We finally made it. After a long offseason consisting of NHL draft drama, a shocking signing and a blockbuster trade, the NHL regular season is here.
The NHL is taking its talents overseas and beginning the season in Europe, as the NHL Global Series marks the start of the campaign. After that, it will be a couple of days before the action starts in North America.
The Avalanche enter the season as reigning Cup champions and are the favorite to win the NHL's most coveted trophy this season. While they lost some of their key players like Andre Burakovsky and Nazem Kadri, they still should be one of the strongest teams this year. Their Cup-raising ceremony is one of the first key events of the season.
MORE: NHL 2022-23 preseason schedule
Here's a breakdown of the NHL's first week of the season.
When does the 2022-23 NHL season start?
- NHL season start date: Friday, Oct. 7
- NHL season end date: Thursday, April 13
The NHL kicks off the 2022-23 season in Europe, as the Sharks and Predators will play two games as part of the NHL Global Series. The games will be on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. It's the first time the NHL has played games outside North America since 2019.
The regular season will conclude on Thursday, April 13 with 15 games slated for the final day.
What games are on national TV in the first week?
While the Global Series kicks off the official start of the regular season, the opening day in North America is October 11 with two games that are exclusively on ESPN.
The Rangers face off against the Lightning in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Final. Later in the night, the Kings host the Golden Knights in a Pacific Division matchup.
The next night, TNT will have a doubleheader on its channel. The Bruins will play in D.C. against the Capitals and then later, the Avalanche will get to raise their Stanley Cup banner as they host the Blackhawks.
Here is the national TV schedule for the first week of games.
| Date | Matchup | Time | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Oct. 11 | Lightning at Rangers | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Tuesday, Oct. 11 | Golden Knights at Kings | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Wednesday, Oct. 12 | Bruins at Capitals | 7 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, Oct. 12 | Blackhawks at Avalanche | 9:30 p.m. | TNT |
NHL regular season live stream
- ESPN+
- ESPN.com/ESPN App
Select NHL games will be available to stream in the United States at ESPN.com, on the ESPN App, or with a subscription to ESPN+. They'll be 1,050-plus out-of-market games available to fans on ESPN+ this season.
Fans can watch up to 103 exclusive games across ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu and ABC.
How much does ESPN+ cost?
Monthly subscriptions to ESPN+ begin at $9.99, while an annual subscription is $99.99.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $13.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform
How to watch NHL games without cable
ESPN and ABC are broadcasting NHL games once again in 2022. Viewers will be able to stream national broadcasts on ESPN's website and app as well as the streaming services below.
Those who don't have cable but still want to watch the NHL can sign up for ESPN+ and live stream games. They'll be 1,050-plus out-of-market games available to fans on ESPN+ this season.
| Streaming option | Cable subscription needed? | Free? | Cost | Free trial? |
| ESPN+ | No | No | $9.99/month | No |
| ESPN.com/ESPN App | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| fuboTV | No | No | $64.99/month | Yes |
| DIRECTV STREAM | No | No | $69.99/month | Yes |
| Hulu Plus Live TV | No | No | $64.99/month | Yes |
| Sling TV | No | No | $35/month | Yes |
| YouTube TV | No | No | $64.99/month | Yes |
NHL 2022-23 opening week schedule
While the Sharks and Predators are kicking off the official start of the season, the first date of games in North America is not until October 11 with a doubleheader on deck. The Rangers face off against the Lightning in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Final, and the Kings host the Golden Knights.
Here is how the first week of the NHL season shapes up.
Tuesday, Oct. 11
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Lightning at Rangers | 7:30 p.m. |
| Golden Knights at Kings | 10 p.m. |
Wednesday, Oct. 12
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Bruins at Capitals | 7 p.m. |
| Blue Jackets at Hurricanes | 7 p.m. |
| Maple Leafs at Canadiens | 7 p.m. |
| Blackhawks at Avalanche | 9:30 p.m. |
| Krake at Ducks | 10 p.m. |
| Canucks at Oilers | 10 p.m. |
Thursday, Oct. 13
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Senators at Sabres | 7 p.m. |
| Devils at Flyers | 7 p.m. |
| Coyotes at Penguins | 7 p.m. |
| Panthers at Islanders | 7:30 p.m. |
| Capitals at Maple Leafs | 7:30 p.m. |
| Rangers at Wild | 8 p.m. |
| Stars at Predators | 8:30 p.m. |
| Avalanche at Flames | 9:30 p.m. |
| Blackhawks at Golden Knights | 10 p.m. |
| Kraken at Kings | 10:30 p.m. |
Friday Oct. 14
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Lightning at Blue Jackets | 7 p.m. |
| Canadiens at Red Wings | 7 p.m. |
| Rangers at Jets | 8 p.m. |
| Hurricanes at Sharks | 10:30 p.m. |
Saturday, Oct. 15
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Panthers at Sabres | 1 p.m. |
| Canucks at Flyers | 4 p.m. |
| Coyotes at Bruins | 7 p.m. |
| Red Wings at Devils | 7 p.m. |
| Lightning at Penguins | 7 p.m. |
| Senators at Maple Leafs | 7 p.m. |
| Canadiens at Capitals | 7 p.m. |
| Ducks at Islanders | 7:30 p.m. |
| Predators at Stars | 8 p.m. |
| Kings at Wild | 8 p.m. |
| Blue Jackets at Blues | 8 p.m. |
| Flames at Oilers | 10 p.m. |
| Golden Knights at Kraken | 10 p.m. |
| Blackhawks at Sharks | 10:30 p.m. |