Jets to Open 2026-27 Home Schedule Against Bruins

The Winnipeg Jets now know who they'll welcome to Canada Life Centre to begin the 2026-27 season.

On Wednesday, the NHL announced each of its 32 clubs' home openers, in advance of the full 1,344 game schedule, set to drop on Thursday. 

The Jets will open their home schedule on Friday, October 2 vs. the visiting Boston Bruins. 

Photo by Eric Canha/USA Today 
Photo by Eric Canha/USA Today 

The matchup comes during the opening week of the NHL's expanded 84-game season, which begins Sept. 29 with a five-game slate highlighted by the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes raising their championship banner before hosting the Florida Panthers - the previous back-to-back champs. 

For the Bruins, the game in Winnipeg will be their second road contest of the new campaign. Boston opens the season at home against the New York Rangers on Sept. 29 before traveling west to face the Jets. 

The Jets very well could start the season on the road, should a team playing on the 29th also suit up in a back-to-back to start the year, meaning Winnipeg could play on September 30 or October 1 before hosting the Bruins on October 2. 

While Winnipeg's full schedule remains under wraps until Thursday, one other notable date is already locked in. The Jets will host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Tim Hortons Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium on Oct. 25. 

Thursday's full schedule release will reveal Winnipeg's season opener, longest road trips, back-to-back sets and nationally televised matchups as the club prepares for its first season under the NHL's new 84-game format.

Why Steve Yzerman is out as Red Wings GM: Answering 5 big questions

The Detroit Red Wings are changing their leadership after a 10th consecutive season out of the playoffs.

Franchise legend Steve Yzerman, the executive vice president and general manager for the last seven seasons of that drought, will become senior advisor to governor and CEO Chris Ilitch. A search for a new head of hockey operations is underway.

The Red Wings said Yzerman will remain in charge of day-to-day responsibilities until his successor is named. The team added that Yzerman would be an advisor to the search committee, which will be led by Ilitch.

“Clearly, we are not where we and our fans expect to be as an organization," said Ilitch. “I’m looking forward to bringing in new leadership to build the championship-caliber organization Hockeytown deserves."

Here are answers to questions about the Red Wings' move on Wednesday, July 15:

Why is Steve Yzerman out as general manager?

The Yzerplan wasn't working.

Yzerman, the team's longtime captain, three-time Stanley Cup winner and Hall of Famer, was hired in April 2019 to oversee a rebuild. He drafted current standouts Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond early in his tenure as the team purposely bottomed out with back-to-back seasons of fewer than 20 wins in order to build through the draft.

He began adding veteran players such as Andrew Copp, Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. The Red Wings missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker in 2023, but for the most part, finished sixth or seventh in the Atlantic Division.

This past season, Yzerman addressed the goaltending by trading for John Gibson. Unlike in 2024-25, he was active at the trade deadline, bringing in Justin Faulk and David Perron. But the Red Wings had another March swoon and missed the playoffs again, ending the season with an 8-1 loss.

After the season, captain Dylan Larkin, who was born in Michigan and played at the University of Michigan, requested a trade.

How does this affect the Dylan Larkin trade request?

The Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported Larkin listed the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild as places where he would accept a trade.

Yzerman, during the draft, confirmed the trade request but said he wouldn't make a move unless it benefited the team. The new GM also will insist on a good return because this trade will be franchise-altering. Larkin might have to expand his list of teams.

Who could be the next general manager?

Ilitch said the team would look at internal and external candidates. Assistant general manager Kris Draper would be an obvious candidate for an internal hire. Shawn Horcoff, who oversees the Grand Rapids Griffins, would be another.

The timing for external candidates is bad because the top GM candidate of the offseason, Sunny Mehta, was hired by the New Jersey Devils, while Brandon Pridham joined the Pittsburgh Penguins front office.

No timetable was given for the hire.

What's up with Patrick Kane?

Kane spent the last three seasons with the Red Wings and is an unrestricted free agent. Hall of Famer Chris Chelios told Chicago's 104.3 The Score that he spoke with Kane and the all-time leading U.S.-born scorer is deciding between returning to the Chicago Blackhawks or signing with his hometown Buffalo Sabres.

Can the Red Wings make the playoffs in 2026-27?

It will be difficult. They added Viktor Arvidsson and backup goalie Daniil Tarasov in the offseason, but the key will be what happens with Larkin.

