Must-see NHL games for 2025-26 season

The 2025-26 NHL regular season will have plenty of intriguing matchups, player returns and one-of-a-kind outdoor games.

The full schedule, which was released Wednesday, has the season beginning with a tripleheader on ESPN featuring the Chicago Blackhawks visiting the defending champion Florida Panthers, the Pittsburgh Penguins at the New York Rangers and the Colorado Avalanche at the Los Angeles Kings.

That is just the start of season that will see Mitch Marner of the Vegas Golden Knights play his first game as a visiting player in Toronto and Brad Marchand of the Florida Panthers do the same in Boston.

The season will also see two outdoor games played in the state of Florida and a break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, when the League's regular-season schedule will pause from Feb. 6-24.

Here's a look at several must-see games in 2025-26:

Oct. 7: Chicago Blackhawks at Florida Panthers (Panthers home opener)

For the second straight season, Florida will raise a Stanley Cup banner, this time against Connor Bedard and Chicago, which has a new coach in Jeff Blashill and seeks to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020.

Oct. 9: New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins (potential Matthew Schaefer debut)

When the Islanders play their season opener, it could be the debut of the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Schaefer, who hasn't played since breaking his collarbone playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship on Dec. 27, 2024, would have a memorable first game against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. Each team is looking to return to the playoffs after missing out last season. This will also be the NHL coaching debut for Dan Muse, who was hired by Pittsburgh on June 4.

Oct. 11: New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins (Sullivan return to Pittsburgh)

Mike Sullivan will return to the place where he spent 10 seasons and won the Stanley Cup twice. Sullivan, who was hired as Rangers coach less than a week after leaving the Penguins, was 409-255-89 in Pittsburgh and is team's leader in coaching wins in the regular season and playoffs (44-38). Sullivan's debut with the Rangers will come at home against the Penguins on Oct. 7.

Oct. 13: Detroit Red Wings at Toronto Maple Leafs; St. Louis Blues at Vancouver Canucks ('Prime Monday Night Hockey')

The second season of "Prime Monday Night Hockey" kicks off with a doubleheader on Canadian Thanksgiving when the Atlantic Division rival Red Wings visit the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Later that night, the Blues visit the Canucks at Rogers Arena.

Oct. 21: Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins (Marchand return to Boston)

Marchand was traded to the Panthers by the Bruins on March 7, and although the teams played in Boston four days later, he missed the game with an injury, so this will be the first time facing his former team. The 37-year-old forward played 16 seasons with Boston and was captain for two. He is fourth in games (1,090) and goals (422), fifth in points (976) and sixth in assists (554) in Bruins history. Marchand helped the Panthers win the Cup with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 23 playoff games.

Nov. 8: Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs (Hall of Fame game)

The annual Hall of Fame game, which takes place in Toronto the weekend of the Hockey Hall of Fame inductions, will see the Bruins visit the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. It will be a big week for the Bruins, with former defenseman Zdeno Chara being enshrined with hockey legends after a storied 24-season NHL career, including 14 with Boston and winning the Stanley Cup in 2011. Joe Thornton, a forward who played for the Bruins from 1997 to 2005, will also be inducted. The Maple Leafs will also be home against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 9

Nov. 14 and 16: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Nashville Predators (Global Series Sweden)

The Penguins and Predators will play twice at Avicii Arena in Stockholm in the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal. It will be Pittsburgh's first trip overseas since the NHL Premiere Series on Oct. 5, 2008, and its roster currently includes two Swedes: Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell. The Predators, who last played overseas in 2022, have Sweden-born players Filip Forsberg, Adam Wilsby and Andreas Englund.

Nov. 22: Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers (Stanley Cup Final rematch)

This will be the first of two games between the Panthers and Oilers in a rematch of the Stanley Cup Final each of the past two seasons, and the first time Edmonton returns to Amerant Bank Arena since losing Game 6 the 2025 Final. The Panthers have gotten the better of the Oilers and have also won the past four against them in the regular season. The teams will also play at Rogers Place in Edmonton on March 19.

Nov. 28: New York Rangers at Boston Bruins (Thanksgiving Showdown)

One day after American Thanksgiving, there will be a full slate of hockey with 15 games on the schedule. That includes the Thanksgiving Showdown matinee between two Original Six teams in the Rangers and Bruins. Each storied franchise will be seeking to return to the playoffs after not qualifying last season.

Jan. 2: New York Rangers at Florida Panthers (2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic)

The first of two outdoor games in Florida will see the Panthers play their first NHL outdoor game, this one at loanDepot park in Miami, home of MLB's Miami Marlins. They'll face the Rangers, who are 5-0-0 in outdoor games.

Jan. 19: Winnipeg Jets at Chicago Blackhawks (Toews return to Chicago)

Toews, the longtime Blackhawks captain who won the Stanley Cup three times with them, has not played in the NHL since April 13, 2023. The Winnipeg native signed with the Jets on July 1 and will get a warm welcome upon his return to Chicago, where he ranks in the top 10 in games (1,067), goals (372), assists (511) and points (833) in team history. He was named one of the 100 Greatest Players during the NHL's Centennial Celebration in 2017.

Jan. 23: Vegas Golden Knights at Toronto Maple Leafs (Marner return to Toronto)

One of the biggest prizes in free agency was taken off the board early when Marner was traded from the Maple Leafs to the Golden Knights on July 1 after signing an eight-year contract. The forward had an NHL career-high 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists) in 81 regular-season games last season and is fifth in Maple Leafs history with 741 points over nine seasons. It will be an emotional night at Scotiabank Arena when his new team visits his old one.

Feb. 1: Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning (2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series)

Less than a week before the NHL breaks for the Olympics, another outdoor game will be played in Florida, this one at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lightning have played one outdoor game, but this will be their first time hosting. The Bruins are 4-1-0 outdoors.