The NHL just pulled back the curtain on the full 2026-27 season schedule, and hold onto your hats, folks: it’s not the 82-game grind we're used to. This is the first NHL season ever featuring an 84-game slate, two more brutal contests added to the calendar. For the Nashville Predators, that expanded gauntlet kicks off at home on October 1, welcoming the Minnesota Wild to Bridgestone Arena. Talk about starting strong.
Early Home Cooking, Then a Western Conference Gauntlet
The Predators are going to get cozy at home right out of the gate. They'll play nine of their first 14 games in Nashville, a real chance to build some early momentum. After hosting the Wild, they've got the Dallas Stars on October 3. That's a huge one, by the way: it's Mavrik Bourque's first game against the Stars after that July 1 trade that brought him to Nashville. You know he'll be fired up. Early road tests include trips to Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa in the first 10 days of the season. Then it's back home to face the Vegas Golden Knights on October 13, the San Jose Sharks on October 15, and the St. Louis Blues on October 17. Keep an eye on October 25 against the Colorado Avalanche; Fedor Svechkov and Zach L'Heureux will be making their return to Nashville after that June 24 trade. But don't get too comfortable, because November and December flip the script with a heavy road schedule, featuring 16 of their 26 games away from home. That includes a tough visit to the defending Western Conference champion Golden Knights on November 13.Two-Time Champs, Back-to-Back: January Is Brutal
If you thought the early season was a challenge, just wait for the start of 2027. The Predators face an absolute beast of a New Year. They host the two-time Cup champion Florida Panthers on January 1, then immediately hit the road to visit the defending Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes on January 2. Are you kidding me? Back-to-back against the last two Cup winners to start the calendar year? That's a statement stretch if there ever was one. January is also the busiest month of the season, packing in a whopping 17 games. The NHL All-Star break hits from February 3-12, a much-needed breather before things heat up again. Around what's usually the trade deadline, February and March see the Predators return home for several key matchups, including a six-game home stretch starting in late February with games against Winnipeg, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Colorado, Utah Mammoth, and Minnesota. Don't forget the Black Friday game against Utah on November 27, a rare noon start. This 84-game grind is no joke. The Predators will face 11 back-to-backs, down slightly from last season, but still a significant physical toll. Their longest road trips stretch five games, and they'll do that twice: once between November 10-17, then again from March 9-17. The season wraps up with five games in April, concluding at home against the Dallas Stars on April 10. That final home game could be absolutely massive. This new 84-game format means every single point, every single shift, is going to matter even more. Get ready, this season is going to be wild.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.