The Atlantic Division competition is tough. The 2024 and 2025 champion Florida Panthers are a favorite to make it back because of the return of injured captain Aleksander Barkov and the trade for Brady Tkachuk. The Toronto Maple Leafs also made multiple moves that could lead to a playoff return.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Steve Yzerman is out as Red Wings GM: Answering 5 big questions

Four Sabres Prospects Named To The Athletic’s Top-100

The Buffalo Sabres have graduated a number of their young prospects to the NHL, which is one of the reasons that the club snapped the NHL-record 14 season playoff drought, winning the Atlantic Division, and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. 

Under former GM Kevyn Adams and current GM Jarmo Kekalainen, the club has continued to add promising young talent into the fold, and in his annual Top 100 Prospects, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler had four Sabres youngsters on the list. Players eligible have to be 22 years old or younger and not fully established with their NHL club. 

The top ranked Sabre is 2026 first rounder Daxon Rudolph, who was a bit of a surprise selection at fourth overall, and was listed 12th, behind blueliners Chase Reid, Albert Smits, and Carson Carels, who were selected after Rudolph in the Top 10 of the Draft in Buffalo last month.  

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

Peyton Krebs signs a four-year extension with the Sabres

2024 top pick Konsta Helenius was ranked 42nd overall, after averaging nearly a point-per-game in the American Hockey League and impressing in a brief playoff appearance against Montreal, while 2025 first rounder Radim Mrtka was 54th, and 2022 first rounder Noah Ostlund was 55th. 

2026 first rounder Ilia Morozov was listed as an honorable mention after being selected 20th overall, but a surprising omission was Sabres prospect Brodie Ziemer, who scored 23 goals for the University of Minnesota and captained Team USA at the World Junior Championships last December.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

THN.com/Free
THN.com/Free

Hurricanes to open the NHL season against the Panthers, raise their Stanley Cup banner on Sept. 29

Stanley Cup Final: Carolina Hurricanes v Vegas Golden Knights - Game Six

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 14: Jordan Staal #11 of the Carolina Hurricanes reacts as he prepares to hoist the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Six of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on June 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

NEW YORK — The Carolina Hurricanes will raise their second Stanley Cup championship banner on Sept. 29 before hosting the Florida Panthers to kick off the NHL season.

The opener pits the most recent champions against the winners the previous two years. The Panthers look primed to contend for another title until injuries derailed them and caused them to miss the playoffs. Carolina lost only one game to get through the Eastern Conference, then defeated Vegas in the final to win it all for the first time since 2006.

The league announced home openers for all 32 clubs Wednesday. The full schedule is set to be released on Thursday.

The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins will also face off as part of a five-game curtain raiser. The Chicago Blackhawks visit the Vegas Golden Knights in the nightcap.

Play begins before October as the league moves to an 84-game schedule for the first time since 1993-94. The 1,344 games will be the most in NHL history.

Rangers' Season And Home Opener Revealed

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

The first two games of the New York Rangers’ 2026-27 campaign have been revealed. 

The Rangers will open the season on Sept. 29 at T.D. Garden to face off against the Boston Bruins, will be broadcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. 

On Oct. 1, the Rangers will host the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden for their home opener. 

The rest of the NHL schedule is set to be released on Thursday. 

The Blueshirts will participate in four preseason games from Sept. 21 to Sept. 25 against the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. 

This upcoming season will feature 84 regular season games for the first time after the NHL and NHL Players Association agreed to these terms in the four-year CBA extension.

Chris Chelios Believes Patrick Kane Is Between Chicago Blackhawks & Buffalo Sabres

The Chicago Blackhawks have an offer in to Patrick Kane, which has been kind of a well-known secret over the last few weeks. 

On Wednesday, NHL legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Chelios was on 104.3 The Score in Chicago and talked about Kane's future. 

Of course, Chelios played a large portion of his career with the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, which are the two teams that Kane has played for the most. 

According to the three-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Chelios, Kane is between the Blackhawks and the Buffalo Sabres, which he was told personally by Kane. 

"I am not gonna lie to you guys, it is down to Buffalo and Chicago I know that." Chelios said. 

Kane is well known for being a Buffalo native, so this is him choosing between two places that have been "home" to him in his life. 

Chelios also said that there should be a decision on this coming soon, so it's something to keep an eye on as the week progresses. 

All off-season, it has been talked about how Kane would be a perfect fit in both markets for different reasons, and that's besides the fact that he has ties to both. He would help them both from an on-ice hockey point of view. 

Fits For Patrick Kane: Blackhawks, 3 Others Make Sense For Future Hall Of Fame VeteranFits For Patrick Kane: Blackhawks, 3 Others Make Sense For Future Hall Of Fame VeteranThe Chicago Blackhawks are one of the few teams that make sense for Patrick Kane as he weighs his decisions.
Image

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.

Anthony Mantha signs with Devils after 33-goal season

Anthony Mantha's prove-it season has landed him a raise and a new deal in another city.

