2025–26 NHL season
| 2025–26 NHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | National Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice Hockey |
| Duration | October 7, 2025 – June 2026 |
| Number of games | 82 |
| Number of teams | 32 |
| TV partner(s) | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports (Canada) ESPN/ABC/ESPN2, TNT/TBS/truTV (United States) |
| Streaming partner(s) | Sportsnet+, Amazon Prime Video (Canada) ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+, Max (United States) |
| Draft | |
| Regular season | |
| Playoffs | |
| Stanley Cup | |
The 2025–26 NHL season is the upcoming 109th season of operation (108th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The regular season is scheduled to begin on October 7, 2025.[1] The Stanley Cup playoffs are then planned to begin in April 2026, ending with the Stanley Cup Finals in June. A mid-season break will take place in February due to the NHL's participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
League business
[edit]Collective bargaining agreement
[edit]The 2020 extension of the 2013 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is set to expire at the end of the 2025–26 NHL season.[2][3]
Entry draft
[edit]The 2025 NHL entry draft is scheduled for June 27–28, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.[4]
Coaching changes
[edit]| Off–season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 2024–25 coach | 2025–26 coach | Notes |
| Anaheim Ducks | Greg Cronin | TBA | On April 19, 2025, three days after the conclusion of their season, the Ducks fired Cronin. In two seasons with Anaheim, Cronin compiled a 62–87–15 record, missing the playoffs in both years.[5] |
| Boston Bruins | Jim Montgomery Joe Sacco* |
TBA | Montgomery was fired on November 19, 2024, after the Bruins started the season 8–9–3. In just over two seasons with the Bruins, Montgomery totaled a 120–41–23 record with two playoff appearances, including a Presidents' Trophy in 2023 following one of the greatest regular seasons in NHL history. Sacco, a Bruins assistant coach, and formerly head coach of the Colorado Avalanche from 2009 to 2013, was named interim head coach the same day.[6] |
| Chicago Blackhawks | Luke Richardson Anders Sorensen* |
TBA | Richardson was fired on December 5, 2024, after the Blackhawks began the season 8–16–2. In just over two seasons with Chicago, Richardson totaled a 57–118–15 record, failing to reach the playoffs in either completed year. Sorensen, previously the head coach of the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, was named interim head coach the same day.[7] Sorensen became the first Swedish-born head coach in NHL history.[8] |
| New York Rangers | Peter Laviolette | TBA | Laviolette was fired on April 19, 2025, two days after the conclusion of the Rangers' season. In two seasons with the Rangers, Laviolette recorded a 94–59–11 record, winning the Presidents' Trophy and reaching the Eastern conference finals in his first year, but missing the playoffs in his second.[9] |
| Philadelphia Flyers | John Tortorella Brad Shaw* |
TBA | Tortorella was fired on March 27, 2025, with the Flyers holding a 28–36–9 record, and after a 1–10–1 record in their 12 games prior to Tortorella's dismissal. In just under three seasons with Philadelphia, Tortorella posted a 97–107–33 record, with no playoff appearances. Shaw, previously an assistant coach, was named interim head coach the same day.[10] |
| Seattle Kraken | Dan Bylsma | TBA | Bylsma was fired on April 21, 2025, six days after the conclusion of the Kraken's season. Bylsma recorded a 35–41–6 record in his only season with Seattle, missing the playoffs.[11] |
(*) Indicates interim
Front office changes
[edit]| Off–season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 2024–25 general manager | 2025–26 general manager | Notes |
| New York Islanders | Lou Lamoriello | TBA | On April 22, 2025, five days after the conclusion of the Islanders' season, and with his contract expiring, the team announced that Lamoriello would not return as general manager. Lamoriello had served as general manager of the Islanders since 2018, overseeing five playoff berths, including two Eastern Conference finals appearances.[12] |
| Seattle Kraken | Ron Francis | Jason Botterill | On April 22, 2025, Francis was promoted to president of hockey operations, with Botterill, an assistant general manager, concurrently promoted to general manager.[13] |
(*) Indicates interim
Arena changes
[edit]- The Wells Fargo Center, the home of the Philadelphia Flyers, will be renamed prior to the season. Wells Fargo declined to renew its naming rights deal when it expires in August 2025.[14]
- The Xcel Energy Center, the home of the Minnesota Wild, will be renamed prior to the season. Xcel Energy will remain a partner of the team.[15]
Regular season
[edit]The regular season is planned to be held from October 7, 2025 to April 2026,[1] with all specific dates and start times to be announced at a later date in June or July 2025.
