With the 2026 Olympic break in February shutting down the NHL for three weeks, it means a very compressed 2025-26 NHL schedule until then, for one and all, with the Edmonton Oilers playing 44 games over 93 days from November through January.

So, they’ll be playing on fumes with 14 games in November (10 on the road), 15 in December and 15 more in January.

And additional Olympic games for Connor McDavid, who will likely have a letter on his chest for Team Canada in Italy and Leon Draisaitl, who will surely be captain of Team Germany. Defenceman Evan Bouchard could be on the Canadian team, as well, and maybe Mattias Ekholm on Team Sweden.

The Oilers, who open their schedule here against the Flames Oct. 8, will play seven of their first 10 on the road, including a five-game Eastern road trip, and they also have a five-game trip in December that ends just before Christmas. Sandwiched in between is a whopping seven-game trek in November (Philly, Columbus, Carolina, Buffalo, Washington, Tampa and Florida), over 11 days.

They’ll play Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle and San Jose four times.

They get Los Angeles, Vegas and Anaheim just three times.

Important dates:

Oct. 11: Evander Kane returns with the Vancouver Canucks, with all 32 teams in action around the league.

Oct. 23: The Montreal Canadiens come to Rogers Place.

Oct. 28: Oilers have Utah here as part of another full slate of NHL games.

Nov. 8: Nate MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche bring their show to town.

Nov. 23: They’ll be at Sunrise for a Stanley Cup Final rematch with the Panthers.

Nov. 25: They’ll see Western Conference finalist Dallas Stars, with their former assistant coach Glen Gulutzan now behind the Stars’ bench as head man.

Dec. 21: Second-round playoff series opponent Vegas is here.

Dec. 31: Boston Bruins and Viktor Arvidsson are here for a New Years’ Eve game.

Jan. 10: The never-getting-old Corey Perry returns with the Kings, with two other ex Oilers Cody Ceci and Warren Foegele.

Jan. 17: Hockey Day in Canada with Oilers in Vancouver.

Jan. 22: Sidney Crosby and the Penguins come to town.

Jan. 24: Might be Alex Ovechkin’s last trip here if Caps’ captain retires after this season.

Feb. 3: Auston Matthews and Toronto Maple Leafs are here.

Feb. 4: Oilers in Calgary, last game before Olympic break.

Feb. 25: Oilers in Anaheim, first game after the Olympics end.

March 19: Panthers are at Rogers Place for only visit.

April 16: Canucks close out Oiler schedule at Rogers Place.

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