If nothing else, give the NHL some credit for the timing of its full schedule release. By July 16, unless you care deeply about the future of Jack Roslovic, most of the major offseason questions have been answered.

Today, we’re all free to sift through the finer points of the league’s calendar for the 2025-26 season. The following year, when the 84-game schedule goes into effect, things will look a bit different. This time, the schedule is headlined by an Olympic break in February and a schedule that lasts from Oct. 7 to April 16.

Mixed in are some other dates that should hold extra interest, whether for one fan base or 32. Here’s a look at the big ones.

Oct. 7: Opening night

The first night of the schedule features three total games — a triple-header. Things get started with Blackhawks-Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., at 5 p.m. ET. Connor Bedard versus the champs? It could be worse. That’s followed by Penguins-Rangers at 8 p.m. ET, which we’ll call the Mike Sullivan Bowl. The night finishes with the Avalanche-Kings. Both of those teams are good, which will be a nice change of pace.

Oct. 11 and Oct 28: Stacked slates

Having all 32 teams play on the same day is always a nice little gimmick, and the NHL is pulling it off on a Saturday and Tuesday in October. If you’re a college football fan, too, prepare to put in a serious shift on the couch or at the bar.

Oct. 21: The rat’s return

When the Panthers visited the Bruins in Boston on March 11, Marchand wasn’t in the lineup for either team; Florida had acquired him at the deadline, but he was sidelined with an upper-body injury. That pushed his return to TD Garden to the fall and, in the process, completely changed the dynamic at hand for the Panthers-Bruins matchup. Now, rather than a freshly traded franchise icon, he’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion and is helping another franchise chase dynasty status.

Nov. 8: Schaefer meets MSG

“How excited are you to play your first game at Madison Square Garden?” It’s a bit of a cliche question, but that’s because the answer is often worth hearing. The vibes at MSG are that unique. And it’s even more true for defenseman Matthew Schaefer; he wasn’t just the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft — he was selected by the Islanders. The New York-New York rivalry will always bring plenty of juice, especially with what Schaefer recently told an NHL.com podcast about facing the Rangers: “I hate losing, so I’m looking forward to going and just beating them every time we play them.” Here he will find out what Islanders-Rangers is truly like for the first time.

Nov. 14 and Nov. 16: A Swede escape

The league is again sending teams overseas for regular-season games. This time, it’s the Predators and Penguins playing two games in Sweden. It’ll be interesting to see whether Pittsburgh defenseman Erik Karlsson, one of the best Swedish players of his generation and a potential offseason trade candidate, is part of the action.

Nov. 22: A rematch of a rematch

At this point, it’s strange to see the Panthers and Oilers play each other before June. Stanley Cup rematches, though, are always big nights on the calendar and given the recent history, that principle applies even more here. The big question, still, will be who’s in net for the Oilers when they host the Panthers here.

Nov. 28: Holiday hockey

We’re getting another Thanksgiving Day game in the United States. This time, it’s the Rangers playing the Bruins in Boston.

Jan. 2 and Feb. 1: Sunshine spectacles

Both of this season’s outdoor games are being staged in Florida. The first is the Winter Classic, between the Rangers and Panthers at LoanDepot Park in Miami, home of the Marlins. The second is a Stadium Series game between the Bruins and Lightning at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla, home of the Buccaneers.

Jan. 17: O Canada

This season’s installment of Hockey Day in Canada — when all seven Canadian teams play throughout the afternoon and evening — features Montreal at Ottawa; Toronto at Winnipeg; the Islanders at Calgary; and Edmonton at Vancouver.

Jan. 19: Captain Serious comes back

The fact that Jonathan Toews is playing games at all is worth noting; he signed a one-year contract with Winnipeg after sitting out the last two seasons due to a variety of health issues. But his return to Chicago — where he captained three Stanley Cup teams and established his reputation as one of the best centers of his generation — is the big one. On nights like that, even beloved superstars can get a mixed reaction. In Toews’ case, though, don’t expect anything other than all-out adulation.

Jan. 23: Marner mania

If you hoped that the Marner saga, at least as it relates to the Maple Leafs, would end in July, we’ve got some disappointing news. Whatever comes next for him in Las Vegas will always be viewed, in one way or another, through the prism of his time in Toronto — what happened, what didn’t happen and the way it all ended. Our first huge reminder of that will be his first game as a visitor in Scotiabank Arena, for Golden Knights-Maple Leafs. Bet on plenty of boos, even from the platinum seats.

Feb. 6-24: Take a break

The NHL’s schedule will be fully cleared for this stretch. Hockey, of course, will still be played at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy.

March 6: Deadline disruption?

We’re getting seven games on NHL trade deadline day, which … seems like a lot. Prepare for a lot of awkward morning skates and partially empty rosters.

April 12: Malkin’s farewell — and more?

This is likely to be Evgeni Malkin’s final game against his biggest rivals, and that alone represents the end of an era: Penguins-Capitals, with Malkin as one of the primary participants, was one of the league’s premier matchups for nearly two decades. Time, age and the Penguins’ decline have taken off some of the shine over the last few years, but if this is the last Pittsburgh-Washington game for Malkin — and also maybe Alex Ovechkin, or Kris Letang, or (gulp) Sidney Crosby — it’s worth circling on the calendar.

April 15: The race to the bottom

Down the stretch, we’ll be monitoring the bottom of the standings to see who finishes in pole position for the Gavin McKenna Derby. Sharks-Blackhawks here, on the second-to-last day of the regular season, is certainly one to watch. The Penguins, meanwhile, finish up their schedule the night before against the Blues. 

(Photo of Marner, left, facing the Golden Knights last season: Nick Turchiaro / USA Today)