The wait is over. At long last, opening night in the NHL is finally here.
Hockey is officially back, and the league is kicking off the 2023-24 season in style. Tonight, there are six teams in action with three games set to take place back-to-back-to-back.
The biggest storyline heading into this season is Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard. The Canadian phenom was the No. 1 overall pick this last summer and is considered to be must-see TV. It's not a surprise to see Bedard and the Blackhawks get a spot on Opening Night, in a highly anticipated matchup against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.
In addition to the Penguins and Blackhawks, the 2023 Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights are in action tonight. Vegas will be raising its championship banner, the first one to be put up in the T-Mobile rafters.
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Here is everything you need to know to watch the opening night in the NHL:
NHL Opening Night schedule 2023
There are three games on the first day of the NHL regular season.
The first matchup on the docket is a matchup between the Predators and the Lightning in Tampa. Tampa Bay begins this season without star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who underwent back surgery earlier this preseason and is expected to miss the first two months of the season.
The headliner is at 8 p.m., as Bedard makes his NHL debut with the Blackhawks against Crosby and the Pens. Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick, is the frontrunner for the Calder Trophy and considered to be the league's next generational talent.
In the late slate, it's a banner-raising ceremony in Las Vegas, as the Golden Knights will raise their 2023 Stanley Cup banner before hosting the Kraken in their season opener.
Tuesday, Oct. 10
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Predators at Lightning | 5:30 p.m. |
| Blackhawks at Penguins | 8 p.m. |
| Kraken at Golden Knights | 10:30 p.m. |
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How to watch NHL games on Opening Night
- TV Channel: ESPN | Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Canada)
ESPN is bringing games a tripleheader on Opening Night of the NHL season.
The network will have all three games on Tuesday, starting at 5:30 p.m. ET and wrapping up late at night with the conclusion of the Golden Knights-Kraken contest.
John Buccigross (play-by-play), Ryan Callahan (analyst) and Kevin Weekes (analyst) will be on the call for Predators vs. Lightning.
After that contest, ESPN's "A-team" will be on the call for Bedard's debut, as Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Ray Ferraro (analyst) and Emily Kaplan (reporter) will be the team for Blackhawks vs. Penguins.
Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), AJ Mleczko (analyst) and Leah Hextall (reporter) will wrap up the action out West, with the trio as the broadcast team for the Golden Knights vs. Kraken.
In Canada, fans can watch all three games on Sportsnet. TVA Sports will have the contest for the French-language audience.
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NHL live streams for Opening Night
- Live Streams: ESPN+, Fubo | Sportsnet+ (Canada)
For those looking to stream the action on NHL Opening Night, ESPN+ is an option for live streams. Viewers will need to sign in with their cable subscription in order to access the game.
For those without cable, Fubo will carry any NHL games on ESPN this season. The service offers a free trial.
Cord cutters in Canada can catch the action through Sportsnet+.
