NHL 2026-27 Season: Opening Night, the 84-Game Schedule and What Fans Wear
Updated 28 September 2026 · by the Jersey Pro Center team
Quick answer
The 2026-27 NHL season starts on Tuesday 29 September 2026 with five games, and every team plays 84 games for the first time in more than three decades. Carolina Hurricanes raise their second championship banner at Lenovo Center before hosting Florida Panthers at 5pm ET. Montreal Canadiens visit Toronto Maple Leafs at 7pm ET, New York Rangers visit Boston Bruins at 8pm ET, Vancouver Canucks visit Edmonton Oilers at 10pm ET, and Chicago Blackhawks visit Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30pm ET. Adult NHL jerseys in our team collections are $85.99 for Breakaway and Fan Version cuts and $92.90 for Premium and Replica cuts, with printed names such as PASTRNAK 88, KANE 88 and EICHEL 9 already applied. All fixture details were verified against NHL.com on 28 September 2026.
The NHL opens its first 84-game season on Tuesday 29 September 2026 with five games across the United States and Canada. Here is the opening-night slate, what changed on the calendar, and the shirts supporters wear to each of the five games.
When does the 2026-27 NHL season start?
The 2026-27 NHL season starts on Tuesday 29 September 2026, with five games on opening night across the United States and Canada. Carolina Hurricanes host Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center at 5pm ET, Toronto Maple Leafs host Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena at 7pm ET, Boston Bruins host New York Rangers at TD Garden at 8pm ET, Edmonton Oilers host Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Place at 10pm ET, and Vegas Golden Knights host Chicago Blackhawks at T-Mobile Arena at 10:30pm ET. ESPN carries a tripleheader in the United States and Sportsnet carries a doubleheader in Canada.
| Time (ET) | Matchup | Venue | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5:00pm | Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes | Lenovo Center, Raleigh | ESPN |
| 7:00pm | Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs | Scotiabank Arena, Toronto | Sportsnet |
| 8:00pm | New York Rangers at Boston Bruins | TD Garden, Boston | ESPN |
| 10:00pm | Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers | Rogers Place, Edmonton | Sportsnet |
| 10:30pm | Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas | ESPN |
All fixture details on this page were verified against NHL.com and the NHL's 2026-27 opening-night release on 28 September 2026.
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What is new about the 84-game NHL season?
The 2026-27 season is the first 84-game NHL season in more than three decades, because every club plays two extra divisional games on top of the 82-game format used through 2025-26. The expansion came out of the NHL and NHLPA collective bargaining agreement, and it is the single biggest structural change on this season's calendar.
The knock-on effect is a shorter preseason. The 2026-27 preseason ran from 19 September to 26 September 2026, a 65-game slate spread over eight days and 36 NHL and neutral-site venues, which is the first reduced preseason under the new agreement.
| Item | 2026-27 detail |
|---|---|
| Games per team | 84, up from 82 |
| Extra fixtures | Two additional divisional games per team |
| Preseason | 65 games, 19 to 26 September 2026, 36 venues |
| Opening night | Tuesday 29 September 2026, five games |
| Regular season ends | Early April 2027 |
| New uniform program | Hometown Remix, all 32 clubs |
Who raises a banner on NHL opening night?
Carolina Hurricanes raise their second championship banner at Lenovo Center before the 5pm ET face-off against Florida Panthers. Carolina won the 2025-26 Stanley Cup, and the banner ceremony is the first one of the 2026-27 season.
The league also opens the season with a new uniform program. Hometown Remix is a 32-team special-edition jersey, apparel and headwear line that covers every club, and the NHL says more detail will follow after the season begins. It sits alongside the marquee events that already anchor the calendar, including the Winter Classic, the Stadium Series and the All-Star Weekend.
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What else is on the NHL calendar before February 2027?
