedule is presented by Ticketmaster.

Columbus will play Metropolitan Division teams a total of 26 times, including 13 games at Nationwide Arena. The Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals will each visit Nationwide Arena twice, while the Philadelphia Flyers will make a lone visit on January 28. The Blue Jackets will face teams in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division 24 times, including 12 at home. The club will play two home games each against the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs, while hosting the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens one time.

Columbus will play its 82 games over 188 days with 42 contests slated for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, including nine Thursday, two Friday and 11 Saturday home games. The Blue Jackets also will play eight games on Sunday (four at home). January and March are the team’s busiest months with 16 contests each. Columbus will host a season-high five-game homestand from January 20-28 (Ottawa, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles, Philadelphia). The team will play five consecutive road games from November 2-11 (NY Islanders, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, Seattle).

The League’s regular season schedule will pause from February 6-24, when the world’s top NHL players gather in Milan and Cortina, Italy for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

In addition to the Home Opener vs. the Devils, highlights of the 2025-26 home schedule include:

Oct. 29 and Nov. 26 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (Auston Matthews and 13-time Stanley Cup champions)

Nov. 13 vs. Edmonton Oilers (Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl with 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup finalists)

Nov. 15 and Mar. 19 vs. New York Rangers (Artemi Panarin and Metropolitan Division rivals)

Nov. 17 vs. Montreal Canadiens (24-time Stanley Cup champions)

Nov. 28 and Jan. 4 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Metropolitan Division Rivals)

Dec. 4 vs. Detroit Red Wings (11-time Stanley Cup champions and former Central Division rivals)

Dec. 13 vs. Vegas Golden Knights (Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner with 2023 Stanley Cup champions)

Dec. 18 vs. Minnesota Wild (2000 NHL Expansion rivals)

Dec. 31 vs. New Jersey Devils (Metropolitan Division rivals visit on New Year’s Eve)

Feb. 4 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (Connor Bedard and former Central Division rivals)

Mar. 5 vs. Florida Panthers (lone visit from 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup champions)

Miscellaneous Notes about the Schedule

Most Consecutive Home Games: 5 – Jan. 20 vs. OTT, Jan. 22 vs. DAL, Jan. 24 vs. TBL, Jan. 26 vs. LAK, Jan. 28 vs. PHI

Most Consecutive Road Games: 5 – Nov. 2 at NYI, Nov. 5 at CGY, Nov. 8 at VAN, Nov. 10 at EDM, Nov. 11 at SEA

Games Played Around Olympic Break, Feb. 6-24: Before – 57 (H-28, A-29); After – 25 (H-13, A-12)

Matinee Home Games (3:30 p.m. local start time or earlier): 2 – Jan. 3 vs. BUF, Jan. 4 vs. PIT

Matinee Road Games (3:30 p.m. local start time or earlier): 3 – Nov. 22 at DET, Dec. 6 at FLA, Jan. 10 at COL

Home-and-Home Series: 1 – Mar. 31 vs. CAR, Apr. 2 at CAR