NEW YORK (AP) — The Florida Panthers are set to raise their second consecutive Stanley Cup banner before beginning the NHL season against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The back-to-back champions play at 5 p.m. EDT on Oct. 7 to lead off an opening night tripleheader, the league announced Monday. Florida defeated Edmonton in the teams' Cup final rematch and is aiming for the NHL's first threepeat since the New York Islanders' dynasty from 1980-83.
Also on Oct. 7, the New York Rangers host the Pittsburgh Penguins at 8 p.m. with the Colorado Avalanche visiting the Los Angeles Kings at 10:30 p.m. EDT. The remainder of the schedule is set to be released Wednesday.
This is the final 82-game regular season before going to 84 in 2026-27 as part of a collective bargaining agreement extension agreed to and ratified by the league and the Players’ Association. The 2025-26 schedule includes a break for players to participate in the Milan-Cortina Olympics, the NHL’s return to that stage for the first time since 2014.
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