League: NHL Sport: Hockey Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

NHL expands to 84 games; Panthers open season against Hurricanes

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 15, 2026, 6:01 PM

Last updated Jul 15, 2026

NHL expands to 84 games; Panthers open season against Hurricanes

Summary

The NHL will expand to an 84-game season starting September 29, 2026. The Florida Panthers will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the season opener, where the Hurricanes will raise the Stanley Cup banner for the third consecutive year. The Panthers finished the previous season with a disappointing 40-38-4 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. The addition of two divisional matchups per team accounts for the extra games. Florida’s home opener is scheduled for October 10 against the Minnesota Wild.

Source Links

By the Numbers

•NHL season starts on September 29, 2026
•Panthers visit Hurricanes in season opener
•Hurricanes raise Stanley Cup banner
•Panthers finished last season with 40-38-4 record
•Home opener for Panthers on October 10 against Wild

Latest Updates

6:01 PMYahoo Sports — Florida Panthers, NHL expand to 84 games, open vs. Stanley Cup champs

What they're saying

"
The NHL is expanding to an 84 game season starting September 29 as the Florida Panthers reunite the Tkachuk brothers.
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Carolina Hurricanes Florida Panthers Minnesota Wild Ottawa Senators San Jose Sharks NHL Hockey

Sources

External links

Yahoo SportsJul 15, 2026, 6:01 PM
Florida Panthers, NHL expand to 84 games, open vs. Stanley Cup champs
The NHL is expanding to an 84 game season starting September 29 as the Florida Panthers reunite the Tkachuk brothers.

Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.

Related Stories

Last 14 days