The offseason brings a lull, but also a quiet anticipation. After the final horn of the Stanley Cup, eyes quickly turn to what’s next—the draft, free agency and that sacred moment: puck drop in October.
Each new NHL season promises a fresh slate. Trades settle, rosters reshape, rookies rise and fans count the days until the opening faceoff. It’s not just about the calendar, it’s about momentum, redemption and ambition.
As anticipation builds across arenas and front offices alike, the 2025–26 NHL season is already drawing focus. The schedule may be weeks away from launching, but the rhythm of the league never really stops.
Key dates for the start of the 2025–26 NHL season
The NHL’s 2025–26 campaign is set to begin on October 7, following tradition. While preseason matchups will warm up the ice in late September, the regular season typically kicks off during the first full week of the month.
Connor McDavid and Stuart Skinner of the Edmonton Oilers celebrate after beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 in Game Six of the Western Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Source: Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
Exact dates for opening night, marquee matchups and international games—if scheduled—are usually announced during the summer. Fans can expect a full 82-game slate, with a return to a balanced and fierce competition from Day 1.
As teams finalize their rosters and training camps open in September, anticipation builds across the league. The opening faceoff won’t just mark the start of a new season, it will set the tone for another run at the Stanley Cup.
No All-Star game in 2026 and an Olympic pause
In a rare move, the NHL will not hold an All-Star Game during the 2025–26 season. The decision comes as the league prepares to accommodate the 2026 Winter Olympics, set to take place in Milan and Cortina, Italy, in February.
The NHL and NHLPA have agreed to send players to the Olympics—something fans and international hockey enthusiasts have long hoped for after recent absences. As a result, the league will observe a mid-season pause.
The cancellation of the All-Star festivities means no skills competition or weekend spotlight, but the trade-off is significant: the return of best-on-best international hockey, with NHL stars potentially deciding Olympic gold.
While exact dates for the Olympic break have not been finalized, it’s expected to mirror previous Olympic years, with a multi-week interruption in February and a condensed schedule on either side of the pause.
