The NHL’s opening night features two-time Stanley Cup winners in different phases of their careers.
The Florida Panthers, New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan and Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar will be center stage when ESPN airs a season-opening tripleheader on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
The Panthers, rings already in hand, will raise their 2025 Stanley Cup banner before their 5 p.m. ET game against the Chicago Blackhawks. They have won two championships in a row and will try for a rare three-peat, last done in the 1980s. They’ll be tested early by major injuries.
Exclusive book: Relive the Panthers’ latest Cup
In the 8 p.m. game, Sullivan is making his Rangers debut after he and the Pittsburgh Penguins agreed to part ways. He’ll be facing his former team, which he led to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017.
At 10:30 p.m. ET, Kopitar will open his 20th and final season in the NHL. He won championships in 2012 and 2014 with the Kings, who face off against the Colorado Avalanche.
Here are live updates and how to watch the opening night of the 2025-26 NHL season:
When is NHL opening day 2025?
The 2025-26 NHL season opens on Tuesday, Oct. 7 with three games:
Chicago Blackhawks at Florida Panthers, 5 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers, 8 p.m. ET
Colorado Avalanche at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m. ET
How to watch, stream NHL opening night
TV: ESPN
Streaming: Games can be streamed on ESPN Unlimited and on Fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers.
Watch NHL games on Fubo
Panthers championship rings details
The Panthers received championship rings Monday, Oct. 6, and they pulled another rat trick.
Like the rings from 2024, the latest edition includes an engraved rat, a nod to the fans’ tradition of throwing plastic rats onto the rink after victories.
The Panthers received the rings in a private event at War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and they feature more than vermin. The rings, handcrafted in white and yellow gold, include more than 450 diamonds and genuine rubies, according to a press release issued by the Panthers. – Josh Peter
Panthers injury updates
The Panthers are missing two key players as they open defense of their back-to-back titles.
Captain Aleksander Barkov will miss seven to nine months after he had knee surgery in September. He was injured during practice and had his ACL and MCL repaired.
The Panthers also are missing Matthew Tkachuk, who had offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and a hernia. He’s out until ‘December-ish,’ general manager Bill Zito said.