The NHL schedule continues a longtime tradition with the Blackhawks

When the Chicago Blackhawks take to the ice for the start of the 2025-26 NHL season, they will do so in a familiar way—with all eyes on them for a primetime matchup.

The Blackhawks start the 2025-26 NHL Season on the road with a big game against the defending Stanley Cup Champs in the Florida Panthers.

Puck drop is currently listed at 4 p.m., but with a banner-raising ceremony to start the night, the Hawks will undoubtedly be waiting a little while to kick off their season.

This is not the first time the Hawks are starting their season with a big time matchup in a national game. In 2024-25, the Blackhawks started the season on the road against the Utah Hockey Club - Utah's first ever NHL game as a franchise.

The Blackhawks are no stranger to playing in some of the biggest opening night games around.

In 2023-24, the Blackhawks began the regular season with a road matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Connor Bedard's first NHL game came against Sidney Crosby on the first night of the regular season.

The 2023 matchup with the Penguins where the Hawks won 4-2 marked the Blackhawks only night one win of the past five years.

Despite the Hawks rebuilding and constant struggles year after year, they have long been a favorite of the league to open the action of the NHL season.

Chicago last opened the season with a banner-raising ceremony in 2022-23 when they faced the Colorado Avalanche on the road.

A year prior, the Hawks began their season also against the Colorado Avalanche on the road. Chicago's first three games were all on the road that year, with Chicago flying from Colorado to New Jersey to Pittsburgh before a four-game home stand.

Starting the Blackhawks on the road seems to be an unwritten rule for the NHL. Last year, the Hawks started the season with a four game road trip and a year prior Chicago played their first five games on the road.

To recap, the Blackhawks will start the 2025-26 NHL Season on the road with the defending Stanley Cup Champs. A year ago, the Blackhawks played in Utah's inaugural home game. Two years ago it was a matchup between Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard, and a year before that, it was the defending Stanley Cup Champs in Colorado.

The Blackhawks always seem to get some fun matchups right out of the gate, hopefully this year they can end opening night with a win.