Special Hockey Events for the 2026‑27 Season: A Super Simple Guide

What’s Coming Up?

The people who run the NHL (that’s the National Hockey League – a big group of professional ice‑hockey teams) already told us that the 2026‑27 season will have a bunch of extra‑special games called “signature events.” Think of these like holiday parties for hockey fans!

Here are the cool events we know about so far.

The Heritage Classic in Winnipeg

• What: The 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic is a special outdoor game.
• Teams: The Winnipeg Jets will play against the Canadiens (a team from Montreal).
• When: October 25.
• Where: Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg (a city in Canada).

Hockey Travels to Finland

The NHL will go back across the ocean for the 2026 Global Series Finland.

• Teams: The Hurricanes and the Seattle Kraken.
• Games: They will play two games.
• When: November 12 and 14.
• Where: Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki (that’s a city in Finland).

Hockey Then Goes to Germany

About a month later, the league visits Germany for the 2026 Global Series Germany.

• Teams: The Senators and the Blackhawks.
• Games: Two games again.
• When: December 18 and 20.
• Where: PSD Bank Dome in Dusseldorf (a city in Germany).

The Winter Classic in Utah

• What: The Discover NHL Winter Classic is another big outdoor game, usually near New Year’s.
• Teams: The Utah Mammoth will face the Avalanche.
• When: December 31.
• Where: The University of Utah’s Rice‑Eccles Stadium. It’s right near the big Rocky Mountains (called the Greater Rockies), so a pretty backdrop!

All‑Star Weekend on Long Island

The Honda NHL All‑Star Weekend is like a big hockey festival with fun skills and a friendly game.

• When: February 5–6.
• Where: UBS Arena on Long Island (near New York).

It has two main parts:

1. 2027 NHL All‑Star Skills (Feb 5): Only players who are 25 years old or younger show off their tricks in eight different challenges.

2. 2027 Honda NHL All‑Star Game (Feb 6): A fun exhibition (that means it doesn’t count in the normal standings) with five teams, each having 11 players:

   • Canada
   • Finland
   • Sweden
   • United States
   • A “World” team (players from other countries not in the first four)

   They play a 3‑on‑3 round‑robin tournament. That means three players per side, and every team plays each other.

Outdoor Game in Dallas

The third and final outdoor game of the season is the 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series.

• When: February 20.
• Where: AT&T Stadium, which is normally home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys (that’s American football).
• Teams: The Dallas Stars will host the Golden Knights.

When Do We Get the Full List of Games?

Important: The complete list of all normal 2026‑27 NHL games (the regular‑season schedule) will be shared on Thursday at 1 p.m. ET (Eastern Time).

Here’s how you can watch the announcement:

1. Turn on the NHL Network for a special one‑hour show called “NHL Tonight.”
2. The show will be hosted by Jamison Coyle, Mike Rupp, and E.J. Hradek.
3. If you don’t have TV, you can also stream it on NHL.com.

Summary

To wrap up, the 2026‑27 NHL season will be packed with special games:

• A Heritage Classic in Winnipeg (Oct 25)
• Games in Finland (Nov 12 & 14) and Germany (Dec 18 & 20)
• A Winter Classic in Utah (Dec 31)
• An All‑Star Weekend for young stars and countries (Feb 5–6)
• A Stadium Series game in Dallas (Feb 20)
• Full regular schedule revealed Thursday at 1 p.m. ET

These events let fans see hockey in cool places and celebrate the sport!

FAQ

Q1: What is the NHL?
A1: NHL stands for National Hockey League. It’s a big organization where professional ice‑hockey teams (like the Jets, Canadiens, etc.) play against each other.

Q2: What does “outdoor game” mean?
A2: Normally hockey is played inside an arena. Outdoor games are special matches played outside in big stadiums, often with cold air and nice scenery.

Q3: Why are some games played in Finland and Germany?
A3: The NHL wants to share hockey with fans in other countries. They call these trips the “Global Series.” Two games are played in each country so local fans can watch live.

Q4: What is the All‑Star Game exactly?
A4: It’s a fun, non‑serious game where the best players split into teams by country (plus a World team) and play a friendly tournament. The day before, younger players show skills like fastest skating or hardest shot.

Q5: How can I watch the full schedule reveal?
A5: Just tune into NHL Network at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday for a special show, or stream it free on NHL.com.