The ice is almost ready, folks.
There is less than a week away from hockey officially returning to action, as the 2024-25 NHL regular season is on the horizon.
It seems like just yesterday the Panthers and the Oilers were battling it out in a winner-take-all Game 7 in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Florida emerged victorious in the contest, winning the franchise its first championship, while avenging the 2023 Stanley Cup Final loss to Vegas.
Now the Panthers embark on the months-long quest to get back to the big dance, but they aren't the only ones. There are 31 clubs in the league all once again with their eyes on Lord Stanley.
From Connor McDavid and Connor Bedard, to Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby, the stars are once again about to shine on the ice, as the NHL season gets ready to commence.
MORE: Watch the NHL on ESPN with Fubo
Here's a breakdown of the NHL's first week of the season.
When does the 2024-25 NHL season start?
- NHL season start date: Tuesday, Oct. 8
- NHL season end date: Thursday, April 17
This year's NHL campaign begins on Tuesday, Oct. 8, with three games on the slate for opening night.
The regular season is scheduled to wrap up on Thursday, April 17. Not every team will be in action, as there are only six games scheduled on that day.
Technically, the first regular season games will take place Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 as a part of the NHL Global Series. The Sabres and Devils are playing two games on Friday and Saturday in Prague, Czechia at the O2 Arena. While preseason play is still going on for the rest of the league, those two games count toward the regular season for Buffalo and New Jersey.
What games are on national TV in the first week?
The NHL kicks off the 2024-25 season with a triple header on ESPN. The first game on the docket is a matchup between the Blues and the Kraken in Seattle.
The headliner is the Stanley Cup champions enjoying their banner-raising ceremony in Sunrise. The Panthers welcome the Bruins down to South Florida in a rematch of the 2024 second-round matchup. Florida knocked Boston out of the past two playoffs, building plenty of bad blood for the opener.
Wrapping up ESPN's trio of games will be Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks taking on Utah, the new franchise in place of the Coyotes.
The next night, TNT will have a doubleheader on its channel. Sidney Crosby and the Penguins host the Rangers in a Metro Division matchup on prime time. Ending the night is Nathan MacKinnon and the high-flying Avalanche taking on the Golden Knights in Las Vegas.
Here is the national TV schedule for the first week of games.
| Date | Matchup | Time | TV Channel |
|---|
| Tuesday, Oct. 8 | Blues at Kraken | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Tuesday, Oct. 8 | Bruins at Panthers | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| Tuesday, Oct. 8 | Blackhawks at Utah | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Wednesday, Oct. 9 | Rangers at Penguins | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, Oct. 9 | Avalanche at Golden Knights | 10 p.m. | TNT |
NHL 2024-25 opening week schedule
Here is how the first week of the NHL season shapes up.
Tuesday, Oct. 8
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Blues at Kraken | 4:30 p.m. |
| Bruins at Panthers | 7 p.m. |
| Blackhawks at Utah | 10 p.m. |
Wednesday, Oct. 9
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Maple Leafs at Canadiens | 7 p.m. |
| Rangers at Penguins | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jets at Oilers | 10 p.m. |
| Flames at Canucks | 10 p.m. |
| Avalanche at Golden Knights | 10 p.m. |
Thursday, Oct. 10
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Canadiens at Bruins | 7 p.m. |
| Kings at Sabres | 7 p.m. |
| Panthers at Senators | 7 p.m. |
| Penguins at Red Wings | 7 p.m. |
| Maple Leafs at Devils | 7 p.m. |
| Utah at Islanders | 7:30 p.m. |
| Stars at Predators | 8 p.m. |
| Blue Jackets at Wild | 8 p.m. |
| Blues at Sharks | 10:25 p.m. |
Friday, Oct. 11
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Lightning at Hurricanes | 7 p.m. |
| Blackhawks at Jets | 8 p.m. |
| Flyers at Canucks | 10 p.m. |
| Blues at Golden Knights | 10 p.m. |
Saturday, Oct. 12
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Kings at Bruins | 1 p.m. |
| Panthers at Sabres | 7 p.m. |
| Penguins at Maple Leafs | 7 p.m. |
| Senators at Canadiens | 7 p.m. |
| Predators at Red Wings | 7 p.m. |
| Hurricanes at Lightning | 7 p.m. |
| Utah at Rangers | 7 p.m. |
| Devils at Capitals | 7 p.m. |
| Islanders at Stars | 8 p.m. |
| Kraken at Wild | 8 p.m. |
| Blue Jackets at Avalanche | 9 p.m. |
| Flyers at Flames | 10 p.m. |
| Blackhawks at Oilers | 10 p.m. |
| Ducks at Sharks | 10 p.m. |
Sunday, Oct. 13
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Wild at Jets | 6 p.m. |
| Kraken at Stars | 8 p.m. |
| Flames at Oilers | 8 p.m. |
| Ducks at Golden Knights | 10 p.m. |
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