The anticipation for the upcoming hockey season builds as the National Hockey League has officially unveiled its comprehensive 2025-26 pre-season schedule. This extensive 15-day slate comprises 104 exhibition games, serving as a crucial prelude to the regular season.
The pre-season festivities are set to commence on September 20th and will conclude on October 4th, paving the way for the regular season`s puck drop on October 7th.
A notable highlight of this year`s exhibition calendar includes several neutral-site matchups. These special games will take place in various locations: Abbotsford, B.C. (Calgary vs. Vancouver, Sept. 24); Bakersfield, Calif. (Anaheim vs. Los Angeles, Sept. 27); Boise, Idaho (Los Angeles vs. Utah, Sept. 30); Hershey, Pa. (Philadelphia vs. Washington, Sept. 25); Ontario, Calif. (Anaheim vs. Los Angeles, Sept. 21); Orlando, Fla. (Florida vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 30); and Quebec City, Que., which will host two games (New Jersey vs. Ottawa, Sept. 28, and Montreal vs. Ottawa, Sept. 30).
Below is the complete 2025-26 NHL pre-season schedule, with all times listed in Eastern Time.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 20
St. Louis at Dallas, 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 21
NY Rangers at New Jersey, 1 p.m.
Florida (split squad) at Nashville (split squad), 3 p.m.
Toronto at Ottawa, 3 p.m.
Colorado (split squad) vs. Utah (split squad), 4:30 p.m. (played in Denver at neutral-site Magness Arena)
Minnesota at Winnipeg, 5 p.m.
St. Louis at Columbus, 5 p.m.
Washington at Boston, 5 p.m.
Anaheim vs. Los Angeles, at Ontario, Calif. (Toyota Arena), 6 p.m.
Florida (split squad) at Nashville (split squad), 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at NY Islanders, 7 p.m.
Calgary (split squad) at Edmonton (split squad), 8 p.m.
Edmonton (split squad) at Calgary (split squad), 8 p.m.
Vancouver at Seattle, 8 p.m.
Vegas at San Jose, 8 p.m.
Utah (split squad) at Colorado (split squad), 8:30 p.m.
MONDAY, SEPT. 22
Buffalo at Columbus, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Montreal, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Carolina, 7 p.m.
Utah at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 23
Boston at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
Chicago at Detroit, 7 p.m.
Columbus at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
NY Islanders at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Ottawa at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Montreal, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Dallas, 8 p.m.
Edmonton at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Nashville, 8 p.m.
Seattle at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Los Angeles at Vegas, 10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 24
Florida at Carolina, 6 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Columbus, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Edmonton, 9 p.m.
Calgary vs. Vancouver, at Abbotsford, B.C. (Abbotsford Centre), 10 p.m.
Los Angeles at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 25
Buffalo at Detroit, 7 p.m.
NY Islanders at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia vs. Washington, at Hershey, Pa. (GIANT Center), 7 p.m.
Toronto at Montreal, 7 p.m.
Dallas at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Utah at Vegas, 10 p.m.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 26
Carolina at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
New Jersey at NY Islanders, 7 p.m.
Winnipeg at Edmonton, 9 p.m.
Seattle at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
Vegas at San Jose, 10 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 27
Detroit at Buffalo, 3 p.m.
Boston at Philadelphia, 5 p.m.
Anaheim vs. Los Angeles, at Bakersfield, Calif. (Dignity Health Arena), 6 p.m.
Chicago at St. Louis, 7 p.m.
Columbus at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Dallas at Colorado, 7 p.m.
Montreal at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Nashville at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 28
New Jersey (split squad) vs. Ottawa, at Quebec City, Que. (Videotron Centre), 3 p.m.
Washington at New Jersey (split squad), 3 p.m.
Chicago at Minnesota, 6 p.m.
Nashville at Carolina, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Edmonton, 8 p.m.
MONDAY, SEPT. 29
Carolina at Florida, 6 p.m.
NY Rangers at NY Islanders, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Boston, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Detroit, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Seattle, 10 p.m.
San Jose at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 30
Florida vs. Tampa Bay, at Orlando, Fla. (Kia Center), 7 p.m.
Montreal vs. Ottawa, at Quebec City, Que. (Videotron Centre), 7 p.m.
Washington at Columbus, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Chicago, 8 p.m.
Vegas at Colorado, 8 p.m.
Winnipeg at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Dallas at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles vs. Utah, at Boise, Idaho (Idaho Central Arena), 9 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 1
Pittsburgh at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Colorado at Vegas, 9 p.m.
Vancouver at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Anaheim at San Jose, 10 p.m.
Edmonton at Seattle, 10 p.m.
THURSDAY, OCT. 2
Boston at Washington, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Florida at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
New Jersey at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
NY Islanders at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Ottawa at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles at Utah, 9 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCT. 3
Buffalo at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Chicago, 8 p.m.
Winnipeg at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Edmonton at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
San Jose at Vegas, 10 p.m.
SATURDAY, OCT. 4
NY Rangers at Boston, 2 p.m.
New Jersey at Philadelphia, 3 p.m.
Anaheim at Los Angeles, 4 p.m.
Carolina at Nashville, 4 p.m.
Colorado at Dallas, 6 p.m.
Columbus at Washington, 7 p.m.
Ottawa at Montreal, 7 p.m.
St. Louis at Chicago, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Florida, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Detroit, 7 p.m.
San Jose at Utah, 9 p.m.
