One team's unveiling and another debuting in its new home will be featured as part of ESPN's opening night tripleheader Oct. 8.
The Florida Panthers, who won the Stanley Cup for the first time last season, will raise their championship banner before playing the Boston Bruins at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+).
The night also will see the debut of the Utah Hockey Club, which will play its first game at Delta Center in Salt Lake City against the Chicago Blackhawks (10 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+).
The tripleheader will begin with the St. Louis Blues playing the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle (4:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+).
RELATED: Schedules announced: ESPN | TNT
TNT begins its coverage with a doubleheader Oct. 9. The first game features Artemi Panarin and the New York Rangers against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT). The second game has Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche playing Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (10 p.m. ET; TNT).
In all, 100 exclusive regular-season games will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, ABC and Hulu beginning Oct. 8. They also will broadcast the Stanley Cup Playoffs as well as one conference final.
TNT will broadcast 62 regular-season games as well as the 2025 Stanley Cup Final and half of the playoffs, including coverage of the first round, second round and one conference final. All TNT coverage will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max's B/R Sports Add-On.
Other highlights of the national schedule include:
-- Frozen Frenzy returns Oct. 22 with all 32 teams playing, including a nationally broadcast tripleheader: the Washington Capitals play the Philadelphia Flyers (6 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+), the Avalanche play the Kraken (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+) and the Los Angeles Kings play the Golden Knights (11 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+).
-- The Thanksgiving Showdown is Nov. 29, with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Boston Bruins (6:30 p.m. ET; TNT, MAX), followed by the Avalanche at the Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; TNT, MAX).
-- The Discover NHL Winter Classic is Dec. 31, featuring Jordan Kyrou and the Blues against 2023 Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks at Wrigley Field in Chicago (5 p.m. ET; TNT, truTV, MAX).
-- The 2025 4 Nations Face-off will be shown on ESPN, ABC and TNT. It starts with Sweden against Canada on Feb. 12 (8 p.m. ET; TNT), and the United States playing Finland on Feb. 13 (8 p.m. ET; ESPN). There's a doubleheader Feb. 15, with Finland facing Sweden (1 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN+) and the U.S. against Canada (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+), then a Presidents' Day doubleheader Feb. 17, with Finland facing Canada (1 p.m. ET; TNT), followed by Sweden against the U.S. (8 p.m. ET; TNT). The championship game is Feb. 20 (8 p.m. ET; ESPN).
-- The 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series will be between the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on March 1 (6 p.m. ET; ESPN).
