The Tampa Bay Lightning will open their 2025-26 season at Amalie Arena on October 9 against the Ottawa Senators, kicking off a year where the Bolts will once again be tested by a mix of rivalry dates, road swings, and national spotlight events. Tampa Bay is chasing another deep postseason run, and the schedule lays out plenty of storylines from October through April.
Stadium Series takes center stage
The signature moment of the Lightning’s season comes on Feb. 1, when they face the Boston Bruins in the 2026 NHL Stadium Series at Raymond James Stadium. It’ll be Tampa Bay’s second outdoor game in franchise history, and this time they’ll play in front of their home fans in a football stadium built for spectacle.
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Key schedule highlights
Oct. 9 vs Ottawa Senators – Season opener at Amalie, starting the campaign at home.
Oct. 25 vs Florida Panthers – First Battle of Florida of the season, always heated.
Nov. 6 at Vegas Golden Knights – A road showdown against a fellow Cup contender.
Dec. 31 vs Toronto Maple Leafs – New Year’s Eve tilt at home with Auston Matthews in town.
Jan. 10–18 – Longest road trip of the season, five straight away from Amalie.
Mar. 24–Apr. 4 – Seven-game homestand, the longest of the year, a chance to lock in playoff seeding.
Apr. 4 vs Boston Bruins – Final game of that homestand, closing with the same team they’ll meet outdoors.
The grind of the season
The Bolts’ busiest month will be March, when they play 16 times, including eight at home. January is the toughest travel stretch, with nine road games packed into 31 days. Add in 15 back-to-back sets, and Tampa Bay’s depth will be tested.
What’s at stake?
With Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, and Victor Hedman still anchoring the roster, plus five Lightning skaters already tabbed for Olympic duty in 2026, Tampa Bay has the talent to make another run. But managing energy through a packed calendar, especially around the Olympic break in February, will determine whether they enter April as true Cup favorites or fighting uphill.
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