A playoff rematch between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens will open the NHL's 2021-22 pre-season schedule on Sept. 25, the league announced Monday.
The 15-day pre-season schedule will also feature the debut of the Seattle Kraken (Sept. 26 vs. the Canucks) and a number of stops in neutral-site communities across Canada and the United States.
The Kraken, who are putting the finishing touches on the renovated Climate Pledge Arena, will play their pre-season home games across Washington state, including against Vancouver in Spokane, the Oilers in Everett on Oct. 1 and the Flames in Kent on Oct. 2. The NHL's newest franchise will donate a portion of ticket revenue to One Roof Foundation with the goal of raising over $500,000 for youth hockey programs.
The New York Islanders will also play the home portion of the pre-season on the road with construction on the new UBS Arena still ongoing. The Islanders will have three home contests -- Oct. 2 vs. the Devils, Oct. 5 vs. the Flyers and Oct. 9 vs. the Rangers -- at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn., home of their AHL-affiliate the Bridgeport Islanders.
Other neutral-site pre-season games include a game between the Flames and Canucks on Sept. 27 in Abbotsford, B.C., a game between the Kings and Golden Knights in Salt Lake City, Utah on Sept. 30, a game between the Blackhawks and Blues in Independence, Mo., on Oct. 2 and a game between the Panthers and Lightning in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 5.
The pre-season will provide fans with the first glimpse of the return of intra-division matchups after the pandemic schedule limited travel in the 2020-21 season. The NHL will feature four divisions this season -- the Metropolitan and Atlantic in the Eastern Conference and Central and Pacific in the Western Conference -- with the Kraken joining the Pacific and the Coyotes moving into the Central.
Below is the full 2021-22 pre-season schedule, which runs from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9. The puck will drop on the regular season on Oct. 12.
2021-22 NHL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
* For all neutral-site games, designated road team listed first
SATURDAY, SEPT. 25
Montreal at Toronto, 2 p.m.
Minnesota at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 26
Nashville at Florida (split-squad doubleheader), 2 and 6 p.m.
Boston at Washington, 5 p.m.
NY Islanders at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
Ottawa at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.
San Jose (split squad) at Anaheim, 8 p.m.
Edmonton at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Vancouver vs. Seattle, at Spokane, Wash. (Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena), 9 p.m.
San Jose (split squad) at Vegas, 10 p.m.
MONDAY, SEPT. 27
Toronto at Montreal, 7 p.m.
Columbus at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Dallas at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles at Arizona, 10 p.m.
Calgary vs. Vancouver, at Abbotsford, B.C. (Abbotsford Centre), 10 p.m.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 28
Boston at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
NY Islanders at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Buffalo at Columbus, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Carolina, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Edmonton, 9 p.m.
Colorado at Vegas, 10 p.m.
Los Angeles at San Jose, 10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 29
New Jersey at Washington, 7 p.m.
St. Louis at Columbus, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.
Florida at Dallas, 8 p.m.
Edmonton at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.
Detroit at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
Seattle at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Arizona at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 30
Nashville at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
Buffalo at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Colorado, 9 p.m.
Vegas vs. Los Angeles, at Salt Lake City, Utah (Vivint Arena), 10 p.m.
San Jose at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCT. 1
Pittsburgh at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
NY Rangers at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Dallas at Florida, 7 p.m.
Carolina at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Montreal at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.
St. Louis at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
Vancouver at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Los Angeles at Vegas, 10 p.m.
Edmonton vs. Seattle, at Everett, Wash. (Angel of the Winds Arena), 10 p.m.
SATURDAY, OCT. 2
Anaheim at Arizona, 6 p.m.
Ottawa at Montreal, 7 p.m.
Washington at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Winnipeg at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
NY Rangers at Boston, 7 p.m.
Columbus at Detroit, 7 p.m.
New Jersey vs. NY Islanders, at Bridgeport, Conn. (Webster Bank Arena), 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Nashville, 8 p.m.
Chicago vs. St. Louis, at Independence, Mo. (Cable Dahmer Arena), 8 p.m.
Calgary vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash. (Accesso ShowWare Center), 10 p.m.
SUNDAY, OCT. 3
Detroit at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
Winnipeg at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
MONDAY, OCT. 4
Boston at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Columbus at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Washington at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Colorado at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Calgary at Edmonton, 9 p.m.
Anaheim at San Jose, 10 p.m.
TUESDAY, OCT. 5
Montreal at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Buffalo at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Nashville at Carolina, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia vs. NY Islanders, at Bridgeport, Conn. (Webster Bank Arena), 7 p.m.
Florida vs. Tampa Bay, at Orlando, Fla. (Amway Center), 7 p.m.
St. Louis at Dallas, 8 p.m.
Vegas at Colorado, 9 p.m.
Seattle at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
Arizona at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 6
Washington at Boston, 7 p.m.
New Jersey at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Columbus, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.
St. Louis at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
THURSDAY, OCT. 7
Ottawa at Montreal, 7 p.m.
NY Islanders at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Florida at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Colorado at Dallas, 8 p.m.
Vancouver at Edmonton, 9 p.m.
Arizona at Vegas, 10 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCT. 8
Philadelphia at Washington, 7 p.m.
Columbus at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
Winnipeg at Calgary, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY, OCT. 9
Detroit at Buffalo, 3 p.m.
Carolina at Nashville, 4 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Florida, 6 p.m.
Ottawa at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Columbus, 7 p.m.
Dallas at Colorado, 7 p.m.
NY Rangers vs. NY Islanders, at Bridgeport, Conn. (Webster Bank Arena), 7 p.m.
Vegas at San Jose, 8 p.m.
Minnesota at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
Edmonton at Vancouver, 9 p.m.
Anaheim at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.
