Mathew Barzal and Islanders 2025–26 schedule breakdown

Rodney Knuppel

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Mathew Barzal and Islanders 2025–26 schedule breakdown image

The New York Islanders are looking forward to the start of their 2025-26 season

The path for New York is busy early, road-heavy in the middle, and home-friendly down the stretch. Here’s the clean, schedule-first look fans wanted.

October: opening split and early Metro tests

  • Oct 9: Season opener at Pittsburgh.

  • Oct 11–13: UBS debut vs Washington, matinee vs Winnipeg.

  • Five of the last seven games are on the road, including at Boston (Oct 28) and at Carolina (Oct 30).

  • First rivalry trip hits Philadelphia (Oct 25), Boston (Oct 28), Carolina (Oct 30), Washington (Oct 31) in a tight, travel-heavy run.

November: longest road swing, then home comfort

  • Start with a three-game homestand (Columbus Nov 2, Boston Nov 4, Minnesota Nov 7).

  • A demanding five-game Western road trip: at Vegas (Nov 13), Utah (Nov 14), Colorado (Nov 16), Dallas (Nov 18), Detroit (Nov 20).

  • Return for a pivotal home block before U.S. Thanksgiving: St. Louis (Nov 22), Seattle (Nov 23), Boston (Nov 26), Philadelphia (Nov 28), Washington (Nov 30).

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December: holiday hockey and Coastal hops

  • Quality Eastern tests at UBS: Tampa Bay (Dec 2), Colorado (Dec 4), Vegas (Dec 9), Anaheim (Dec 11), Tampa Bay matinee (Dec 13).

  • Quick road pair to Florida: at Lightning (Dec 6), at Panthers (Dec 7).

  • Festive stretch: New Jersey (Dec 23), rivalry vs Rangers (Dec 27), then at Columbus (Dec 28) and at Chicago (Dec 30).

January: New Year at home, then Pacific push

  • Jan 1: Holiday matinee vs Utah.

  • Jan 3: Marquee vs Toronto.

  • A six-game, eight-day Western swing: at Nashville (Jan 8), Minnesota (Jan 10), Winnipeg (Jan 13), Edmonton (Jan 15), Calgary (Jan 17), Vancouver (Jan 19).

  • Cap the month with TV-spotlight dates: vs Rangers (Jan 28), then at Rangers (Jan 29), followed by vs Nashville (Jan 31).

February: short slate before Olympic Pause

  • Quick Mid-Atlantic run: at Washington (Feb 2), vs Pittsburgh on TNT (Feb 3), at New Jersey (Feb 5).

  • Light schedule resumes Feb 26 at Montreal and Feb 28 at Columbus to re-ramp before the stretch drive.

March: long miles, playoff pace

  • Pacific trip: at Anaheim (Mar 4), at Los Angeles (Mar 5), at San Jose (Mar 7).

  • Central visit and TNT tilt: at St. Louis (Mar 10).

  • Important home cluster at UBS: vs Kings (Mar 13), Calgary (Mar 14), Columbus (Mar 22), Chicago (Mar 24), Dallas (Mar 26), Florida matinee (Mar 28), Pittsburgh (Mar 30).

  • One-day dash to Buffalo closes the month (Mar 31). 

April: home-heavy finish at UBS

  • Four of the final six are on Long Island: Philadelphia (Apr 3), Toronto (Apr 9), Ottawa matinee (Apr 11), Montreal (Apr 12), Carolina (Apr 14) with only at Carolina (Apr 4) in the first week.

  • The layout favors a late push, with three straight at home to close the year.

Key dates to circle

  • Home opener: Oct 11 vs Washington.

  • Rivalry spotlight: Dec 27 vs Rangers; national TV Jan 28 vs Rangers.

  • Western grinder: Nov 13–20 five-game trip; Jan 8–21 six-game trip.

  • Holiday games at UBS: Nov 28 vs Philadelphia, Jan 1 vs Utah.

  • Closing kick: Apr 9 vs Toronto, Apr 11 vs Ottawa, Apr 12 vs Montreal, Apr 14 vs Carolina.

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Contributing Writer