The first month of the 84-game season carries a TNT doubleheader on 30 September, the fourth NHL Frozen Frenzy on 13 October and 100 exclusive ESPN games across the season. Pittsburgh Penguins visit Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30pm ET and Los Angeles Kings visit Colorado Avalanche at 10pm ET on 30 September 2026.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 29 September 2026 | Opening night, five games, ESPN tripleheader and Sportsnet doubleheader |
| 30 September 2026 | TNT doubleheader: Penguins at Flyers, Kings at Avalanche |
| 13 October 2026 | NHL Frozen Frenzy, all 32 teams in action across one night |
| 5-6 February 2027 | NHL All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena, five national teams in a 3-on-3 round robin |
| Early April 2027 | End of the 84-game regular season |
ESPN holds 100 exclusive games in 2026-27, split as 53 on ESPN and ABC and 47 streaming, with more than 1,050 out-of-market games on its app. The All-Star Weekend in February 2027 takes a different shape from recent editions: five national teams play a 3-on-3 round robin at UBS Arena on Long Island instead of a conference format.
What do fans wear to an NHL game in 2026-27?
Fans wear the jersey of the team they are following, so the five opening-night games each have two colour directions rather than one. Carolina Hurricanes wear red, black and white and Florida Panthers wear red, blue and gold. Toronto Maple Leafs wear blue and white and Montreal Canadiens wear red, white and blue. Boston Bruins wear black and gold and New York Rangers wear blue, red and white. Edmonton Oilers wear orange and navy and Vancouver Canucks wear blue, green and white. Vegas Golden Knights wear gold, steel grey and black, and Chicago Blackhawks wear red, black and white.
The five opening-night games also show why the colour choice matters more than the fit on the first night of a season. Three of the five games are Original Six or divisional matchups where the two teams share a colour, so the safe buy is the colourway a club actually wears at home.
Do's and don'ts for a first NHL game
- Do pick the team before the shirt. Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs has two blue-and-white-adjacent sets, so decide which club you are there for first.
- Don't size up. Our size guide describes the NHL cut as the roomiest of the five leagues we stock, wide through the body with extra-long sleeves, and the advice for the NHL cut is to order your true size.
- Do check the colour in the product title rather than the photograph, because the same team is stocked in home, away, alternate and warm-up colourways in 2026-27.
- Avoid ordering in the week of the game. Jerseys leave in 7-15 business days, so a 29 September fixture needs the order placed well before the face-off.
- Never assume a name can be changed after checkout. The product pages have no field for typing in a name, so the print in the listing photograph is the print that arrives.
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How do you choose a jersey for opening night?
Match the jersey to the fixture first and the cut second, because opening night puts two clubs in one arena with no neutral colour to fall back on. These five steps take about two minutes.
- Pick the game. Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes is a red-and-black night at Lenovo Center; Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights is red against gold at T-Mobile Arena.
- Pick the club. Every NHL shelf here is a team collection, so Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights each have their own page.
- Pick the cut. Breakaway and Fan Version cuts are $85.99 and Premium and Replica cuts are $92.90 for adults.
- Read the print in the photo. PASTRNAK 88 on the Boston Bruins home jersey, KANE 88 on the Chicago Blackhawks home jersey and EICHEL 9 on the Vegas Golden Knights away jersey are all stocked as printed jerseys.
- Order inside the shipping window. Orders leave in 7-15 business days, so the practical cut-off for opening night on 29 September 2026 is mid-September.
Which NHL jerseys are in stock and what do they cost?
Adult NHL jerseys are stocked in two price tiers, at $85.99 for Breakaway and Fan Version cuts and $92.90 for Premium and Replica cuts, across 15 NHL collections that were all live on 28 September 2026. The four cards below cover the 2025-26 champions, the two Original Six home sides and the club travelling to Las Vegas on opening night.
| Cut | Adult price | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Breakaway / Fan Version | $85.99 | Supporter cut, printed player name and number already applied |
| Premium / Replica | $92.90 | Roomier body, heavier fabric weight, same printed-name format |
Sizing runs from S to 3XL for men. A men's NHL Breakaway jersey in size L measures 46-48 inches across the chest and 33 inches from collar to hem, size M measures 43-45 inches and 32 inches, and size XL measures 49-51 inches and 33.5 inches. Youth and toddler sizes are stocked too, sized by chest and height rather than by age.