International games
[edit]The Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins are scheduled to play against each other on November 14 and 16, 2025, at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.[16]
Outdoor games
[edit]The league has scheduled two outdoor games this season, both planned to be held in Florida:
- The 2026 Winter Classic is scheduled for January 2, 2026, at LoanDepot Park in Miami, with the Florida Panthers hosting the New York Rangers.[17]
- The 2026 Stadium Series is scheduled for February 1, 2026, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, with the Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Boston Bruins.[17]
All-Star Game and Olympics break
[edit]The 2026 All-Star Game is planned to be held in early February 2026, at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, the home of the New York Islanders. The league intends to use the game as a "send-off" for the league's players participation at the 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy; players who will be competing in both are planned to leave directly from New York to Italy. This would be first time that the league participated in the Olympics since 2014, and the first time the All-Star Game was held in the same year as Olympic participation since 2002.[18]
Uniforms
[edit]- The New York Rangers unveiled a centennial logo to commemorate their 100th year.[19]
Media rights
[edit]Canada
[edit]National
[edit]This will be the 12th and final season of the Canadian national broadcast rights deal with Sportsnet, before a new 12-year contract begins in 2026–27.[20] The original deal expiring this 2025–26 season includes Sportsnet's sub-licensing agreements to air Saturday Hockey Night in Canada games on CBC Television, French-language broadcasts on TVA Sports,[21] and the final year of Amazon Prime Video's two-year streaming deal.[22]
- Linear television
- Saturday Hockey Night in Canada games air on CBC, one or more of the four Sportsnet feeds, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet 360, or Citytv. Decisions on network assignments are made on a week-by-week basis, and select games may simulcast on multiple networks.[23]
- Sportsnet airs Wednesday Night Hockey, the Winter Classic, Stadium Series, and All-Star Game.[21]
- TVA Sports' schedule includes Saturday La super soirée LNH (lit. 'NHL Super Evening') games, as well as French-language broadcasts of the Winter Classic, Stadium Series, All-Star Game, among others.[24]
- Streaming
- Sportsnet+ will stream games depending on tier, with national games available on the Standard level, out-of-market games on the Premium tier, and via authenticated streaming on participating teams.[25]
- This will be the final season of a two-year sub-license for Amazon Prime Video to stream Monday Night Hockey.[22]
United States
[edit]National
[edit]This will be the fifth season of the league's seven-year U.S. national broadcast rights deals with the ESPN family of networks and TNT Sports.[26]
- Linear television
- ESPN broadcasts opening night games and then select Tuesday and Thursday–Sunday night games throughout the rest of the season. ABC's schedule includes Hockey Saturday on select weekends between January and April. Games may also air on ESPN2. ESPN and ABC has the All-Star skills competition and the All-Star Game, respectively. The ESPN networks also have the rights to the Stadium Series. As per the rotation, ABC holds the rights to the Stanley Cup Finals this season.[27]
- TNT has games on Wednesday nights during the season, select Sunday games, the Thanksgiving Showdown, and the Winter Classic. Some of TNT's games may be simulcast on TruTV. Not all of TNT Sports' regular season games will be exclusive broadcasts and are thus subject to blackout in local markets.[28]
- Streaming
- ESPN+ and Hulu exclusive streams games on select days throughout the season, mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. ESPN+ also streams all of ABC's games, selected ESPN's games, and the NHL Power Play on ESPN+ out-of-market package. Disney+ may also stream select ESPN-produced games.[27]
- Max streams all TNT Sports-produced games.[28]
Personnel
[edit]- The New York Rangers promoted radio play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert to replace Sam Rosen on the television booth. Alex Faust will serve as the backup announcer whenever Albert works national NHL games on TNT, NFL games on Fox, and New York Knicks games on MSG Network.[29]
- The New York Islanders fired long-time radio announcers Chris King and Greg Picker. King had served as the radio play-by-play man since the 1998–99 season, with Picker becoming a radio analyst ahead of the 2013–14 season. It is unclear if the Islanders will continue to produce radio broadcasts using a simulcast of MSG Sportsnet with Brendan Burke and Butch Goring, or cease producing games on radio altogether.[30]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "NHL announces start date for 2025-26 season". Sportsnet. March 19, 2025.
