SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers will open the 2026-27 NHL season on the road against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes on Sept. 29 before embarking on a California swing that includes at least four away games, the NHL announced.
The Panthers, who raised their own Stanley Cup banners the past two seasons, will watch Carolina’s celebration this time around. Carolina’s home opener will start at 5 p.m. on ESPN and will kick off the league’s season, Florida Hockey Now reported.
From Carolina, the Panthers head west for a grueling opening road trip. They travel to San Jose for the Sharks’ home opener on Oct. 1, then to Anaheim for the Ducks’ home opener on Oct. 4, with the Kings’ opener in Los Angeles on Oct. 6. The full schedule, released Thursday by the NHL, could add additional stops in cities such as Vegas or St. Louis on the Panthers’ way back east.
The Panthers will be part of five Opening Nights across the league, including their own Oct. 10 home opener against the Minnesota Wild in Sunrise, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Scripps. That means the club will have played at least four road games before skating in front of their home crowd at Amerant Bank Arena.
The offseason calendar is already taking shape in South Florida. NHL free agency opened July 1, with the Panthers’ rookie camp and tournament set for late August or early September at a site to be announced. Training camp opens in early to mid-September in Fort Lauderdale, followed by a four-game preseason slate that begins Sept. 20 against Carolina — a preview of the regular-season opener nine days later.