The 2026-27 NHL preseason starts earlier than usual this year. With the regular season expanding to 84 games for the first time since the mid-90s, training camps and exhibition play are compressed, and the first games are set for mid-September 2026, with the regular season opening in late September.
The NHL releases preseason games team by team rather than all at once, so this page fills in as each club posts its slate. Here is what is confirmed so far, plus where to find every team’s full 2026-27 schedule. The league’s official calendar is posted at NHL.com.
Released So Far: 2026-27 NHL Preseason Schedules
The first wave is out, led by the Western Canada clubs. We will add teams to this page as they announce, so check back as the rest of the league posts its dates.
Edmonton Oilers
- Sat, Sept 19 vs. Winnipeg Jets
- Tue, Sept 22 at Winnipeg Jets
- Thu, Sept 24 at Vancouver Canucks
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
- Sun, Sept 20 vs. Seattle Kraken (home opener)
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. Vancouver Canucks
- Thu, Sept 24 at Seattle Kraken
- Sat, Sept 26 at Edmonton Oilers
Winnipeg Jets
- Sat, Sept 19 at Edmonton Oilers
- Mon, Sept 21 vs. Colorado Avalanche
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. Edmonton Oilers
- Fri, Sept 25 at Colorado Avalanche
Anaheim Ducks
- Sun, Sept 20 vs. San Jose Sharks
- Wed, Sept 23 vs. Los Angeles Kings
- Thu, Sept 24 at San Jose Sharks
- Sat, Sept 26 at Los Angeles Kings
Boston Bruins
- Sun, Sept 20 vs. Washington Capitals
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. Philadelphia Flyers
- Thu, Sept 24 at Philadelphia Flyers
- Fri, Sept 25 at Washington Capitals
Colorado Avalanche
- Sun, Sept 20 vs. Utah Mammoth
- Mon, Sept 21 at Winnipeg Jets
- Fri, Sept 25 vs. Winnipeg Jets
- Sat, Sept 26 at Utah Mammoth
Los Angeles Kings
- Sat, Sept 19 vs. Vegas Golden Knights
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. Utah Mammoth
- Wed, Sept 23 at Anaheim Ducks
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Anaheim Ducks
Philadelphia Flyers
- Mon, Sept 21 at Washington Capitals
- Tue, Sept 22 at Boston Bruins
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Boston Bruins
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Washington Capitals
Vegas Golden Knights
- Sat, Sept 19 at Los Angeles Kings
- Tue, Sept 22 at San Jose Sharks
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Utah Mammoth
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. San Jose Sharks
Washington Capitals
- Sun, Sept 20 at Boston Bruins
- Mon, Sept 21 vs. Philadelphia Flyers
- Fri, Sept 25 vs. Boston Bruins
- Sat, Sept 26 at Philadelphia Flyers
Buffalo Sabres
- Mon, Sept 21 at Pittsburgh Penguins
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
- Thu, Sept 24 at Detroit Red Wings
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Columbus Blue Jackets
- Mon, Sept 21 vs. Detroit Red Wings
- Tue, Sept 22 at Buffalo Sabres
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
- Sat, Sept 26 at Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
- Mon, Sept 21 at Columbus Blue Jackets
- Tue, Sept 22 at Pittsburgh Penguins
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Buffalo Sabres
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Pittsburgh Penguins
- Mon, Sept 21 vs. Buffalo Sabres
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. Detroit Red Wings
- Thu, Sept 24 at Columbus Blue Jackets
- Sat, Sept 26 at Buffalo Sabres
San Jose Sharks
- Sun, Sept 20 at Anaheim Ducks
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. Vegas Golden Knights
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Anaheim Ducks
- Sat, Sept 26 at Vegas Golden Knights
New Jersey Devils
- Sun, Sept 20 vs. New York Islanders
- Mon, Sept 21 vs. New York Rangers
- Thu, Sept 24 at New York Rangers
- Sat, Sept 26 at New York Islanders
New York Islanders
- Sun, Sept 20 at New Jersey Devils
- Tue, Sept 22 at New York Rangers
- Fri, Sept 25 vs. New York Rangers
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers
- Mon, Sept 21 at New Jersey Devils
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. New York Islanders
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. New Jersey Devils