- ^ "NHL, NHLPA ratify CBA extension through 2025-26 season". NHL.com. July 10, 2020.
- ^ "NHL plans to open CBA talks with players at start of 2025". ESPN. October 1, 2024.
- ^ Horwat, Nick (October 9, 2024). "Report: Los Angeles to Host 2025 NHL Draft". Breakaway on SI. Sports Illustrated.
- ^ Stephens, Eric (April 19, 2025). "Anaheim Ducks fire coach Greg Cronin after 2 seasons". The Athletic. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Geagan, Matt; Schooley, Matt (November 19, 2024). "Boston Bruins fire head coach Jim Montgomery". CBSNews.com. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ^ "RELEASE: Blackhawks Announce Coaching Changes". NHL.com. December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Proteau, Adam (December 5, 2024). "Five Coaching Candidates For The Chicago Blackhawks: Sorensen Gets First Crack". The Hockey News. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ "Rangers fire head coach Peter Laviolette after disappointing season". sportsnet.ca. Associated Press. April 19, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ "Flyers relieve John Tortorella of head coaching duties". www.nhl.com. March 27, 2025. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
- ^ Clark, Ryan S. (April 21, 2025). "Kraken fire coach Dan Bylsma after 1 season". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
- ^ "Lamoriello will not return as Islanders president, general manager". NHL.com. April 22, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
- ^ "Botterill named Kraken general manager, Francis promoted to president". NHL.com. April 22, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
- ^ "Wells Fargo to end naming rights deal with Sixers, Flyers arena". Associated Press. ESPN. July 24, 2024.
- ^ "No More X: The Wild's home arena will get a new naming rights partner after deal with Xcel Energy comes to an end". www.audacy.com. April 15, 2025.
- ^ "2025 Global Series to feature Penguins, Predators in Sweden". NHL.com. March 18, 2025.
- ^ a b Cotsonika, Nicholas (January 8, 2025). "NHL outdoor games in Miami, Tampa big step for NHL, Florida fans". NHL.com.
- ^ Rosen, Dan (February 18, 2024). "Islanders to host 2026 NHL All-Star Weekend". NHL.com.
- ^ "Rangers unveil Centennial Year logo for 2025-26 season". NHL.com. March 20, 2025.
- ^ "NHL, Rogers announce 12-year national rights media deal". April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ a b Rosen, Dan (November 26, 2013). "NHL, Rogers announce landmark 12-year deal". NHL.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
- ^ a b "'Prime Monday Night Hockey' to air NHL games in Canada beginning next season". NHL. April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "CBC partners with Rogers in landmark NHL rights deal". CBC Sports. November 26, 2013.
- ^ "NHL, TVA Sports launch French-language agreement". NHL.com. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
- ^ Johnston, Patrick (June 15, 2022). "Canadian NHL fans won't be able to access NHL Live in 2022-23". The Province. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
- ^ "NHL moving to Turner Sports is $1 billion risk-reward for hockey". CNBC. April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ a b "NHL back on ESPN with 7-year multiplatform deal". ESPN. March 10, 2021.
- ^ a b Wyshynski, Greg (April 27, 2021). "Turner Sports inks 7-year deal with NHL, will air 3 Stanley Cup finals". ESPN. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "Kenny Albert replacing Sam Rosen as new voice of Rangers". New York Post. April 14, 2025.
- ^ "Islanders fire longtime announcers while evaluating radio broadcast future". Awful Announcing. April 23, 2025.