The Edmonton Oilers will open their 2026-27 season welcoming a familiar foe to Rogers Place: the Vancouver Canucks.

And for the Oilers, they will kick off the season on Sept. 29, the earliest start to a season in franchise history. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. MT.

It’s all part of a doubleheader opening night for Canadian hockey fans, as the Montreal Canadiens will visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at 5 p.m. MT earlier in the night. Other action around the league will see the New York Rangers host the Boston Bruins at 6 p.m. MT. Later in the night, the Vegas Golden Knights will host the Chicago Blackhawks at 8:30 p.m MT.

This season will also mark the first time the Oilers have played in an 84-game season since the mid-1990s. The NHL had 84-game campaigns in both 1992-93 and 1993-94, and the team will surely hope it goes better this time. Those were the first two years in franchise history the team had missed the playoffs, going 26-50-6 in 1992-93, and 25-45-14 the year later.

The full 84-game schedule is scheduled to be released on July 16 at 11 a.m. MT.

The league will have a number of big events throughout the season. The first of which will be the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Canadiens in the 2026 Heritage Classic, held at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Oct. 25.

The Carolina Hurricanes, Seattle Kraken, Ottawa Senators, and Chicago Blackhawks will head overseas for the Global Series. The Hurricanes and Kraken will play in Helsinki, Finland, on Nov. 12 and 14, while the Senators and Blackhawks will visit Dusseldorf, Germany, on Dec. 18 and 20.

New Year’s Eve will see the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium host the Winter Classic between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche, in the shadow of the Rockies.

All-Star Weekend will return on Feb. 5-6 at the UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders. It will include an skills competition on Feb. 5, featuring 10 young stars aged 25 or younger, competing in eight events. The All-Star Game itself will feature five teams of 11 players from each of Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and a “World” team comprising of players from countries not named.

The last major in-season event will see the Dallas Stars host the Golden Knights for the NHL Stadium Series game, taking place at AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, on Feb. 20.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor and The Nation Network’s news director. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

At Southview Acura, luxury isn’t just what you drive, it’s how you’re treated. Family owned and operated, we’re proud to offer an exceptional selection of new and certified pre-owned Acuras, backed by a service experience built on trust and precision. Whether it’s your first visit or your next, our team is committed to excellence every step of the way. Visit Southview Acura today or online at www.SouthviewAcura.com, where luxury meets reality.