Mantha, 31, signed with the New Jersey Devils for two years at a $4.75 million average on Wednesday, July 15, two weeks after the start of free agency. He'll make $5.4 million this upcoming season and $4.1 million in 2027-28.

He had scored 33 goals and 64 points last season on a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins,

That goal total was more than any Devils player had last season. Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes led the way with 28 and 27 goals, respectively. His 64 points would have ranked fourth.

The question is whether Mantha can duplicate that. He had only one 20-goal season from 2019-25 and had one assist and a minus 5 rating in a six-game loss in the first round against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Anthony Mantha contract details

He will make $5.4 million in 2026-27 and $4.1 million in 2027-28 for a $4.75 million cap hit. According to puckpedia.com, all but $1 million a year of that is signing bonuses. 'the website says the Devils have $3.875 million left in cap space.

Top remaining free agents

Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, Eeli Tolvanen, MIchael Bunting, John Klingberg

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Mantha signs with Devils after 33-goal season

Sabres Host Bowen Byram's Blackhawks In Home Opener

The Buffalo Sabres will not have to waste any time hosting one of their prominent former players, as the NHL's release of the 32 club home openers on Wednesday revealed that the club will begin the 2026-27 regular season against Bowen Byram and the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, October 3rd. 

Byram, 25, who was heading into the final year of a two-year bridge deal, indicated to the Sabres that he would not re-sign with the club and wanted to go someplace where he could be a #1 defenseman. Before the NHL Draft last month, GM Jarmo Kekalainen shipped the blueliner to the Hawks for the #4 overall selection (Daxon Rudolph), defenseman Louis Crevier, and a 2026 second round pick, which was later flipped to Anaheim for blueliner Olen Zellweger. 

The Hawks will be without young star Connor Bedard to start the season, as the center suffered a shoulder injury in a summer pickup game and had surgery last week that will keep him out a minimum of four months. 

Sabres sign Peyton Krebs to a four-year contract extension

Buffalo will start the schedule on the road in Columbus on Thursday, October 1st against the Blue Jackets. 

THN.com/Free
THN.com/Free

Hurricanes to open the NHL season against the Panthers, raise their Stanley Cup banner on Sept. 29

NEW YORK (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes will raise their second Stanley Cup championship banner on Sept. 29 before hosting the Florida Panthers to kick off the NHL season.

The opener pits the most recent champions against the winners the previous two years. The Panthers look primed to contend for another title until injuries derailed them and caused them to miss the playoffs. Carolina lost only one game to get through the Eastern Conference, then defeated Vegas in the final to win it all for the first time since 2006.

The league announced home openers for all 32 clubs Wednesday. The full schedule is set to be released on Thursday.

The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins will also face off as part of a five-game curtain raiser. The Chicago Blackhawks visit the Vegas Golden Knights in the nightcap.

Play begins before October as the league moves to an 84-game schedule for the first time since 1993-94. The 1,344 games will be the most in NHL history.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Blues Part Of Three Home Openers, Full 2026-27 NHL Schedule To Be Released On Thursday

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues and NHL announced on Wednesday each team's home opener for the 2026-27 season.

The Blues will host the San Jose Sharks for their home opener on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at Enterprise Center.

The Blues are also part of two home openers and will open the regular season on the road, Oct. 2 against the Dallas Stars and Oct. 6 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The league will announce each full 84-game regular-season schedule, and for the Blues it will feature two additional divisional games, on Thursday at noon.

Fans will get the opportunity to get their first glimpses of new additions for the upcoming season, including Mason McTavish, Connor McMichael, Brandon Carlo and Ross Johnston.

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Steve Yzerman suddenly done as Red Wings GM amid Dylan Larkin trade drama

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Steve Yzerman has stepped down as GM of the Red Wings and will now serve as a senior advisor, Image 2 shows Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade

DETROIT — Steve Yzerman abruptly stepped down as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, a stunning midsummer change of a franchise great leaving the job after seven seasons and zero playoff appearances.

Yzerman’s resignation to transition to an advisory role to CEO Chris Ilitch comes several weeks after captain and No. 1 center Dylan Larkin’s trade request came to light. The Red Wings’ decade-long playoff drought is the longest active drought in the NHL and in the organization’s storied history.

The team says its search for a new head of hockey operations is already underway and that Yzerman will continue to be in charge on a day-to-day basis until his successor is determined.

Steve Yzerman has stepped down as GM of the Red Wings and will now serve as a senior advisor. NHLI via Getty Images

“Clearly, we are not where we and our fans expect to be as an organization,” Ilitch said in a statement. “Steve’s lifetime of contributions to the Red Wings has meant more to this franchise than words can truly express, and I have the highest level of respect for his continued commitment to our organization.”

