A common question that gets asked this time of year is when does the NHL season start? What are the key dates for the 2024-25 NHL season? Well, for this season, we get treated to our first NHL game on Friday, October 4th. Not only that, but the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres will play in Prague, Czech Republic on Friday, October 4th, 2024. We have all of the details about the start of the season, printable NHL schedules, and more for you below.
When Does the NHL Season Start?
So, the answer to when does the NHL season start for the 2024-25 season is October 4th, 2024. After the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres play in Prague, they will turn around for a second game on Saturday, October 5th, 2024. The season will not start for the rest of the NHL until after the weekend.
When does the 2024-25 NHL Season Start in Canada and the United States?
The first games back in North America take place on Tuesday, October 8th, 2024. We get to enjoy a NHL Triple Header on this day. Besides getting to see the defending Stanley Cup Champions (Florida Panthers) play, we also get to see the Utah Hockey Club’s first game.
- St. Louis Blues vs. Seattle Kraken, 4:30 p.m. ET
- Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers, 7 p.m. ET
- Chicago Blackhawks vs. Utah Hockey Club, 10 p.m. ET
When is the 2024-25 NHL All-Star Game?
So, there is no 2024-25 NHL All Star game this year.
When is the 4 Nations Face-Off? What is the Schedule?
Instead of an All-Star game and break, the NHL regular season is pausing from February 10-21st, 2025. This will make room for the first 4 Nations Face-Off. In this tournament, there will be seven games total. They will include players from Finland, Sweden, the U.S., and Canada. The 4 Nations Face Off Schedule:
| Feb 12, 2025: Canada vs. Sweden – 8pm ET – Bell Centre (Montreal, QC) |
| Feb 13, 2025: USA vs. Finland – 8pm ET– Bell Centre (Montreal, QC) |
| Feb 15, 2025: Finland vs. Sweden- 1pm ET – Bell Centre (Montreal, QC) |
| Feb 15, 2025: USA vs. Canada – 8pm ET – Bell Centre (Montreal, QC) |
| Feb 17, 2025: Canada vs. Finland – 1pm ET – TD Garden (Boston, MA) |
| Feb 17, 2025: Sweden vs. USA – 8pm ET – TD Garden (Boston, MA) |
| Feb 20, 2025: Championship Game – 8pm ET – TD Garden (Boston, MA) |
Are there Any Outdoor NHL Games in 2024-25
For the 2024-25 NHL regular season, there are two outdoor games scheduled. The Winter Classic takes place ON New Year’s Eve (first time) with the Blackhawks hosting the Blues. The game is being played at Wrigley Field on December 31st, 2024. Detroit and Columbus play outside at Ohio Stadium on March 1st, 2025. This will be the first time that the Blue Jackets have ever played a game outdoors.
When Does the 2024-25 NHL Regular Season End?
The 2024-25 NHL regular season wraps up play on Thursday, April 17th, 2024. There will be six games on the slate this day since the playoffs will start up soon after.
When do the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs start?
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs will start play with the first round on Saturday, April 19th, 2024. Similar to last year, the teams who don’t paly on the 17th will probably be slated to play on the first day. We’ll just have to wait on the final 2025 NHL Playoff schedule to see.
2024-25 NHL Regular Season Schedule – By Teams
Here are all of the 2024-25 NHL regular season schedules by team for you. All of the team’s respective schedules are posted in PDF and image formats for you to use for free. Enjoy the season.
