The preparations for the NHL's 2021-22 season have begun and, unlike last season, fans will get a peek behind the curtain. For the first time in two years, there will be preseason games.
Running from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9, teams will hit the ice across North America, including in a number of non-NHL cities. The Seattle Kraken, holding off on their first official home game at Climate Pledge Arena until the regular season (Oct. 23), will be the home team at three neutral site games: Sept. 26 vs. Canucks in Spokane, Wash.; Oct. 1 vs. Oilers in Everett, Wash.; Oct. 2 vs. Flames in Kent, Wash.
WATCH PRESEASON ACTION LIVE: ESPN+
A number of rivalries will be reignited in the preseason as the Battle of Alberta gets two tilts, the Maple Leafs and Canadiens go toe-to-toe four times, and the Islanders and Rangers hit the ice twice, including a match-up in Connecticut.
Below is everything you need to know to watch all the preseason action, from the first puck drop live on Saturday night until the NHL season officially gets underway on Oct. 12.
NHL 2021-22 preseason schedule, time, TV channel
| DATE | MATCH-UP | TIME (ET) | TV/LIVE STREAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Sept. 25 | Canadiens at Maple Leafs | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV, SN ONE |
| Sat., Sept. 25 | Wild at Blues | 8 p.m. | |
| Sun., Sept. 26 | Predators at Panthers (split-squad doubleheader) | 2/6 p.m. | |
| Sun., Sept. 26 | Bruins at Capitals | 5 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Sun., Sept. 26 | Islanders at Rangers | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., Sept. 26 | Senators at Jets | 8 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV, TSN |
| Sun., Sept. 26 | Sharks (ss) at Ducks | 8 p.m. | |
| Sun., Sept. 26 | Oilers at Flames | 9 p.m. | |
| Sun., Sept. 26 | Canucks vs. Kraken (Spokane, Wash.) | 9 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., Sept. 26 | Sharks (ss) at Golden Knights | 10 p.m. | |
| Mon., Sept. 27 | Maple Leafs at Canadiens | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV, TSN |
| Mon., Sept. 27 | Blue Jackets at Penguins | 7 p.m. | |
| Mon., Sept. 27 | Stars at Blues | 8 p.m. | |
| Mon., Sept. 27 | Kings at Coyotes | 10 p.m. | |
| Mon., Sept. 27 | Flames vs. Canucks (Abbotsford, B.C.) | 10 p.m. | |
| Tues., Sept. 28 | Bruins at Rangers | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Tues., Sept. 28 | Islanders at Flyers | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Tues., Sept. 28 | Sabres at Blue Jackets | 7 p.m. | |
| Tues., Sept. 28 | Lightning at Hurricanes | 7 p.m. | |
| Tues., Sept. 28 | Kraken at Oilers | 9 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Tues., Sept. 28 | Avalanche at Golden Knights | 10 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Tues., Sept. 28 | Kings at Sharks | 10 p.m. | |
| Wed., Sept. 29 | Devils at Capitals | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Wed., Sept. 29 | Blues at Blue Jackets | 7 p.m. | |
| Wed., Sept. 29 | Maple Leafs at Senators | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+, TSN |
| Wed., Sept. 29 | Panthers at Stars | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Wed., Sept. 29 | Oilers at Jets | 8 p.m. | ESPN+, TSN |
| Wed., Sept. 29 | Red Wings at Blackhawks | 8:30 p.m. | |
| Wed., Sept. 29 | Kraken at Flames | 9 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Wed., Sept. 29 | Coyotes at Ducks | 10 p.m. | |
| Thurs., Sept. 30 | Predators at Lightning | 7 p.m. | |
| Thurs., Sept. 30 | Flyers at Bruins | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Thurs., Sept. 30 | Sabres at Red Wings | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Thurs., Sept. 30 | Wild at Avalanche | 9 p.m. | |
| Thurs., Sept. 30 | Golden Knights vs. Kings (Salt Lake City, Utah) | 10 p.m. | TNT |
| Thurs., Sept. 30 | Sharks at Ducks | 10 p.m. | |
| Fri., Oct. 1 | Penguins at Sabres | 7 p.m. | |
| Fri., Oct. 1 | Rangers at Devils | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Fri., Oct. 1 | Stars at Panthers | 7 p.m. | |
| Fri., Oct. 1 | Hurricanes at Lightning | 7 p.m. | |
| Fri., Oct. 1 | Canadiens at Senators | 7 p.m. | ESPN+, TSN |
| Fri., Oct. 1 | Blues at Blackhawks | 8:30 p.m. | |
| Fri., Oct. 1 | Canucks at Flames | 9 p.m. | ESPN+, SN ONE |
