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.
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 open against the Colorado Avalanche.
Here’s how to watch the opening night of the 2025-26 NHL season:
When is the NHL’s opening night?
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