NHL Games on TV Today – Thursday, October 1, 2026 (ET)
Night three of the 2026-27 NHL season is built around home openers. Four buildings host their first game of the year – Columbus, New Jersey, Nashville and Vancouver – and the night closes with an immediate rematch of one of opening night’s marquee games.
Coverage is regional across most of the slate, with Sportsnet carrying the Canucks-Oilers nightcap in Canada. Out-of-market games stream on ESPN+ in the United States.
Thursday’s NHL Schedule at a Glance
| Time (ET) | Matchup | Venue | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 PM | Buffalo Sabres at Columbus Blue Jackets | Nationwide Arena, Columbus | Blue Jackets home opener |
| 7:00 PM | Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils | Prudential Center, Newark | Devils home opener |
| 8:00 PM | Minnesota Wild at Nashville Predators | Bridgestone Arena, Nashville | Predators home opener |
| 10:00 PM | Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks | Rogers Arena, Vancouver | Canucks home opener |
🏒 Game of the Day: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks
10:00 PM ET | Sportsnet (Canada) · Rogers Arena, Vancouver
These two opened the season against each other in Edmonton on Tuesday. Two nights later they do it again in Vancouver – and that is the clearest illustration yet of what the new 84-game schedule actually changes.
Both additional games each team plays this season are intra-divisional, which means every club now faces its division rivals exactly four times, twice at home and twice away. For Edmonton and Vancouver, two of those four meetings land inside three days. In a Pacific Division that runs through Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary, those balanced four-game sets will carry far more weight in the standings than they used to.
The Oilers arrive with the sport’s most dangerous duo in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and with something to prove after a jarring first-round exit to Anaheim ended their run of back-to-back Western Conference titles. Vancouver, meanwhile, opens at Rogers Arena needing a fast start in a division where the margin for error keeps shrinking.
Prediction: Vancouver evens the season series with a loud home-opener win.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
7:00 PM ET | Regional coverage · Nationwide Arena, Columbus
The Blue Jackets open at home for the earliest date in franchise history, beginning their 26th NHL season against a Metropolitan rival. It also starts an unusually favorable stretch: seven of Columbus’ first nine games are at Nationwide Arena, the most home-heavy opening in club history.
Columbus is chasing its first playoff berth since 2019-20 and now plays every divisional opponent four times under the expanded format – 28 divisional games in all. Buffalo arrives off a season that ended an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, delivered an Atlantic Division title, and produced a second-round run that went the full seven games against Montreal.
Prediction: Buffalo’s top line travels well – Sabres spoil the party by a goal.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. New Jersey Devils
7:00 PM ET | Regional coverage · Prudential Center, Newark
New Jersey opens its home schedule against a division rival that had its number last season – and one that finally broke through in the playoffs, eliminating Pittsburgh in six games for its first series win since 2020 before running into the eventual champions.
There is a scheduling wrinkle worth noting: this is the back half of a back-to-back for Philadelphia, which hosted Pittsburgh in its own home opener on Wednesday night. Rick Tocchet’s side then returns home to face the defending champion Hurricanes on Saturday, three games in four nights to start the year.
Prediction: Tired legs cost Philadelphia – New Jersey takes the home opener.
Minnesota Wild vs. Nashville Predators
8:00 PM ET | Regional coverage · Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
For the third consecutive year, Nashville’s season opener doubles as its home opener. The Predators begin their 29th NHL season and will play 42 home games at Bridgestone Arena for the first time in franchise history under the expanded schedule.
Minnesota is the more battle-tested visitor. The Wild eliminated Dallas in six games last spring to reach the second round for the first time since 2015, and pushed the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche to five games before bowing out. Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes and goaltender Jesper Wallstedt all return.
Prediction: Minnesota carries last spring’s momentum into a road win.
What to Know About the New Season
This is the NHL’s first 84-game season since 1993-94, with 1,344 games in total, 42 home and 42 road dates per team, and two additional divisional matchups. All 32 teams are in action on Oct. 13 and again on the final day, Saturday, April 10, 2027.
Signature events include the Heritage Classic in Winnipeg on Oct. 25, Global Series games in Helsinki (Nov. 12 and 14) and Dusseldorf (Dec. 18 and 20), the Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Dec. 31, All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena on Feb. 5-6, and the Stadium Series at AT&T Stadium on Feb. 20.
Four home openers, one immediate divisional rematch, and the rest of the league joining in over the weekend. Check local listings for regional broadcast details.