| Fri., Oct. 1 | Kings at Golden Knights | 10 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Fri., Oct. 1 | Oilers at Kraken | 10 p.m. | |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Devils vs. Islanders (Bridgeport, Conn.) | 2 p.m. | |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Ducks at Coyotes | 6 p.m. | |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Senators at Canadiens | 7 p.m. | ESPN+, TSN |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Capitals at Flyers | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Jets at Oilers | 7 p.m. | ESPN+, TSN |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Rangers at Bruins | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Blue Jackets at Red Wings | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Lightning at Predators | 8 p.m. | |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Blackhawks vs. Blues (Independence, Mo.) | 8 p.m. | |
| Sat., Oct. 2 | Flames vs. Kraken (Kent, Wash.) | 10 p.m. | |
| Sun., Oct. 3 | Red Wings at Penguins | 12 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Sun., Oct. 3 | Jets at Canucks | 7 p.m. | SN |
| Sun., Oct. 3 | Coyotes at Stars | 9 p.m. | |
| Mon., Oct. 4 | Bruins at Flyers | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Mon., Oct. 4 | Blue Jackets at Sabres | 7 p.m. | |
| Mon., Oct. 4 | Capitals at Devils | 7 p.m. | |
| Mon., Oct. 4 | Maple Leafs at Senators | 7 p.m. | ESPN+, SN |
| Mon., Oct. 4 | Blackhawks at Red Wings | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Mon., Oct. 4 | Avalanche at Wild | 8 p.m. | |
| Mon., Oct. 4 | Flames at Oilers | 9 p.m. | |
| Mon., Oct. 4 | Ducks at Sharks | 10 p.m. | |
| Tues., Oct. 5 | Canadiens at Maple Leafs | 7 p.m. | ESPN+, TSN |
| Tues., Oct. 5 | Sabres at Penguins | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Tues., Oct. 5 | Predators at Hurricanes | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Tues., Oct. 5 | Flyers vs. Islanders (Bridgeport, Conn.) | 7 p.m. | |
| Tues., Oct. 5 | Panthers vs. Lightning (Orlando, Fla.) | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Tues., Oct. 5 | Blues at Stars | 8 p.m. | |
| Tues., Oct. 5 | Golden Knights at Avalanche | 9 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Tues., Oct. 5 | Kraken at Canucks | 10 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV, SN ONE |
| Tues., Oct. 5 | Coyotes at Kings | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Wed., Oct. 6 | Capitals at Bruins | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Wed., Oct. 6 | Devils at Rangers | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Wed., Oct. 6 | Red Wings at Blue Jackets | 7 p.m. | |
| Wed., Oct. 6 | Flames at Jets | 8 p.m. | ESPN+, TSN |
| Wed., Oct. 6 | Blues at Wild | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Wed., Oct. 6 | Kings at Ducks | 10 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Thurs., Oct. 7 | Senators at Canadiens | 7 p.m. | ESPN+, TSN |
| Thurs., Oct. 7 | Islanders at Devils | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Thurs., Oct. 7 | Panthers at Lightning | 7 p.m. | |
| Thurs., Oct. 7 | Penguins at Red Wings | 7:30 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Thurs., Oct. 7 | Blackhawks at Wild | 8 p.m. | |
| Thurs., Oct. 7 | Avalanche at Stars | 8 p.m. | |
| Thurs., Oct. 7 | Canucks at Oilers | 9 p.m. | ESPN+, SN ONE |
| Thurs., Oct. 7 | Coyotes at Golden Knights | 10 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Fri., Oct. 8 | Flyers at Capitals | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Fri., Oct. 8 | Blue Jackets at Blues | 8 p.m. | |
| Fri., Oct. 8 | Jets at Flames | 9 p.m. | TSN |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Red Wings at Sabres | 3 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Hurricanes at Predators | 4 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Lightning at Panthers | 6 p.m. | |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Senators at Maple Leafs | 7 p.m. | ESPN+, SN ONE |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Penguins at Blue Jackets | 7 p.m. | |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Stars at Avalanche | 7 p.m. | |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Rangers vs. Islanders (Bridgeport, Conn.) | 7 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Golden Knights at Sharks | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Wild at Blackhawks | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Oilers at Canucks | 9 p.m. | ESPN+, SN ONE |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | Ducks at Kings | 10:30 p.m. | NHLN, fuboTV |