when does the nhl regular season start

The 2025-26 NHL regular season starts on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. The opening night will feature a tripleheader with the Chicago Blackhawks vs. Florida Panthers at 5:00 p.m. ET, Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers at 8:00 p.m. ET, and Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings at 10:30 p.m. ET.