Maple Leafs' Full 2025-26 Schedule Announced, Mitch Marner's Return Date Now Set

There's a ton of anticipation surround the upcoming NHL season as several key storylines are going to be followed closely. How does Mitch Marner fare in Vegas? Can Edmonton re-sign Connor McDavid? Are the Panthers able to three-peat?

We won't know until they happen clearly, but the one thing we do know is the NHL schedule for the 2025-26 season.

The league officially unveiled the slate of games scheduled starting Oct. 7, after announcing previously the first three games of the season.

The opening night of the season kicks off with the Chicago Blackhawks vs. Florida Panthers; the reigning two-time Stanley Cup Champions, Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers in a Metropolitan kerfuffle, and the late evening game sees the Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings.

The Maple Leafs are looking to get their season started the next day, with their first game slated to be against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 8; a pretty standard affair given their storied history and always makes for an exciting season opener.

All eyes will be on Brad Treliving's new additions like Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, Michael Pezzetta, and whoever else he may potentially bring in, and we'll also have to keep an eye on who actually sticks around this summer.

It will be a big test this season as they change their identity, and without Mitch Marner to help them out in tough times, it's going to be more about working by committee as opposed to relying on their stars.

Speaking of, Marner's first game back with the team is on January 23rd 2026, and fans will be circling their calendars furiously in eager anticipation.

We had an inkling of when their first game was expected early on and now we have confirmation.

Another big story will be how Auston Matthews is going to bounce back after a rough season marred by injuries. He had a very bad season compared to his 69-goal output, but with Marner out of town and him healthy; we could see him back in form.

So fans can start preparing for a hectic and exciting season, and now that we know when the season is set to kick off, there's only one question:

Is it October yet?