1,312 regular season matches, 32 teams vying for Stanley Cup glory and 16 postseason places up for grabs - welcome to the 2025/26 NHL campaign.
Florida Panthers were the third team to successfully defend their Stanley Cup crown in the last decade after they defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-2 in the Finals, and this season promises to be just as thrilling as the last.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2025/26 NHL season.
NHL 2025/26 dates
The NHL regular season is scheduled to begin on 7th October 2025 and will conclude on 16th April 2026.
The Stanley Cup playoffs will then commence at the end of April and will wrap up with the Stanley Cup Finals in June.
NHL 2025/26 schedule
The schedule for the upcoming campaign sees each team play 82 games across the regular season and 26 of those matches will consist of fixtures against their divisional rivals.
Unlike previous years, a mid-season break will take place in February due to the NHL's participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
At the end of the campaign, the three highest-placed teams in each division and two wild card teams per conference enter the playoff elimination tournament to determine the Stanley Cup champion.
NHL 2025/26 teams
The same 32 teams remain for the 2025/26 NHL season, including Utah Mammoth, who went by the name of Utah Hockey Club in their inaugural campaign last year.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic
- Boston Bruins
- Buffalo Sabres
- Detroit Red Wings
- Florida Panthers
- Montreal Canadiens
- Ottawa Senators
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Toronto Maple Leafs
Metropolitan
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Islanders
- New York Rangers
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Washington Capitals
Western Conference
Central
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Colorado Avalanche
- Dallas Stars
- Minnesota Wild
- Nashville Predators
- St. Louis Blues
- Utah Mammoth
- Winnipeg Jets
Pacific
- Anaheim Ducks
- Calgary Flames
- Edmonton Oilers
- Los Angeles Kings
- San Jose Sharks
- Seattle Kraken
- Vancouver Canucks
- Vegas Golden Knights
NHL history
Established in 1917 as the successor to the National Hockey Association (NHA), the National Hockey League rapidly expanded during the 1920s and grew again in the 1960s amidst the threat of the Western Hockey League by accommodating 12 teams.
By 1974, following the additions of the Washington Capitals and Kansas City Scouts, the league was up to 18 teams and by the turn of the century, nine more teams were added to the NHL.
A 31st franchise was added in 2016 in the shape of the Vegas Golden Knights before Seattle Kraken expanded the league to 32 ahead of the 2019/20 season.
The Montreal Canadiens are the most successful team in NHL history having won the Stanley Cup 24 times and made the Final an additional 11 times.
Florida Panthers are the most recent Stanley Cup champions after going back-to-back in 2024 and 2025.
NHL previous winners
- 2025 - Florida Panthers (2)
- 2024 - Florida Panthers
- 2023 - Vegas Golden Knights
- 2022 - Colorado Avalanche (3)
- 2021 - Tampa Bay Lightning (3)
- 2020 - Tampa Bay Lightning (2)
- 2019 - St. Louis Blues
- 2018 - Washington Capitals
- 2017 - Pittsburgh Penguins (5)
- 2016 - Pittsburgh Penguins (4)
- 2015 - Chicago Blackhawks (6)
