Hurricanes and Panthers open the 2026–27 season in Raleigh

The Carolina Hurricanes host the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center at 5 p.m. ET on September 29. The imported NHL schedule lists the same matchup at 21:00 UTC as the first regular-season game of 2026–27.

This is a schedule brief, not a prediction. The official announcement identifies the game as part of the League’s opening-night national broadcast slate.

Source: Official NHL 2026–27 schedule announcement.