when is hockey season

The NHL hockey season for 2025-26 is scheduled to start on October 7, 2025. The regular season will run from early October through early April. This season will be the last to use the 82-game schedule before expanding to 84 games in the following season. There will also be a mid-season break in February due to NHL players participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The Stanley Cup playoffs are planned to begin in April 2026, concluding with the Stanley Cup Finals in June 2026.