The 2026-27 NHL season is hitting the ice! Will the Carolina Hurricanes defend their 2026 Stanley Cup Champions title, or will another NHL squad claim the sport’s top honor for themselves?
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NHL Games on Today
All times ET
Friday, October 9
Seattle Kraken at Detroit Red Wings — 7:00 PM — Prime Video, NHL Network, NHL Network Alt., NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Seattle Kraken arrive at Little Caesars Arena at 2-2-0 while the Detroit Red Wings open the night at 1-2-0, so both clubs are still sorting out what this group looks like. Jared McCann drives the Seattle attack with 5 points through four games, four of them assists, and Jordan Eberle has 2 goals on 7 shots with one coming on the power play. Detroit counters with Alex DeBrincat, who leads the club with 4 points and matches Eberle’s 2 goals, and Lucas Raymond has set up 3 goals with two of those helpers on the man advantage. The Red Wings are short-handed up front with Marco Kasper on Injured Reserve with an upper body injury, J.T. Compher and Mason Appleton both on Injured Reserve with undisclosed issues, and Carter Bear on Injured Reserve with an upper body injury, while Seattle is without Ryan Lindgren on Injured Reserve with an upper body injury.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Columbus Blue Jackets — 7:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Pittsburgh Penguins arrive at Nationwide Arena at 2-2-0 to face the Columbus Blue Jackets, who sit at 1-1-0 with only two games on the books. Tommy Novak sets the early pace for Pittsburgh with 3 goals and 5 points. Defenseman Erik Karlsson adds 4 assists, two of them on the power play, and that is the kind of start that makes the Penguins power play worth watching tonight. Columbus answers with Matthew Knies, whose 2 goals and 4 points top the Blue Jackets, plus center Charlie Coyle and his 3 assists. Pittsburgh plays this one without Justin Brazeau and Ryan Graves, both on Injured Reserve.
New York Rangers at Washington Capitals — 7:00 PM — NHL Network, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The New York Rangers arrive at Capital One Arena at 4-1-0, and Alexis Lafreniere has been the reason why, with three goals and five points on 11 shots in the early going. Adam Fox is quietly driving everything from the back end with five assists and a plus-5. The Washington Capitals sit at 2-1-0 with Alex Tuch matching Lafreniere’s three goals and Tom Wilson chipping in three assists and four points. Washington is without Rasmus Sandin, on Injured Reserve after right knee surgery, while Matt Roy is day-to-day with a lower body issue. Two Metropolitan clubs, five games of evidence between them, and a building that tends to make the first one loud.
Anaheim Ducks at Winnipeg Jets — 8:00 PM — Prime Video, NHL Network, NHL® CENTER ICE®, ESPN Unlimited
The Winnipeg Jets are 3-0-1 so far and Kyle Connor has driven most of it, with 5 goals and 7 points on 24 shots. Cole Perfetti has 3 assists and every one of them has come on the power play. The Anaheim Ducks come in at 2-1-0 behind Leo Carlsson, whose 6 assists and 7 points lead the group, while Beckett Sennecke has 3 goals with 2 of them on the man advantage. Winnipeg is without Connor Hellebuyck, who is Suspended, and Josh Morrissey is day-to-day with a right upper body issue. Anaheim is missing Troy Terry, who is on Injured Reserve after hip surgery.
Saturday, October 10
Philadelphia Flyers at Boston Bruins — 1:00 PM — NESN, NHL Network, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Philadelphia Flyers come into TD Garden at 0-3-2, still chasing a first win two weeks into the season. Travis Konecny paces them with 3 points, all of them assists, and Matvei Michkov has 2 goals with one coming on the power play. The Boston Bruins sit at 3-2-0 behind David Pastrnak, who already has 6 points on 2 goals and 4 assists and has fired 19 shots through five games. Boston does it without Charlie McAvoy, who is suspended, so the back end gets rearranged against a Flyers group that needs a breakthrough.
