When does the NHL regular season begin? Games, times, schedule, teams...
Things are about to get heated on the ice as the 2024-25 NHL season is almost upon us. With that, here’s a look at the full schedule for opening week.
Just a few months ago, the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers gave us a thrilling reminder of why hockey is so loved as they went toe-to-toe in a seven-game Stanley Cup Final that was one for the ages. Ultimately, it was Florida who came out on top to win their first-ever title and in so doing lay the way for what many believe could be an even better campaign.
When does the 2024-25 NHL season begin
With the 2024-25 NHL season almost here, it’s time to get down to the details. Can the Florida Panthers defend their title or will one of the 31 other teams in the league get their hands on Lord Stanley’s coveted cup? Of course, before any of that is decided we’ve got to start and so, the following is a look at all of the essential dates for the opening of the coming campaign and its first week.
For starters, the NHL season begins on Tuesday, October 8th and concludes on Thursday, April 17th. If you’re wondering how many games are on the slate for opening night, there are three in total. Now, it should be said that the season’s first games will actually be played on October 4th and October 5th as a part of the NHL Global Series, which will see the Sabres taking on the Devils in two games on Friday and Saturday in Prague, Czechia at the O2 Arena. Yes, it’s true that pre-season games will be played at that same time, but those two games do in fact count toward the regular season for both teams.
What’s the TV schedule in the first week of the 2024-25 NHL season?
As mentioned above, fans are in line for a triple header on ESPN when opening night rolls around. The first of those is a faceoff between the Blues and the Kraken in Seattle.
Then, we’ve got the highly anticipated game between the now-defending champion Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins - a rematch of the 2024 second-round series. Lastly, it will be the Blackhawks taking on the league’s newest franchise, the Utah Hockey Club. Below you can see the schedule for the first week of games:
| Date | Game | Time | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, October 8th | Blues @ Kraken | 4:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Tuesday, October 8th | Bruins @ Panthers | 7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Tuesday, October 8th | Blackhawks @ Utah | 10:00 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Tuesday, October 9th | Rangers @ Penguins | 7:30 p.m. ET | TNT |
| Tuesday, October 8th | Avalanche @ Golden Knights | 10:00 p.m. ET | TNT |
Keep scrolling to take a look at the full schedule for the opening week of the 2024-25 NHL season:
Keep scrolling to take a look at the full schedule for the opening week of the 2024-25 NHL season:
Tuesday, October 8th
Blues at Kraken - 4:30 p.m.
Bruins at Panthers - 7:00 p.m.
Blackhawks at Utah - 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 9th
Maple Leafs at Canadiens - 7:00 p.m.
Rangers at Penguins 7:30 p.m.
Jets at Oilers - 10:00 p.m.
Flames at Canucks - 10:00 p.m.
Avalanche at Golden Knights 10:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 10th
Canadiens at Bruins - 7:00 p.m.
Kings at Sabres - 7:00 p.m.
Panthers at Senators - 7:00 p.m.
Penguins at Red Wings - 7:00 p.m.
Maple Leafs at Devils - 7:00 p.m.
Utah at Islanders - 7:30 p.m.
Stars at Predators - 8:00 p.m.
Blue Jackets at Wild - 8:00 p.m.
Blues at Sharks - 10:25 p.m.
Friday, October 11th
Lightning at Hurricanes - 7:00 p.m.
Blackhawks at Jets - 8:00 p.m.
Flyers at Canucks - 10:00 p.m.
Blues at Golden Knights - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 12th
Kings at Bruins - 1:00 p.m.
Panthers at Sabres - 7:00 p.m.
Penguins at Maple Leafs - 7:00 p.m.
Senators at Canadiens - 7:00 p.m.
Predators at Red Wings - 7:00 p.m.
Hurricanes at Lightning - 7:00 p.m.
Utah at Rangers - 7:00 p.m.
Devils at Capitals - 7:00 p.m.
Islanders at Stars - 8:00 p.m.
Kraken at Wild - 8:00 p.m.
Blue Jackets at Avalanche - 9:00 p.m.
Flyers at Flames - 10:00 p.m.
Blackhawks at Oilers - 10:00 p.m.
Ducks at Sharks - 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 13th
Wild at Jets - 6:00 p.m.
Kraken at Stars - 8:00 p.m.
Flames at Oilers - 8:00 p.m.
Ducks at Golden Knights - 10:00 p.m.