NHL Season Kicks Off Today! – Oct. 7, 2025

storyline-stacked Season startS WITH TRIPLEHEADER ON ESPN

Just over 110 days after claiming their second straight Stanley Cup and one day shy of the first anniversary of their only other banner-raising night, the Panthers will commemorate another title before hosting the opening game of the 2025-26 regular season.

• A snapshot of what awaits in the NHL’s 108th campaign: thrilling finishes (2024-25 saw a record 560 comeback wins), high-scoring and high-skill (four straight seasons averaging 6.0 goals per game & with an Art Ross Trophy winner securing 120+ points) as well as spirited competition in both League and international play (NHL players will return from the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 & continue their pursuit of the most-revered trophy in all of sports).
• With players from as many as 20 countries expected to be on opening-day rosters, NHL games will be broadcast live in nearly 200 countries and territories this season. Click here for a guide on how to watch and stream games around the world.
• It was an eventful regular-season eve involving star players around the League highlighted by Connor McDavid signing a two-year contract with the Oilers, J.T. Miller being a regular practice participant ahead of his first game as Rangers captain and No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer learning that he will be a member of the Islanders’ opening-day roster.

FLORIDA TO RAISE STANLEY CUP BANNER, BEGIN THREE-PEAT HUNT VERSUS CHICAGO

Sam Reinhart and the Panthers will raise their second straight Stanley Cup banner and start the quest to become the sixth team in NHL history with three consecutive championships (and first in more than 40 years) when they host Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks – one of three clubs starting Centennial year celebrations in 2025-26.

• Reinhart is one of 21 current Florida players that were part of its Cup-winning roster last season, with that group including Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and Niko Mikkola who all signed long-term contracts after capturing the championship. Marchand was in the building as the Bruins’ captain for the Panthers’ first banner-raising night last year.
• Reinhart, who was featured in the 2025 Stanley Cup Championship Film, skated with Team Canada alongside Bennett and Marchand during the 4 Nations Face-Off and is set to represent his country again at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Bennett, Ekblad, Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe will vie for a roster spot after being invited to Team Canada’s orientation camp, as will Bedard who enters his third season as a centerpiece for Chicago.
• Bedard, 20, was the second-youngest player in attendance at Team Canada’s camp behind 19-year-old fellow No. 1 pick and North Vancouver native Macklin Celebrini. The last time NHL players were in the Olympics (2014), there were five players age 20 or younger who participated including Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov as well as fellow NHLers Zemgus Girgensons, Olli Määttä and Valeri Nichushkin (also Luka Gracnar).

Crosby commences 21ST SEASON, RANGERS START CENTENNIAL YEAR

Sidney Crosby is set to embark on his 21st season and 20th with longtime teammates Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin when the Penguins visit new captain J.T. Miller and the Rangers. Crosby, Letang and Malkin contested parts of 10 campaigns under Pittsburgh’s former head coach Mike Sullivan, who was hired by New York this offseason and replaced by Dan Muse behind the Penguins’ bench.

• Crosby, Letang and Malkin are the highest-scoring trio of teammates with a single franchise in NHL history, combining for 3,703 regular-season points over the past 19 campaigns. They played 11 seasons alongside Marc-Andre Fleury, who the trio reunited with and bid farewell to when Fleury manned Pittsburgh’s crease during a preseason period on Sept. 27.
• Crosby starts the season needing 37 points to pass Mario Lemieux (1,723) for the most in franchise history and for eighth place on the League’s all-time list. Crosby, who is set to tie Steve Yzerman as the longest-tenured captain in NHL history, also needs two assists to leapfrog Yzerman (1,063) for the ninth most all-time.
• Miller leads the Rangers into their Centennial year celebrations after being named the 29th captain in franchise history. Miller, who began his second stint with New York just before playing against Crosby at the 4 Nations Face-Off, attended Team USA’s orientation camp for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 alongside teammates Adam Fox and Vincent Trocheck. Sullivan was named Team USA’s head coach and Rangers assistant David Quinn will serve in the same capacity for the Americans.

KOPITAR EMBARKS ON FINAL SEASON, LANDESKOG SET FOR ANOTHER RETURN

Gabriel Landeskog, who made his long-awaited return to Colorado’s lineup in Game 3 of the 2025 First Round, will play his first regular-season contest in more than 1,300 days when the Avalanche clash with Anze Kopitar and the Kings. The game will mark the start of the 20th and final campaign for Kopitar, who announced that he will retire at the end of the season.

• Landeskog will be joined by decorated teammates Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar as well as new Colorado defenseman Brent Burns, who needs three contests to reach 1,500 in his career and 75 to become the second player in NHL history with a 1,000-game “Ironman” streak. Burns also requires four goals to pass Nicklas Lidstrom (264) for eighth place on the League’s all-time list among defensemen and six points to leapfrog Bobby Orr (915) for the 11th most by a blueliner in NHL history.
• Kopitar can also reach the 1,500-game milestone this season and needs 30 points to dethrone Marcel Dionne (1,307) atop the Kings’ all-time list. Kopitar’s 26 career points in campaign-opening games are the fifth most in League history behind Jaromir Jagr, two former Avalanche skaters and another Kings captain.

Lightning’s Sabourin Suspended Four Games for Roughing

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Scott Sabourin has been suspended for four games, without pay, for roughing Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad during NHL Preseason Game No. 99 in Florida on Saturday, Oct. 4. The incident occurred at 2:17 of the first period. Sabourin was assessed a match penalty. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Sabourin will forfeit $16,145.84.

Lightning’s Moser Suspended Two Games for Boarding

Also, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser has been suspended for two games, without pay, for boarding Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist during NHL Preseason Game No. 99 in Florida on Saturday, Oct. 4. The incident occurred at 13:52 of the first period. Moser was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Moser will forfeit $35,156.26.

The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

NHL Announces Disciplinary Action Against Tampa Bay Lightning

The National Hockey League announced today disciplinary action against the Tampa Bay Lightning for their actions culminating in the events of NHL Preseason Game No. 99 against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Fla. on Saturday, Oct. 4. The Club has been fined $100,000 and head coach Jon Cooper has been fined $25,000. These follow suspensions and fines previously assessed to four Lightning players by the NHL Department of Player Safety for their actions during the game.

The fine money goes to the Club Fine Fund to be used for charitable purposes.