Saturday’s NHL board arrives with 13 games, an Ottawa Senators season opener and plenty of early-season noise around the league. Thirty-one of 32 clubs have already taken the ice, producing an Igor Shesterkin goal, six shutouts and 27 combined goals in two Edmonton-Vancouver meetings. The Senators are the final team waiting to start their 2026-27 schedule, and they do it in Toronto in the first Battle of Ontario of the season.
The first puck drops come at 7 p.m. ET, when Chicago visits Buffalo, Montreal goes to Pittsburgh, Washington meets Tampa Bay, Ottawa faces Toronto, Carolina plays in Philadelphia, Utah visits Columbus and Seattle heads to Edmonton. Saturday’s schedule closes with Calgary at Vancouver and Los Angeles at San Jose at 10 p.m. ET.
Ontario opener headlines a crowded early window
Ottawa opens against a Maple Leafs club that eliminated the Senators in six games during the 2025 playoffs. The Senators held a 3-1 edge in last season’s regular-season series, however, giving the latest chapter of the provincial rivalry an immediate measuring-stick feel for two teams working through offseason roster turnover.
Chicago’s visit to Buffalo carries its own reunion angle. Bowen Byram returns to Western New York after the pre-draft deal that sent him and Jordan Greenway to the Blackhawks. Buffalo received the fourth and 45th selections in the draft along with defenseman Louis Crevier, who agreed to an extension with the Sabres this week. Byram has since signed a long-term deal in Chicago.
Montreal, coming off an Eastern Conference final appearance, brings its young core of Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson into Pittsburgh. The Penguins counter with the familiar veteran spine of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson.
Washington reaches Tampa Bay one night after a 5-2 statement win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. The Lightning are looking for a response following Thursday’s 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers.
Philadelphia has little time to regroup before hosting Carolina. The Flyers opened with a 7-0 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, then fell in overtime to New Jersey on Thursday while being outshot 44-25. The Hurricanes also enter off Friday’s defeat in Washington, but remain the standard in the Metropolitan Division.
Utah brings goaltender Karel Vejmelka to Columbus after he recorded one of the league’s first shutouts. The Blue Jackets are coming off a six-goal performance against Buffalo, led by two goals from newcomer Matthew Knies. Knies arrived from Toronto in the preseason transaction that sent Kirill Marchenko to the Maple Leafs. Utah forward Dylan Guenther also scored twice in his club’s most recent win.
Defense, or more offense, out West?
Edmonton has been must-see hockey for reasons at both ends of the rink. Oilers goaltenders have surrendered 13 goals through two games, while Seattle enters after scoring six against Calgary on Thursday. The Kraken-Oilers matchup is set for NHL Network at 7 p.m. ET.
Calgary then visits Vancouver in a late all-Canadian matchup with early defensive concerns on both benches. The Flames allowed six goals to Seattle, while the Canucks yielded 14 across their first two games against Edmonton. Vancouver and Calgary meet at 10 p.m. ET.
St. Louis travels to Colorado after opening its season Friday with a 4-0 shutout of Dallas. The Blues missed the playoffs last season and now get a sharp early test from an Avalanche club whose opener featured 12 total goals and a fight between Nathan MacKinnon and Brandt Clarke.
Boston and Minnesota offer one of the slate’s strongest collection of star talent. Newly named Bruins captain David Pastrnak leads Boston alongside top defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Minnesota answers with Kirill Kaprizov, Norris Trophy contender Quinn Hughes and young netminder Jesper Wallstedt.
Dallas faces Nashville after the Stars moved forward Mavrik Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to the Predators during an offseason cap squeeze, receiving 2027 and 2028 draft picks in return. Los Angeles and San Jose renew their California rivalry later in the night, with all three California teams carrying realistic playoff ambitions.
New Jersey visits the New York Islanders at 7:30 p.m. ET in a Metropolitan Division contest between neighboring clubs, while the Devils arrive after taking Philadelphia to overtime on Thursday.
Friday’s results
- New York Rangers 2, Detroit Red Wings 0
- Washington Capitals 5, Carolina Hurricanes 2
- Boston Bruins 4, Winnipeg Jets 3, overtime
- St. Louis Blues 4, Dallas Stars 0
- Anaheim Ducks 4, Vegas Golden Knights 3
Notebook around the league
Shesterkin became the first goaltender in Rangers history to score a goal, adding to a wild first week across the league.
Detroit forward Dylan Larkin’s trade request remains in place while he is on injured reserve. Red Wings fans booed him during the club’s season opener.
Pittsburgh forward Andrei Kuzmenko will wear No. 62 in memory of his father, who died in a bear attack last week.
Florida captain Aleksander Barkov left Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury. Commissioner Gary Bettman also said no-trade clauses are not being used in the manner they were originally meant to be used.
October 3 in hockey history
On Oct. 3, 1997, the NHL played its first regular-season game outside North America when Vancouver faced the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at Yoyogi Arena in Tokyo. The Canucks earned a 3-2 win behind goals from Pavel Bure, Mark Messier and Scott Walker. Scott Young and Shawn Antoski scored for Anaheim.
The league continues to expand its overseas schedule, with regular-season games planned in Germany and Finland this season.