Yzerman spent his entire 22-year Hall of Fame NHL playing career with Detroit, captaining them to the Stanley Cup three times. He was an accomplished GM with Tampa Bay, building the core that eventually won back-to-back championships, before taking over in Detroit in 2019, where success on the ice has not materialized.

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade. NHLI via Getty Images

“This organization has given me incredible opportunities, from my time as a player to the privilege of returning as general manager,” Yzerman said. “My commitment to the Red Wings and this community will never waver, and I look forward to supporting the organization in whatever role is needed to achieve our collective goals.”

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Luke Tuch

The Columbus Blue Jackets  have announced that they've signed forward Luke Tuch to a two-year, two-way NHL/AHL contract. 

Tuch was acquired by the Blue Jackets in a trade from the Montreal Canadiens on June 25.  

In 114 AHL games, Tuch has 28 points. He has zero games played in the NHL. 

Tuch will most likely be expected to bring depth to the forward ranks in Cleveland, and could possibly be called up to Columbus should they need him. 


Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.

Let us know what you think below.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Rangers find out their opponent for season opener

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad #93 reacts after New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson #29 scores the game winning goal during the overtime. The New York Rangers defeat Boston Bruins 4-3.
Rangers will face off with the Bruins to open the season.

The Rangers will begin next season in Boston.

To open the 2026-27 campaign, the Blueshirts will square off with an Original Six foe in the Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday, Sept. 29. The club’s first game will be broadcast on ESPN at 8 p.m.

After a historically disappointing start to last season at Madison Square Garden, where they went without a goal in their first 180 minutes and 27 seconds of play, the Rangers will look to assert themselves on home ice early. The Lightning will be the first team to visit the Rangers at MSG on Oct. 1.

The Rangers will then venture to Detroit for the Red Wings’ home opener the following night to cap three games in the first four days of the season.

Rangers will face off with the Bruins to open the season. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

The rest of the NHL schedule is set to be released on Thursday.

This season will feature four preseason games and 84 regular-season games, after the NHL and NHL Players Association agreed to such terms in the four-year CBA extension that was ratified in 2025. The expansion will add two more divisional games per team.

NHL 2026-27 schedule will start Sept. 29 with 5 games: Here are details

The 2026-27 NHL season will have two major differences.

Each team will play 84 games for the first time since 2003-04 and as a result, the season will start in September.

The season usually starts in early October but the date was moved to Sept. 29 to accommodate the extra two games per team.

The opening day schedule was announced on Wednesday, July 15, and will feature five games, including the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes raising their banner before a 5 p.m. ET game against the 2024 and 2025 champion Florida Panthers.

The Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights will host the Chicago Blackhawks at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Three of the games will be shown on ESPN and the other two on Sportsnet.

The full 2026-27 schedule will be announced on Thursday afternoon.

NHL opening day schedule

Every NHL team's home opener

Follow the NHL with USA TODAY

The NHL never rests, and USA TODAY is keeping tabs on the league all year long with reporters covering every team and transaction. Follow the news on our NHL hub. Get our USA TODAY Sports newsletter in your inbox every morning and join our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates right in your texts.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL 2026-27 schedule will start Sept. 29 with 5 games: Here are details

New Jersey Devils sign winger Anthony Mantha to a 2-year, $9.5 million contract

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The New Jersey Devils signed winger Anthony Mantha to a two-year, $9.5 million contract, the team announced Wednesday.

He will count $4.75 million against the salary cap through 2027-28. The Quebec native is coming off a breakout season with Pittsburgh in which he set career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists and 64 points.

Mantha, who turns 32, in September is nearly two years removed from tearing the ACL in his right knee and beginning a lengthy rehab process. He joins the Devils as new general manager Sunny Mehta’s latest addition to bolster the roster after missing the playoffs.

Mehta earlier this month hinted that he was not done his offseason makeover after trading goaltender Jacob Markstrom to Florida for Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist. After signing journeyman David Rittich to compete with Nico Daws for the backup goalie job, the signing of Mantha takes one of the final remaining high-profile free agents off the board long after most teams did their spending on July 1.

Devils round out their coaching staff

With Sheldon Keefe returning for a third season as coach and first with Mehta in charge, the Devils rounded out their staff behind the bench and in the goaltending department.

Leo Luongo, brother of Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo, was hired as director of goaltending, with Dan Stewart joining as goalie coach and Ted Donato and AJ MacLean hired as assistants. Donato is making the jump to an NHL bench after spending the past 22 years in college as the coach at Harvard.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL