The Carolina Hurricanes will open the 2026-2027 season and raise their Stanley Cup championship banner on Sept. 29 against a familiar foe.

The Canes will begin their defense of the Stanley Cup against the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center with a 5 p.m. puck drop. The earlier-than-usual start time is because the game will be the first of a tripleheader to air on ESPN. 

The Panthers defeated the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final in 2023 and 2025, winning their second-straight Stanley Cup after the latter occasion.

The Hurricanes and Panthers will also meet in the regular-season finale on April 10 in Florida.

The NHL expanded from 82 to 84 regular-season games beginning this season. The move adds two more divisional games for each team.

The Hurricanes will play two games in Finland against Seattle.

Preseason schedule

Sept. 20 at Florida, 7p 
Sept. 22 Florida, 7p
Sept. 24 Nashville (in Greensboro), 7p
Sept. 26 at Nashville, 3p

Regular season schedule

Sept. 29 Florida, 5p
Oct. 2 Washington, 7p
Oct. 3 at Philadelphia, 7p
Oct. 6 at Montreal, 7p
Oct. 8 Vancouver, 7p
Oct. 10 at Chicago, 7p
Oct. 11 at Philadelphia, 7p
Oct. 13 Washington, 6:45p
Oct. 17 at Winnipeg, 3:30p
Oct. 18 at Calgary, 8p
Oct. 20 at Vancouver, 10p
Oct. 22 at Edmonton, 9p
Oct. 24 at St. Louis, 7p
Oct. 27 Boston, 8p
Oct. 29 Columbus, 7p
Nov. 1 Winnipeg, 1p
Nov. 3 at Nashville, 8p
Nov. 5 at NY Islanders, 7p
Nov. 7 Chicago, 8p
Nov. 12 at Seattle (in Finland), 12p 
Nov. 14 Seattle (in Finland), 1p
Nov. 19 Montreal, 7p
Nov. 21 Edmonton, 1p
Nov. 22 at NY Rangers, 1p
Nov. 25 at Tampa Bay, 7p
Nov. 28 Ottawa, 7p
Nov. 30 at NY Rangers, 7p
Dec. 3 Columbus, 7p
Dec. 5 Toronto, 7p
Dec. 8 NY Rangers, 7p
Dec. 11 NY Islanders, 7p
Dec. 13 Boston, 1p
Dec. 15 at Columbus, 7p
Dec. 17 at Utah, 9p
Dec. 18 at Colorado, 9p
Dec. 21 at Vegas, 10p
Dec. 26 Pittsburgh, 7p
Dec. 28 Tampa Bay, 7p
Dec. 29 at Pittsburgh, 7p
Dec. 31 at Detroit, 2p
Jan. 2 Nashville, 7p
Jan. 5 St. Louis, 7p
Jan. 7 Pittsburgh, 7p
Jan. 9 at Buffalo, 7p
Jan. 12 at Boston, 7p
Jan. 14 at Washington, 7p
Jan. 15 Philadelphia, 7p
Jan. 17 Vegas, 6p
Jan. 21 at Florida, 7p
Jan. 23 Anaheim, 7p
Jan. 25 at Ottawa, 7:30p
Jan. 26 at Montreal, 7p
Jan. 28 NY Islanders, 7p
Jan. 30 Los Angeles, 7p

2027 All-Star Weekend
Feb. 5-6 • Long Island, New York

Feb. 9 Colorado, 7p
Feb. 11 Minnesota, 7:30p
Feb. 13 Buffalo, 7p
Feb. 16 at Toronto, 7p
Feb. 18 at Buffalo, 7p
Feb. 19 Detroit, 7p
Feb. 21 NY Rangers, 1p
Feb. 23 at New Jersey, 7p
Feb. 25 San Jose, 7p
Feb. 27 Tampa Bay, 7p
March 1 at Columbus, 7p
March 3 at Washington, 7p
March 5 Toronto, 7p
March 7 Utah, 1p
March 9 at Minnesota, 8p
March 12 Calgary, 7p
March 13 New Jersey, 7p
March 16 at Anaheim, 10p
March 18 at Los Angeles, 10p
March 20 at San Jose, 10:30p
March 23 at Dallas, 8p
March 25 Dallas, 7p
March 27 at Pittsburgh, 7p
March 29 at New Jersey, 7p
March 30 at NY Islanders, 7p
April 2 at Detroit, 7p
April 3 New Jersey, 7p
April 5 Philadelphia 2p
April 7 Ottawa, 7p
April 10 at Florida, 6pÂ