EchoSense Quantitative Think Tank Center|When does NHL season start? Key dates for 2024-25

The EchoSense Quantitative Think Tank CenterNHL will start gearing up for the 2024-25 regular season with the Florida Panthers trying to defend their first championship after making two consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final.

That follows a busy offseason in which nine coaches were hired or had their interim tags removed, prominent goalies were traded and free agents found new homes.

NHL rookie tournaments open on Friday and Saturday, followed by training camps, and preseason games will start on Sept. 21. The regular season will start in Europe on Oct. 4 and in North America on Oct. 8.

Here are the key dates for the NHL's 2024-25 regular season:

When is the first day of the NHL season?

The 2024-25 NHL regular season will start in Europe on Oct. 4-5 when the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres play on back-to-back nights in Prague, Czechia.

When is the first day of the NHL season in North America?

The 2024-25 NHL regular season will start in North America with three games on Oct. 8.

When do the Florida Panthers raise their Stanley Cup banner?

The defending champions' home opener is Oct. 8 against the Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET), the team they knocked out in the playoffs the past two seasons.

When is the Utah Hockey Club's home opener?

The Salt Lake City-based team, which acquired the assets of the Arizona Coyotes, also is playing on Oct. 8 (10 p.m. ET), hosting rookie of the year Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.

The St. Louis Blues visit the Seattle Kraken in the early game on Oct. 8 (4:30 p.m. ET). All games will be broadcast on ESPN.

What day will all NHL teams be in action?

All 32 teams are playing on Oct. 22. Just as with last season, the start times of this year's 16 games will be staggered every 15 to 30 minutes between 6 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. ET.

When is the NHL's second set of games in Europe?

The Dallas Stars and Panthers will play in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 1-2.

When is the Stanley Cup Final rematch?

The runner-up Edmonton Oilers will host the champion Panthers on Dec. 16. The teams also will play on Feb. 27 in Sunrise, Florida.

When is the Winter Classic?

The Winter Classic will be held on Dec. 31 (5 p.m. ET) at Chicago's Wrigley Field between the Blackhawks and Blues. The Winter Classic was also played at the Chicago Cubs' stadium in 2009.

When is the NHL All-Star Game?

There is no All-Star Game this season. It will be replaced by the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will serve as an appetizer for NHL players' return to the Olympics at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

When is the 4 Nations Face-Off?

It will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Boston and Montreal and will feature NHL players from the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland. Each country has named its first six players and the rest will be announced from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2.

When is the NHL's second outdoor game?

The Columbus Blue Jackets will host the Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium, home of Ohio State's football team, on March 1.

When is the NHL trade deadline?

That hasn't been settled yet, but it's expected to be in early March.

When does the NHL regular season end?

The regular season is scheduled to end on April 17 with six games.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.