Islanders 2025-26 NHL schedule
Mathew Barzal should return to the Islanders when they open the season un Oct. 9. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Matthew Schaefer’s NHL debut could come Oct. 9 in Pittsburgh. His first game at UBS Arena as an Islander could be two days later against the Capitals.
Those are the first two games on the Islanders’ 2025-26 schedule, released by the NHL on Wednesday. The Islanders selected the soon-to-be 18-year-old defenseman first overall in last month’s draft and he will come to September’s training camp with a strong opportunity to make the opening night roster.
The Islanders are starting their first season under general manager Mathieu Darche after finishing with a 35-35-12 mark and missing the playoffs by nine points in coach Patrick Roy’s first full season.
The Islanders play the first of four games against the rival Rangers on Nov. 8 at Madison Square Garden and host them at UBS Arena on Dec. 27 and Jan. 28. The two-time Stanley Cup champion Panthers are at UBS Arena on March 1 and March 28. Those are two of the 12 home games that begin at 5 p.m. or earlier.
The primary start time for games at UBS Arena has been moved up a half hour to 7 p.m.
The Islanders have a seven-game homestand from Nov. 22-Dec. 4, ending with former Islander Brock Nelson’s first visit back to Long Island with the Avalanche after being traded on March 6. The Islanders are in Colorado on Nov. 16. Former Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson, traded to the Canadiens last month, makes his return to UBS Arena on April 12 with the Islanders playing in Montreal on Feb. 26 and March 21.
The Islanders have seven-game road trips from Nov. 8-20 and Jan. 8-21.
This will be the last 82-game season as the NHL will expand to 84 games in 2026-27.
ISLANDERS 2025-26 SCHEDULE
Thursday, Oct. 9, 7 P.M., at PIT
Saturday, Oct. 11, 7 P.M., vs WSH
Monday, Oct. 13, 1 P.M., vs WPG
Thursday, Oct. 16, 7 P.M., vs EDM
Saturday, Oct. 18, 3 P.M., at OTT
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 7 P.M., vs SJS
Thursday, Oct. 23, 7 P.M., vs DET
Saturday, Oct. 25, 12:30 P.M., at PHI
Tuesday, Oct. 28, 7:15 P.M., at BOS
Thursday, Oct. 30, 7 P.M., at CAR
Friday, Oct. 31, 7 P.M., at WSH
Sunday, Nov. 2, 5 P.M., vs CBJ
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 7 P.M., vs BOS
Friday, Nov. 7, 7 P.M., vs MIN
Saturday, Nov. 8, 7 P.M., at NYR
Monday, Nov. 10, 7 P.M., at NJD
Thursday, Nov. 13, 10 P.M., at VGK
Friday, Nov. 14, 9 P.M., at UTA
Sunday, Nov. 16, 9 P.M., at COL
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 8 P.M., at DAL
Thursday, Nov. 20, 7 P.M., at DET
Saturday, Nov. 22, 3:30 P.M., vs STL
Sunday, Nov. 23, 5 P.M., vs SEA
Wednesday, Nov. 26, 7 P.M., vs BOS
Friday, Nov. 28, 4 P.M., vs PHI
Sunday, Nov. 30, 1 P.M., vs WSH
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 7 P.M., vs TBL
Thursday, Dec. 4, 7 P.M., at COL
Saturday, Dec. 6, 7 P.M., at TBL
Sunday, Dec. 7, 5 P.M., at FLA
Tuesday, Dec. 9, 7 P.M., vs VGK
Thursday, Dec. 11, 7 P.M., vs ANA
Saturday, Dec. 13, 3:30 P.M., vs TBL
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7 P.M., at DET
Friday, Dec. 19, 7 P.M., vs VAN
Saturday, Dec. 20, 5 P.M., at BUF
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 7 P.M., vs NJD
Saturday, Dec. 27, 6 P.M., vs NYR
Sunday, Dec. 28, 5 P.M., at CBJ
Tuesday, Dec. 30, 8:30 P.M., at CHI
Thursday, Jan. 1, 3 P.M., vs UTA
Saturday, Jan. 3, 7 P.M., vs TOR
Tuesday, Jan. 6, 7 P.M., vs NJD
Thursday, Jan. 8, 8 P.M., at NSH
Saturday, Jan. 10, 8 P.M., at MIN
Tuesday, Jan. 13, 8 P.M., at WPG
Thursday, Jan. 15, 9 P.M., at EDM
Saturday, Jan. 17, 3 P.M., at CGY
Monday, Jan. 19, 10 P.M., at VAN
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 10 P.M., at SEA
Saturday, Jan. 24, 1 P.M., vs BUF
Monday, Jan. 26, 7 P.M., at PHI
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 7:30 P.M., vs NYR
Thursday, Jan. 29, 7 P.M., at NYR
Saturday, Jan. 31 , 7 P.M., vs NSH
Monday, Feb. 2, 7 P.M., at WSH
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 7 P.M., vs PIT
Thursday, Feb. 5, 7 P.M., at NJD
Thursday, Feb. 26, 7 P.M., at MTL
Saturday, Feb. 28, 6 P.M., at CBJ
Sunday, March 1, 4 P.M., vs FLA
Wednesday, March 4, 10 P.M., at ANA
Thursday, March 5, 9:30 P.M., at LAK
Saturday, March 7, 10 P.M., at SJS
Tuesday, March 10, 7:30 P.M., at STL
Friday, March 13, 7 P.M., vs LAK
Saturday, March 14, 7 P.M., vs CGY
Tuesday, March 17, 7 P.M., at TOR
Thursday, March 19, 7 P.M., at OTT
Saturday, March 21, 7 P.M., at MTL
Sunday, March 22, 7 P.M., vs CBJ
Tuesday, March 24, 7 P.M., vs CHI
Thursday, March 26, 7 P.M., vs DAL
Saturday, March 28, 1 P.M., vs FLA
Monday, March 30, 7 P.M., vs PIT
Tuesday, March 31, 7 P.M., at BUF
Friday, April 3, 7 P.M., vs PIT
Saturday, April 4, 7 P.M., at CAR
Thursday, April 9, 7 P.M., vs TOR
Saturday, April 11, 1 P.M., vs OTT
Sunday, April 12, 6 P.M., vs MTL
Tuesday, April 14, 7 P.M., vs CAR
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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