George Richards, FHN Publisher
The Florida Panthers schedule for the 2026-27 NHL season is now out, and we now know some of the key dates, when the big games are going to be — and when fan favorites such as Sergei Bobrovsky and Evan Rodrigues make their return to Sunrise.
Bobrovsky spent the past seven seasons with the Panthers before the two sides moved on this summer.
Now with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie will be back in Sunrise on March 6.
Florida’s first game against Bobrovsky and the Leafs will be Dec. 3 in Toronto.
Rodrigues and the New Jersey Devils visit Jacob Markstrom and the Panthers in Sunrise on Feb. 18.
Brady Tkachuk returns to Ottawa early on with Florida kicking off a four-game road trip on Oct. 21 against the Senators.
The Panthers will open on Sept. 29 against the host Carolina Hurricanes, the Stanley Cup banner raising ceremony being the first game of the 2026-27 season on ESPN.
Florida will play its first four games on the road, going from Carolina to San Jose; the Panthers will play three games in California.
The Panthers then head east for the home opener Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild before going right back on the road for a pair of games in Buffalo and Columbus.
Florida will have 42 home games this season as part of the new 84-game schedule with four games each against Atlantic Division opponents.
The Tampa Bay Lightning visit Sunrise on Nov. 28 and Dec. 26; the Panthers go to Tampa on Feb. 16 and March 23.
The Panthers will have two, five-game homestands — their longest ones of the season — starting on Dec. 19-30.
Florida will also be home for five straight games from March 2-12.
March will be the busiest month for the Panthers in Sunrise with eight home games. Florida will play seven home games in both November and December.
Florida will play 13 home games on Saturdays with eight Thursdays. The Panthers will also have four Friday games and two on a Sunday.
Although the Panthers play 10 of their first 13 games on the road, Florida will play seven of its final nine games of the season at home.
As far as holidays go, the Panthers will play their annual Thanksgiving Eve game Nov. 25 against the Ottawa Senators but will play Black Friday in Washington. The Panthers return home on Nov. 28 to host the Lightning.
Florida will be home from Dec. 19-30 with holiday games against the Flames, Blues, Lightning, Predators, and Sabres (Dec. 30). The Panthers will ring in the New Year in Nashville, playing the Predators in Music City on Jan. 1 at 1 p.m.
When it comes to back-to-back games, the Panthers will play in 14 starting Oct. 12-13 in Buffalo and Columbus.
Of those 14 back-to-backs, nine will be completely road games (such as at Toronto and Montreal on March 15-16) with three consisting of back-to-back home games (the final two games of the regular season are at home against Boston and Carolina on April 9 and 10).
ON DECK: FLORIDA PANTHERS OFFSEASON
- NHL Free Agency: Opened July 1
- Panthers Rookie Camp/Tournament: Late August/Early Sept.; Site TBA
- Panthers Training Camp: Early/Mid September; Fort Lauderdale
- Panthers Preseason (Four Games): Starts Sept. 20 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
- 2026-27 NHL Season Opener: Florida at Carolina Hurricanes; Sept. 29, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
- 2026-27 NHL Home Opener: Minnesota Wild at Florida; Oct. 10, 6 p.m. (Scripps)