Vancouver Canucks at New Jersey Devils — 3:30 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
Two weeks into the season, the Vancouver Canucks arrive at Prudential Center at 2-3-0 and the New Jersey Devils meet them at 1-2-0, so both sides are still sorting out what they have. Elias Pettersson is doing the heavy lifting for Vancouver with 8 points and a team-high 6 assists, while winger Paul Cotter has found the net 4 times, one of those on the power play. New Jersey counters with Luke Evangelista, who leads the Devils in goals with 2 and in points with 3, and Jesper Bratt, whose 2 assists pace the group. The absences matter here. Vancouver is without goaltender Thatcher Demko, on Injured Reserve following hip surgery, and the Devils are missing defensemen Seamus Casey and Johnathan Kovacevic to Injured Reserve with Jonas Siegenthaler listed as day-to-day.
Edmonton Oilers at San Jose Sharks — 4:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
Two weeks into the season the Edmonton Oilers are 3-0-1 and Connor McDavid already has 12 points, nine of them assists, with a plus-11 rating that says plenty about how the early shifts are going. Evan Bouchard has six goals from the blue line on 16 shots, which is an unusual way for a defenseman to start a year. Edmonton arrives shorthanded, with Zach Hyman out and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on Injured Reserve with a lower body issue. The San Jose Sharks counter at 3-1-0 with Tyler Toffoli holding two goals, one on the power play, while Macklin Celebrini is day-to-day with a lower body injury. SAP Center at San Jose gets an afternoon start and a visiting team that has yet to lose in regulation.
Minnesota Wild at Florida Panthers — 6:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Minnesota Wild arrive at Amerant Bank Arena at 2-1-1, and the early returns on their top line are loud. Kirill Kaprizov already has three goals and nine shots, while Quinn Hughes has pushed four assists up from the blue line. The Florida Panthers sit at 2-0-2 and have yet to lose in regulation, with Matthew Tkachuk carrying two goals and three points and Lars Eller chipping in three assists. Florida does so without Aleksander Barkov, who is on Injured Reserve with a left lower body injury, and Brad Marchand is day-to-day with a left leg issue. Minnesota has its own gaps to cover, with Brock Faber and goaltender Filip Gustavsson both on Injured Reserve.
Columbus Blue Jackets at St. Louis Blues — 7:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Columbus Blue Jackets walk into Enterprise Center at 1-1-0 with Matthew Knies already setting the tone, his 2 goals and 4 points both leading the club this early. Charlie Coyle feeds the top of the lineup with a team-high 3 assists. The St. Louis Blues are 1-2-1 and lean on Connor McMichael, whose 2 goals and 2 assists pace the roster and whose 10 shots suggest he is hunting for more. St. Louis is working around a thinned-out group with Alexey Toropchenko on Injured Reserve with an upper body issue plus Tyler Tucker and Logan Mailloux both on Injured Reserve following surgery. Neither team has had time to settle into a shape yet, which is exactly what makes an early October night like this worth watching.
Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks — 7:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
Five games into the season the Carolina Hurricanes have found their scoring touch early, and Sebastian Aho is the reason why. The center leads the club with 4 goals and 8 points through a 3-1-1 start, with 3 of those goals coming on the power play, where winger Jackson Blake has already piled up 4 of his 5 assists. The Chicago Blackhawks arrive at the United Center at 1-4-0 and short-handed up front, with Connor Bedard on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury and Andrew Mangiapane also on Injured Reserve with a lower body injury. That has pushed the offense toward younger hands. Anton Frondell paces Chicago with 3 assists and 4 points while Frank Nazar has 2 goals, and both will need to keep producing against a Carolina power play that is already clicking.
