Omaha’s path through the 2025–26 NCHC season is officially set, and the Mavericks won’t have to wait long to jump into rivalry games — or heavy road trips.

The conference grind starts early with back-to-back nights at Colorado College on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. It’s a quick test in Colorado Springs before Omaha returns home for its biggest early home series: North Dakota at Baxter Arena on Nov. 7–8. Every time Omaha and North Dakota meet, there’s energy, and with it coming in the first home conference weekend, the building should be ready.

The Mavericks hit the road immediately afterward for a two-game set at Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 14–15, before closing November with Western Michigan coming to Omaha on Nov. 21–22. It’s a heavy month, front-loaded with teams that finished in the top half of the NCHC last season, and Omaha will need to stay steady through the opening stretch.

December is lighter with only one series — but it’s a big one. Omaha heads north to Grand Forks for a second battle with North Dakota, Dec. 12–13. Facing the Fighting Hawks twice before Christmas will have playoff seeding implications even in midseason.

The second half of the schedule opens at home in January, with St. Cloud State visiting Baxter Arena Jan. 9–10. After a road trip to Miami on Jan. 16–17, Omaha gets another big home stand against Colorado College Jan. 23–24. January sets up as a crucial opportunity: four of six games are at home, and stacking points could make the difference later.

The late stretch gets tougher. The Mavericks visit Western Michigan Jan. 30–31, then come home to face Denver Feb. 13–14. That’s followed by a long trip south to Arizona State Feb. 20–21, a late-season wild card series that could impact the standings more than people expect.

Omaha closes the regular season at home with Miami visiting Feb. 27–28 — a manageable finish if playoff positioning is on the line.

Overall, the 2025–26 conference schedule builds around two themes: rivalry games early and road challenges late. Home weekends against North Dakota, St. Cloud State, and Denver highlight the Baxter Arena calendar, but surviving key road stretches — Duluth in November, Grand Forks in December, and Kalamazoo in January — will be where Omaha’s playoff hopes are really built.

With a schedule this balanced but unforgiving, the Mavericks will have little room for slow starts. November and January could set the table. February will decide how far they can go.