- Fri, Sept 25 at New York Islanders
Ottawa Senators
- Mon, Sept 21 at Montreal Canadiens
- Wed, Sept 23 at Toronto Maple Leafs
- Wed, Sept 23 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Sat, Sept 26 at Montreal Canadiens
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Montreal Canadiens
Seattle Kraken
- Sat, Sept 19 vs. Vancouver Canucks
- Sun, Sept 20 at Calgary Flames
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Calgary Flames
- Sat, Sept 26 at Vancouver Canucks
Carolina Hurricanes
- Sun, Sept 20 at Florida Panthers
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. Florida Panthers
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Nashville Predators
- Sat, Sept 26 at Nashville Predators
Florida Panthers
- Sun, Sept 20 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
- Tue, Sept 22 at Carolina Hurricanes
- Thu, Sept 24 at Tampa Bay Lightning
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Nashville Predators
- Sun, Sept 20 at Tampa Bay Lightning
- Tue, Sept 22 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
- Thu, Sept 24 at Carolina Hurricanes
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Tampa Bay Lightning
- Sun, Sept 20 vs. Nashville Predators
- Tue, Sept 22 at Nashville Predators
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Florida Panthers
- Sat, Sept 26 at Florida Panthers
Montreal Canadiens
- Sat, Sept 19 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Sat, Sept 19 at Toronto Maple Leafs
- Mon, Sept 21 vs. Ottawa Senators
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Ottawa Senators
- Sat, Sept 26 at Ottawa Senators
Utah Mammoth
- Sun, Sept 20 at Colorado Avalanche
- Tue, Sept 22 at Los Angeles Kings
- Thu, Sept 24 at Vegas Golden Knights
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Colorado Avalanche
Toronto Maple Leafs
- Sat, Sept 19 vs. Montreal Canadiens
- Sat, Sept 19 at Montreal Canadiens
- Wed, Sept 23 vs. Ottawa Senators
- Wed, Sept 23 at Ottawa Senators
Vancouver Canucks
- Sat, Sept 19 at Seattle Kraken
- Tue, Sept 22 at Calgary Flames
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Edmonton Oilers
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. Seattle Kraken
Chicago Blackhawks
- Sat, Sept 19 at Minnesota Wild
- Mon, Sept 21 vs. Minnesota Wild
- Thu, Sept 24 at St. Louis Blues
- Sat, Sept 26 vs. St. Louis Blues
Dallas Stars
- Sat, Sept 19 at St. Louis Blues
- Mon, Sept 21 vs. St. Louis Blues
- Wed, Sept 23 vs. Minnesota Wild
- Fri, Sept 25 at Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
- Sat, Sept 19 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
- Mon, Sept 21 at Chicago Blackhawks
- Wed, Sept 23 at Dallas Stars
- Fri, Sept 25 vs. Dallas Stars
St. Louis Blues
- Sat, Sept 19 vs. Dallas Stars
- Mon, Sept 21 at Dallas Stars
- Thu, Sept 24 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
- Sat, Sept 26 at Chicago Blackhawks
Why the 2026-27 Preseason Is Shorter
Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the regular season grows from 82 to 84 games. To fit the extra games, the league moved up the calendar: camps open sooner, exhibition play is trimmed, and the first preseason games land around Sept 19. The regular season is expected to open in late September 2026, with the Stanley Cup awarded by mid-June.
Find Every Team’s 2026-27 Schedule
- 2026-27 NHL Schedule Hub: key dates, the 84-game format, and printable team schedules for all 32 clubs.
- When Is the 2026-27 NHL Schedule Released?: the release timeline as the full slate drops.
- NHL Team Identity Guide: logos, colors, and arenas for all 32 teams.
2026-27 NHL Preseason FAQ
When does the 2026-27 NHL preseason start?
The first exhibition games are set for mid-September 2026, around Sept 19, earlier than usual because of the 84-game season.
Why is the NHL preseason shorter in 2026-27?
The regular season expands to 84 games, so camps open sooner and exhibition play is trimmed to fit the longer calendar.
When is the 2026-27 regular season opener?
The season is expected to open in late September 2026, with the Stanley Cup awarded by mid-June.
How are preseason schedules released?
Team by team, not all at once. Clubs post their slates through late June and July, and this page updates as they do.