Utah Mammoth at Buffalo Sabres — 7:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
Two weeks into the season the Utah Mammoth arrive at KeyBank Center at 3-2-0 with the hotter finisher in the building. Nick Schmaltz has 5 goals and 7 points already, three of those goals on the power play, and Clayton Keller is feeding him and everyone else with 6 assists, 4 of them with the man advantage. The Buffalo Sabres sit at 2-2-0 and have gotten their offense from an unlikely place, with defenseman Owen Power leading the team in points at 5 on a goal and 4 assists. Tage Thompson has 2 goals on 23 shots, a volume that suggests the bigger night is close. Buffalo is also thin on the back end and in net, with Conor Timmins and Jack Rathbone on Injured Reserve along with goaltenders Alex Lyon and Topias Leinonen.
Nashville Predators at Ottawa Senators — 7:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
Two weeks into the season the Ottawa Senators are 3-1-0 and getting everything they could want from Tim Stutzle, who already has 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points and sits at plus-4. The Nashville Predators arrive at 2-1-1 with Steven Stamkos matching that 6-point total, 2 of his 3 goals coming on the power play. Roman Josi feeds the same unit from the back end with 4 assists, 3 of them with the man advantage, so special teams look like the lever in this one. Ottawa is thin on the blue line with Artem Zub on Injured Reserve with a knee injury and Jake Sanderson day-to-day with a lower body issue. Four games is a small sample for both clubs but the early scoring runs through two centers who are producing at almost exactly the same rate.
Dallas Stars at Pittsburgh Penguins — 7:00 PM — Prime Video, NHL Network, NHL® CENTER ICE®, ESPN Unlimited, NHL Network Alt.
Both clubs walk into PPG Paints Arena at 2-2-0, four games into a season that has settled nothing yet. Mikko Rantanen has been the early engine for the Dallas Stars with two goals and four assists for six points, the most on the roster. The Pittsburgh Penguins have their own answer in center Tommy Novak, whose three goals and five points top the team, while Erik Karlsson has pushed four assists up from the blue line. Dallas is without Matt Duchene, on Injured Reserve with a lower body injury, and Pittsburgh is missing Justin Brazeau, also on Injured Reserve with a lower body injury. Two even teams, two hot hands, one night to sort it out.
Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens — 7:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Detroit Red Wings arrive at Bell Centre at 1-2-0, already down Marco Kasper and Carter Bear to Injured Reserve along with J.T. Compher and Mason Appleton. The Montreal Canadiens are 1-2-1 and lean hard on Nick Suzuki, who has three goals and four assists to open the year. Detroit counters with Alex DeBrincat, whose two goals and two assists include a power play strike, and Lucas Raymond has set up three. Montreal plays this one shorthanded in spots, with Ivan Demidov and Kaiden Guhle on Injured Reserve and Sam Montembeault listed as day-to-day.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Colorado Avalanche — 7:00 PM — NHL Network, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Colorado Avalanche sit at 3-1-0 and Nathan MacKinnon is doing most of the heavy lifting, with 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points on 15 shots. The Toronto Maple Leafs come in at 2-2-1 behind William Nylander, who matches MacKinnon’s goal total and sits on 6 points, while Auston Matthews sets up play with 4 assists. Toronto plays this one shorthanded, with Max Domi and Dakota Joshua on Injured Reserve and Oliver Ekman-Larsson listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Colorado is without Logan O’Connor, who is on Injured Reserve with a lower body injury. Ball Arena hosts a meeting of two offenses still finding their footing, and the team that wins the special teams battle probably wins the night.
Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Islanders — 7:30 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Tampa Bay Lightning arrive at UBS Arena at 3-1-0 with Nikita Kucherov already sitting on 6 points, 5 of them assists, both team highs. Defenseman John Carlson has 2 goals on 14 shots, one of those on the power play. The New York Islanders are 2-2-0 and getting early production from the back end, where Logan Stanley has 4 assists and carries a plus-4. New York is thin down the middle, with Mathew Barzal on Injured Reserve with a knee injury and Bo Horvat day-to-day with an upper body issue. Tampa Bay has holes of its own up front, as Yanni Gourde remains on Injured Reserve following hip surgery.
