When does the NHL regular season start? Looking at 2024-25 campaign’s opening date, key matchup & more

On Tuesday, the NHL made the 2024-2025 season schedule public. This upcoming season contains a total of 1,312 games. The season officially gets underway on October 4, 2024, with the Global Series Czechia.

The season kicks off with a matchup between the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres. The two clubs will play in Prague at the O2 Arena, where new coaches Lindy Ruff (Buffalo) and Sheldon Keefe (New Jersey) will square off for the first time.

Ondrej Palat of the Devils will be the main draw. The Czechia native will headline a Devils team that includes newly acquired players Jacob Markstrom and Brett Pesce, along with young stars Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier.

As for the Sabres, stars like Rasmus Dahlin will give fans plenty to cheer about. Other Sabres stars like Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson round out what looks to be an exciting two-game showdown.

Following the Global Series Czechia, the regular season schedule kicks into high gear. The regular season ends on April 17, with the playoffs starting after that.

It’s also worth pointing out that the second leg of the Global Series will take place in Finland on November 1 and 2. Local fans will get a chance to see the Dallas Stars face off against the Florida Panthers.

The series will be especially exciting for the Finnish crowd as Finland-native Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will have a chance to share his Stanley Cup championship with the fans in Tempere.

Key games to keep an eye on in the 2024-2025 NHL schedule

In addition to the Global Series, the NHL schedule features several interesting matchups. On December 31, 2024, the St. Louis Blues will meet the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 Discover NHL Winter Classic. The game will take place at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

The game marks the first time the Winter Classic will return to Wrigley since 2009. The Hawks will look to win the game on “home ice,” while the Blues look to follow up their 2022 win.

Also, the Stadium Series will take place on March 1, 2025. The game will feature the Detroit Red Wings versus the Columbus Blue Jackets. Both clubs will meet at Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The game is expected to draw roughly 100,000 fans, making it one of the most-attended games in NHL history.

Lastly, it’s worth noting that the NHL will not hold an All-Star in 2025, as the league will hold the Four-Nation Tournament during its usual February break. The tournament is considered to be a preview of the 2026 Winter Olympics.