The 2025-26 NHL hockey season is scheduled to start on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. The season will open with a nationally televised triple-header and will run through to April 16, 2026, before the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin. This season marks the final one with the 82-game schedule before it expands to 84 games for 2026-27. There will also be a mid-season Olympic break in February 2026.