Los Angeles Kings at Vegas Golden Knights — 10:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL Network, NHL® CENTER ICE®
Two weeks into the season the Vegas Golden Knights are 4-1-0 and Jack Eichel is the reason why, with 12 points through five games and nine assists already, five of them on the power play. The Los Angeles Kings come into T-Mobile Arena at 0-2-1 and still looking for a first win, though Artemi Panarin has been busy with two goals, three points and 10 shots. Alex Laferriere has set up two goals for Los Angeles, which is working without Kevin Fiala, on Injured Reserve after left lower leg surgery. Vegas is missing Victor Olofsson, out with an undisclosed issue. Early-season sample or not, the gap between a hot power play and a team still chasing its opening win is the story of the night.
Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames — 10:00 PM — Prime Video, ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Anaheim Ducks make the Saddledome the second stop of a Canadian road trip after playing in Winnipeg on Friday and they arrive at 2-1-0. Leo Carlsson has 7 points so far with 6 of them assists while Beckett Sennecke has 3 goals and 2 of those come on the power play. The Calgary Flames are still searching for a first win at 0-4-0 with Joel Farabee holding 3 assists and Ryan Strome on the board with a goal on 6 shots. Both sides are short a forward to hip surgery as Troy Terry sits on Injured Reserve for Anaheim and Jonathan Huberdeau does the same for Calgary.
Sunday, October 11
Seattle Kraken at Washington Capitals — 5:00 PM — Prime Video, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Seattle Kraken close out an East Coast trip at Capital One Arena carrying a 2-2-0 record, and the Washington Capitals meet them at 2-1-0 this early in the season. Jared McCann runs the Seattle attack with 4 assists and 5 points, and Jordan Eberle has 2 goals with one coming on the power play. Alex Tuch answers for Washington with 3 goals on 11 shots while Tom Wilson sits at 3 assists, 4 points and a plus-3 rating. Seattle is without Ryan Lindgren, who is on Injured Reserve with an upper body injury, and Washington lists Matt Roy as day-to-day with a lower body injury.
Vancouver Canucks at New York Rangers — 6:00 PM — ESPN Unlimited, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Vancouver Canucks arrive at Madison Square Garden at 2-3-0 on the second half of a New York area back-to-back after Saturday’s visit to New Jersey. Elias Pettersson has carried the offense with 8 points and 6 assists, and Paul Cotter has already put 4 goals on the board. Vancouver does it without Thatcher Demko, who is on Injured Reserve after hip surgery, and Filip Chytil, also on Injured Reserve with a shoulder issue. The New York Rangers have opened 4-1-0, with Alexis Lafreniere scoring 3 goals and Adam Fox piling up 5 assists from the blue line. Fox also carries a plus-5 rating, which says plenty about how the Rangers have handled their own end so far.
Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers — 7:00 PM — NHL Network, NHL® CENTER ICE®
The Carolina Hurricanes land in Philadelphia at 3-1-1 while the Philadelphia Flyers are still chasing their first win at 0-3-2. Sebastian Aho has 4 goals and 8 points for Carolina, both team highs, and three of those goals come on the power play. Jackson Blake owns a team-high 5 assists. Philadelphia gets 2 goals from Matvei Michkov and a team-best 3 assists from Travis Konecny, though the Flyers are without Nikita Grebenkin and Helge Grans on Injured Reserve. Carolina is missing Seth Jarvis, who is on Injured Reserve after shoulder surgery.
How to Watch NHL on TV
There are plenty of places to make sure you don’t miss a moment of your favorite NHL team’s season. Here’s where to watch NHL hockey games on TV today and all season long:
- REGIONAL SPORTS LINEUP (only available in some areas)
- TNT – 245
- ESPN – 206
- ABC –Check local listings
- NHL Network
- NHL® CENTER ICE®*
*currently available for satellite customers
Don’t forget to explore NHL on DIRECTV to catch live games and follow your favorite team all season long.
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Frequently asked questions
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