Carolina HurricanesHome Breakaway · 2025-26 champions patchBlack and red home colourway with the championship patch on the chest · this one carries no player print on the backView this shirt
Boston BruinsHome Breakaway · PASTRNAK 88Black and gold home colourway · Boston host New York Rangers at TD Garden on opening nightView this shirt
Chicago BlackhawksHome Breakaway · KANE 88Red home colourway · Chicago open the 84-game season at T-Mobile ArenaView this shirt
Vegas Golden KnightsAway Breakaway · EICHEL 9Gold away colourway · Vegas host Chicago Blackhawks at 10:30pm ET on opening nightView this shirtThe print in each listing photograph is the print that ships, because the product pages have no field for entering a different name. Orders leave in 7-15 business days, shipping is free over $57 and a flat $7 below that, and returns are free for 30 days.
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Related guides
- NFL International Series 2026 - the other 2026 season playing games outside the United States, from Rio to Munich.
- NFL jersey buying guide - how the NFL tiers compare if you are buying a second sport's shirt this season.
- Jersey sizing compared - how the NHL cut sits against football, NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA before you order.
- MLB Postseason 2026 guide - the other 2026 postseason running this month, with the round dates and the World Series schedule.
- NBA 2026-27 season guide - the other North American league starting this month, with its own opening night and cup dates.
- MLB Championship Series 2026 - the other league running its championship round this month, with both pennant series in one table.
Common questions
When does the 2026-27 NHL season start?
The 2026-27 NHL season starts on Tuesday 29 September 2026 with five games. Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins host the ESPN games, Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers host the Sportsnet games, and Vegas Golden Knights host Chicago Blackhawks in the late game at 10:30pm ET.
How many games does each NHL team play in 2026-27?
Each NHL team plays 84 games in 2026-27, two more than the 82-game format used through 2025-26. The two extra fixtures are divisional games, and it is the league's first 84-game season in more than three decades.
Who do Carolina Hurricanes play on opening night?
Carolina Hurricanes host Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center in Raleigh at 5pm ET on Tuesday 29 September 2026. Carolina raise their second championship banner before the face-off, having won the 2025-26 Stanley Cup.
What is the NHL Hometown Remix uniform program in 2026-27?
Hometown Remix is a new special-edition NHL uniform, apparel and headwear program that covers all 32 clubs in 2026-27. The league says more detail on the program follows after the season begins on 29 September 2026.
Which jersey should I wear to an NHL opening-night game?
Wear the jersey of the team you are following. For Carolina Hurricanes against Florida Panthers that is red and black or red, blue and gold. For Boston Bruins against New York Rangers it is black and gold or blue, red and white. For Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights it is red, black and white against gold, steel grey and black.
How much do NHL jerseys cost and how fast do they ship?
Adult NHL jerseys in our 15 team collections are $85.99 for Breakaway and Fan Version cuts and $92.90 for Premium and Replica cuts. Shipping is free over $57 and a flat $7 below that, orders leave in 7-15 business days, and returns are free for 30 days.
Do NHL jerseys run small?
No. Our size guide describes the NHL cut as the roomiest of the five leagues we stock, wide through the body with extra-long sleeves, and the advice is to order your true size rather than sizing up. A men's NHL Breakaway jersey in size L measures 46-48 inches across the chest.
Is the print in the photograph the print that ships?
Yes. Whatever name and number appear in the listing photograph is the print that arrives, because our product pages have no field for typing in a different name. PASTRNAK 88 on the Boston Bruins home jersey, KANE 88 on the Chicago Blackhawks home jersey and EICHEL 9 on the Vegas Golden Knights away jersey are all stocked as printed jerseys.
Jersey Pro Center ships football shirts, basketball and baseball jerseys, NHL and NCAA kits to the US, Canada, UK, EU and Australia. Supporter (fan) cut as standard · close-fitting Authentic or on-field cut where the product title says so. Free shipping over $57 · 30-day returns · Use code SUBSCRIBE10 for 10% off your first order.